Plant Based Protein Sources: Ranked by Protein per 100g

By Darren McArthur, who runs Real McArthur, an Australian family business making natural products for over 25 years · Last updated 29 September 2026

Our Kakadu plum, lab tested: 121mg of natural vitamin C in every gram, 60mg in every capsule, against an adult need of 45mg a day. Gram for gram, 240 times the vitamin C of a fresh orange.

The highest plant based protein sources, per 100g, are nutritional yeast (about 50g), soybeans (36g), the Kakadu plum seed (32g), pumpkin seeds (30g), peanuts (26g), and seitan, hemp seeds and lentils (about 25g each). Soy foods like tofu, tempeh and edamame are complete proteins, with all nine essential amino acids.

Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana) is an Australian native fruit. A 2018 peer-reviewed study measured its dried seed kernel at 32% protein (Akter et al., 2018), and the researchers concluded it could be a new protein source. It isn’t sold on its own as a protein food, only as part of the whole fruit.

Plant based protein sources, ranked

Plant based protein sources include soy foods (tofu, tempeh, edamame), lentils, chickpeas and beans, seitan, nuts, seeds such as hemp, chia and pumpkin, and nutritional yeast. Soy and quinoa are complete proteins. Most adults can meet their protein needs by eating a variety of these across the day.

Protein per 100g of the food as it’s usually bought: dried for beans, grains and seeds. Tofu, tempeh and edamame are shown as sold (they contain water), so they look lower than their dry-weight protein. Source: USDA FoodData Central, accessed September 2026, unless marked.

By weight, the Kakadu plum seed sits just below soybeans (36g) and above pumpkin seeds (30g), lentils, chickpeas, hemp and quinoa.

Which plant proteins are complete?

A complete protein contains all nine essential amino acids, the ones your body can’t make. Soy (tofu, tempeh, edamame), quinoa and buckwheat are complete plant proteins. Hemp seeds contain all nine, though they’re lower in lysine.

Most beans, grains and nuts are low in one or more essential amino acids, but eating a variety across the day, like rice with beans or hummus with wholegrain bread, covers all nine. You don’t need to combine them in the same meal. On protein-quality scores (PDCAAS and DIAAS), soy rates close to animal protein, while most other plant proteins score lower on their own and do better combined.

How much protein do you need a day?

Australia’s recommended dietary intake (NHMRC Nutrient Reference Values):

• Men 19 to 70: 64g a day (about 0.84g per kg of body weight)
• Women 19 to 70: 46g a day (about 0.75g per kg)
• Men over 70: 81g a day · Women over 70: 57g a day

Spread across three meals, that’s very achievable on plants: a cup of cooked lentils gives about 18g, a cup of beans about 15g, and 150g of firm tofu about 25g.

Protein per typical serve

• 1 cup cooked lentils: about 18g
• 150g firm tofu: about 25g
• 1 cup cooked beans or chickpeas: about 15g
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast: about 8g
• 30g hemp seeds: about 8g
• 30g almonds: about 6g

Best plant based protein, in short: for most people, tofu and tempeh, lentils and edamame, with nuts and seeds on top.

Where the Kakadu plum seed fits: what it has that protein powder doesn’t

Protein isolates give you a concentrated dose of one nutrient. The Kakadu plum seed is a whole food: 32% protein, alongside 35% fat (about four-fifths of it unsaturated) and a mineral panel involved in protein synthesis and energy.

None of this is put together in a factory. It grows this way, in whole-food form.

Most gym supplement stacks are a protein powder, a magnesium tablet, a zinc supplement and an omega capsule: separate products, separate bills. The Kakadu plum seed has protein, magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, omega-6 and oleic acid together in one food, measured in a peer-reviewed paper and grown on a farm in Australia. It won’t replace a diet. Magnesium-rich foods →

The amino acid question: what we know and what we don’t

The Kakadu plum seed’s full amino acid breakdown hasn’t been published. The 2018 paper measured total protein at 32% but didn’t run an amino acid profile, and we won’t guess. What the research does say: the authors concluded the kernel “could be a new protein source”, and its protein content sits above lentils, chickpeas, hemp and quinoa by mass. For now, it’s best described as a whole-food plant protein source: 32%, peer-reviewed and Australian-grown.

