Why Plant Proteins Are Lean and Complete

Why “lean protein” tends to be code for "animal meat"—and why plants qualify as lean proteins

Despite how it’s often characterized, “lean protein” includes plants. Beans, tofu, tempeh, and more are lean, complete, and highly digestible. This piece clears up absorption vs. concentration and offers practical, protein-packed plant choices.

Photo credit Tina Dawson

In the first episode of the “Are You Eating Enough Protein?” series, I talked about the history of U.S. nutrition standards: how the original recommendations were framed around “meat” as a food group, and how only later did the language shift to “protein” as a nutrient category.

That shift matters. We moved from a food group (“meat”) to the nutrient itself (“protein”). As a result, today’s guidance lists plant proteins right alongside animal proteins—beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, seitan—without implying that they’re inferior.

Lean Protein

Still, I often notice certain buzzwords that reveal the lingering bias toward animal flesh. One of those is the recommendation to eat “lean protein.” When experts say people should eat “lean protein,” it’s usually shorthand for chicken’s breasts, fishes, or turkeys—not beans, lentils, or tofu. But of course the irony is that by the USDA’s own criteria, plant proteins are lean proteins.

According to the USDA, a lean protein source is defined as having

• less than 10 grams of total fat

• no more than 4.5 grams of saturated fat

• and under 55 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams of food.

By that definition, beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and quinoa are all lean—because plants contain zero cholesterol, are naturally low in saturated fat, and often lower in total fat compared to animal flesh. On top of that, they provide fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients, which are naturally absent in animal meat.

So when someone says, “Make sure you’re getting lean protein,” the truth is: that’s exactly what you’re doing when you eat plant-based protein. It’s worth keeping that in mind, both in our own conversations and when we hear or read experts using that phrase and offering an alternative perspective.

In fact, recently a subscriber sent me an article from the San Francisco Chronicle titled “The ‘single most important behavior’ for women in perimenopause and menopause.”

In it, the author quoted an expert:

“Eat protein. People in midlife should aim for 1 to 1.5 grams of lean protein per kilogram of body weight a day.”

While I agree we need to consume more protein—especially as we age—“lean protein” is almost always code for meat. I knew they meant animal protein from that qualifier alone, and the very next sentence confirmed it: they made a quick nod to plants, followed by the claim that animal protein is “better absorbed” and “more complete.”

Frustrated and annoyed to be reading such outdated, inaccurate, and misleading advice in the mid-21st century, I wrote a letter to the editor.

Dear Editor,

Thank you for covering the important topic of diet and exercise for peri- and post-menopausal women. However, I was troubled by the suggestion that animal protein is superior, describing it as “better absorbed” and “more complete.”

This framing is misleading and outdated. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, high-quality plant proteins such as soy, tofu, tempeh, legumes, and lentils provide all essential amino acids and are highly digestible; i.e. absorbable.

In fact, numerous studies show that soy protein effectively and efficiently supports muscle mass and strength, and millions of women worldwide — including in cultures where soy has been a dietary staple for centuries — have thrived on diets rich in plant-based protein throughout their lives, from their reproductive years through menopause.

I urge you to update the article to include plant-based protein options so the advice is inclusive, evidence-based, and applicable to all women.

Sadly, they didn’t publish my letter.

But I have more to say anyway—more than fits in a 250-word letter.

Protein Concentration

First, the author’s claim that animal protein is “better absorbed” is just conflating absorption with protein concentration. As I said in Part One of “Are You Eating Enough Protein?” it’s true: many plant foods do have a lower concentration of protein per bite. Why? Because plants come packaged with more than just protein! They also come with lots of good stuff people aren’t getting enough of, such as fiber and phytonutrients (which are found only in plants).

I’ll take those mixed in with my protein any day.

So, yes, per bite or per calorie you may get less “concentrated” protein than from a trimmed animal cut. But that’s a feature, not a bug. It’s the benefit of plants.

Next, the author claimed that animal protein is “more complete” and that plant proteins must be combined in order to be complete. Both of these are outdated concepts.

Complete Protein

Proteins are made up of 20 amino acids; our bodies can make most of them, but 9 must come from food. That’s why they’re called “essential.”

When you eat protein—whether it’s from a cow’s rump or from a bean’s curd—your body breaks it down into amino acids. Those amino acids don’t come with a label that says “cow” or “bean.”

Your body doesn’t care what the original source was; it just takes those amino acids and uses them to repair tissue, build muscle, create enzymes, and keep you alive and thriving. And as long as you’re eating a variety of plant foods throughout the day, you’re getting all of those essential amino acids—no food-combining rules required.

If you want to complement your protein, just say something nice about it. 😁

All that’s to say: I get the knee-jerk reaction to the perpetual obsession with protein (read: animal protein) and the tired myth that you can’t get enough from plants.

However, there may be some wisdom to glean from the current high-protein trend, especially as we “level up” (i.e. age); move through life stages like pregnancy, lactation, and menopause; and ramp up our weight and fitness training—vegan or not. In short: sometimes we’re simply not getting enough to optimize strength, recovery, and long-term wellness.

On that note, check out the most recent podcast episodes, and get ready for more! ..

• Are You Getting Enough Protein: Part One

• Are You Getting Enough Protein: Part Two

• Protein-Packed Plant Foods

Also, paid subscribers have access to

• Protein-Packed Plant Foods: Live Conversation and Q&A with Colleen

• Recipe for Homemade Protein-Rich Seitan

Thanks for reading, and please don’t hesitate to leave a comment, join our private chat, and let me know if you have any questions at all!

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Speaking of Plant-Based Power

A huge thank you to all of my paying subscribers—you are the reason I can keep creating and sharing this work. If you’re a free subscriber, I hope you’ll consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Your support sustains this work, and it means the world to me. And speaking of supplementing: even with a nutrient-rich plant-based diet, we can thrive even more with thoughtful support. That’s where Complement comes in, I take Complement Essential as my daily multivitamin for B12, D3, iodine, zinc, and magnesium; Omega Complex for essential fats; and as part of my strength-training and muscle-building routine, I fuel up with their clean Organic Protein (chocolate is my favorite, but they have vanilla and unsweetened, too!). With Complement and my nutrient-rich diet, I have everything I need to fuel my body, support my strength, and thrive so I can do my work in the world for animals — both human and non-human.

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