The plant-protein question deserves numbers, not vibes — so here they are: the gram cheat sheet, the retired combining myth, and a sample day that clears 100g without a single animal product. Print-worthy, fridge-ready.

The Heavy Hitters

Per serving: tempeh (31g per cup — the champion), tofu (20g per cup, firm), seitan (25g per 100g for the gluten-friendly), lentils (18g per cooked cup), edamame (17g), black beans and chickpeas (15g). Anchor every meal with one heavy hitter; the day’s math follows.

The Quiet Contributors

The supporting cast adds up: hemp seeds (10g per 3 tbsp — the smoothie stealth), peanut butter (8g per 2 tbsp), quinoa (8g per cup), oats (6g), even whole-grain bread (4-5g per slice). Plant protein arrives distributed — count the chorus, not just the soloists.

The Combining Myth, Retired

The old rule — pair proteins at every meal for completeness — retired decades ago: variety ACROSS THE DAY covers amino acids fine (beans at lunch, grains at dinner: the body pools). Soy, quinoa and hemp are complete solo anyway. Eat varied; skip the meal-by-meal accounting.

The 100-Gram Sample Day

Breakfast: protein oats with hemp and peanut butter (24g). Lunch: lentil-quinoa bowl (26g). Snack: edamame and a soy latte (17g). Dinner: tempeh stir-fry over rice (33g). Total: 100g, zero animals, zero powders (add a plant shake if training hard). The numbers were always available — now they are on the fridge.

Anchor with tempeh-tofu-lentils, count the chorus, retire the combining math, run the 100g day. Plant protein was never scarce — it was just uncounted, and the cheat sheet ends that era.