5 Vegan Protein Myths Busted

To no one’s surprise, there are A LOT of myths out there regarding plant-based protein —so today, let’s bust all the most common ones.

Despite veganism becoming much more mainstream in recent years, so much confusion and misinformation still remains, especially surrounding the topic of PROTEIN. Yes —in 2025, there are still people out there who believe that vegans can’t get enough protein.

However, let myself and hundreds of other plant-based individuals around the world be proof that you truly can THRIVE nutritionally on a vegan diet. And you don’t need to compromise your protein needs!

In this post, I’ll be covering the 5 myths about vegan protein that I hear most often. We’ll get to the bottom of each myth and uncover the truth.

Myth #1: All plant-based proteins are incomplete

First let’s identify what “incomplete” means in terms of protein for those who may not know. Mini science lesson —proteins are made up of amino acids, and nine of these amino acids are considered ESSENTIAL because our bodies cannot synthesize them! Therefore, we must obtain them through the diet.

Hence, an “incomplete” protein source is one that does NOT contain all nine essential amino acids in sufficient amounts. Whereas a “complete” protein source is one that does.

The misconception that all plant-based proteins are incomplete comes from the fact that SOME are not. While non-vegan protein sources almost always are complete. However, I’ve got two things to say about that…

First of all, there are many complete plant sources out there —soy, quinoa, buckwheat, spirulina, amaranth, chia seeds, and hemp seeds (just to name some) are all foods that contain all nine essential amino acids!

Second of all, research has proven that it doesn’t matter whether or not you obtain all essential amino acids from one source, or a combination of sources. In fact, you don’t even need to obtain all nine at every meal. What’s important is total daily intake —not getting every amino acid all at once.

This reinforces the value of eating VARIETY. As long as your diet is diverse and you’re consuming enough protein per day, you’re practically guaranteed to obtain adequate amounts of each essential amino acid.

Read my full post about my top 5 best vegan protein sources here!

Myth #2: Plant-based proteins aren’t bioavailable

It is certainly true that plant-based proteins are often less bioavailable than animal sources. That being said, the difference is minimal, and the idea that they aren’t bioavailable at all is definitely false.

Plant proteins differ in digestibility, and certain food processing methods such as cooking, fermenting, sprouting, and soaking can increase absorption quite easily.

Protein quality is sometimes measured using PDCAAS (protein digestibility corrected amino acid score). Some plant-based sources with very high PDCAAS are soy, quinoa, and pea protein.

So to counter this myth, my recommendation if you’re concerned about protein absorption would be to again focus on variety in your diet, prioritize proteins with high digestibility rates, and pay attention to the preparation method.

To take it a step further, whenever I’m in contest prep or in a phase of my life where protein intake is more crucial, I overshoot my protein slightly to error on the side of caution. Just in case not all of it is being properly absorbed. This is something that we can also get away with as non-meat-eaters because we don’t need to worry about high saturated fat or cholesterol in our proteins!

Myth #3: You can’t build muscle on a plant-based diet

There are plenty of vegan athletes and bodybuilders out there that don’t have issues with muscle gain. There’s no evidence to support that your body needs specifically animal-based protein for muscle growth —it just needs protein regardless of the source.

If you aren’t seeing the results in the gym you’d like on a plant-based diet, it’s most likely because you either aren’t getting enough protein per day, you’re not eating enough total calories to support muscle hypertrophy, or your training quality needs some attention.

Myth #4: Plant-based proteins cause digestive issues

Digestive problems are not a universal outcome of plant-based foods. Sometimes when people initially go vegan, they experience a higher than usual amount of gas and bloating. However, this typically goes away with time.

To avoid digestive discomfort, it’s important that you properly prepare your meals (i.e. soaking, rinsing, and cooking) and introduce new foods gradually. If your body isn’t used to consuming something, it may have trouble in the beginning.

For example, if you want to incorporate lentils into the diet, start with a couple tablespoons. Then maybe a few days later try a quarter cup. You get the idea —carefully ease in.

Myth #5: Vegan proteins are unhealthy & overly processed

This myth stems from some of the ultra-processed fake meat alternatives on the market such as Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and Gardein. But here’s the thing…

First, let’s establish that “processed” doesn’t mean “unhealthy”. A multitude of different processing methods exist, and some actually enhance or improve the nutritional quality of an item. A good example of this is the process of fortification which adds nutrients to plant milks, breakfast cereals, and nutritional yeast.

Second, products like Beyond Meat were never meant to marketed as “nutritious” or “healthy”. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t have nutritional value. But these products are designed to be fun, tasty, meat replacements —not superfoods.

And lastly, not all vegan protein sources are heavily processed. There are plenty of whole food sources such as tofu, tempeh, and seitan which are only minimally processed.

So there’s no need to fear vegan proteins nor fear processed foods! Let this again highlight the importance of VARIETY.

Conclusion

It’s totally clear that plant-based proteins can be complete, digestible, absorbable, suitable for muscle gain, and nutritious in other ways. There’s really no need to obsess over amino acid combinations, a slight reduction in bioavailability, or the degree to which the food has been processed.

The key is to focus on total daily intake and diversification!

Need More Help?

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