How Real McArthur uses the whole fruit

Most Kakadu plum processors remove the seed and throw it away. The flesh holds the vitamin C, the seed holds the protein and minerals, and removing it is faster and cheaper. We keep the whole fruit, flesh and seed kernel ground together, so each capsule brings both: vitamin C at 12,100mg per 100g from the flesh (gram for gram, 240 times the vitamin C of a fresh orange), and the protein, magnesium and the collagen minerals from the seed.

To be clear about amounts: each capsule is 500mg of whole-fruit powder, taken for its natural vitamin C. The seed’s protein and minerals come along as a bonus, not as a protein serve. The full seed breakdown → · Vitamin C and collagen →

Plant protein questions, answered

What is the highest source of plant-based protein?

By weight, nutritional yeast (about 50g per 100g) and soybeans (36g) lead, followed by the Kakadu plum seed (32g, peer-reviewed), pumpkin seeds (30g), peanuts (26g), and seitan, hemp seeds and lentils (about 25g each).

What is the best source of plant-based protein?

For everyday eating, soy foods (tofu, tempeh, edamame) are hard to beat: they’re complete proteins with all nine essential amino acids. Lentils, beans, seitan and seeds are excellent too. Variety across the day matters more than any one food.

What is the best plant-based protein in Australia?

For whole foods, Australian-grown legumes, tofu and seeds. As an Australian native, the Kakadu plum seed measured 32% protein in a peer-reviewed study, above lentils and chickpeas by weight, though it’s eaten as part of the whole fruit rather than as a protein food.

Is plant-based protein actually healthy?

Yes. Plant protein foods come with fibre, vitamins and minerals, and are generally lower in saturated fat. The key is variety, so you get all the essential amino acids across the day.

Is plant protein as good as animal protein?

Animal proteins contain all nine essential amino acids in higher proportions. Plants vary: soy is a complete protein, while others work best combined across meals. The Kakadu plum seed’s amino acid profile hasn’t been published yet, and at 32% protein by weight it sits just below soybeans and above pumpkin seeds.

Is there a downside to plant-based protein?

A few. Most plant proteins aren’t complete on their own, so you need variety, and some people find beans and lentils cause bloating. You may need to eat a little more total food to reach the same protein as meat.

What are the downsides of plant-based diets?

They take some planning. Vitamin B12 has to come from fortified foods or a supplement, and iron, zinc, calcium and omega-3 need attention. The Kakadu plum seed is one whole food that brings iron (6.1mg per 100g) and zinc (6.0mg) along with its protein.

How to get 40 grams of protein without meat?

Easily, across a day: 150g of firm tofu (about 25g) plus a cup of cooked lentils (about 18g) already gets you there. Add nuts, seeds, soy milk or wholegrains and you’re well past 40g.

How to get 100 grams of protein a day on a plant-based diet?

Build every meal around a protein food: tofu or tempeh at breakfast, lentils or beans at lunch, seitan or tofu at dinner, plus snacks like edamame, nuts, seeds or soy milk. Many people add a plant protein powder to reach 100g.

Are 2 eggs enough daily protein?

No. Two eggs give about 12 to 13g of protein, while Australian adults need 46g (women) to 64g (men) a day. They’re a good start to a meal, not a whole day’s protein.

What are the 7 signs of protein deficiency?

Commonly listed signs of protein deficiency are tiredness and weakness, muscle loss, thinning hair and brittle nails, skin changes, swelling (oedema), slow wound healing and getting sick more often. True deficiency is rare in Australia; see your GP if you’re concerned.

What are 10 strange signs that I might be eating too much protein?

Commonly reported signs of eating too much protein include thirst and dehydration, constipation or bloating, bad breath, tiredness, headaches, weight gain from extra calories, cravings, irritability and poor sleep. See your GP if you’re concerned, and people with kidney disease should follow their doctor’s protein advice.

Why do doctors say no to protein powder?

Mostly because most Australians already get enough protein from food, so a powder isn’t necessary. Some powders also contain added sugar or sweeteners, and some independent tests have reported heavy metals in certain brands. Whole foods give you protein with fibre and minerals included. For the Kakadu plum seed’s own heavy-metal results, see “Is the Kakadu plum seed safe to eat?” below.

Can you get all essential amino acids from plant sources?

Yes. Eating a variety of plant foods across the day covers all nine essential amino acids. Soy and quinoa are complete on their own, and legumes, grains, seeds and nuts fill each other’s gaps.

What is the Kakadu plum seed, and why is it high in protein?

It’s the kernel inside the fruit’s hard stone, making up about 8% of the seed weight. Researchers measured it at 32% protein by dry weight in a 2018 peer-reviewed study and noted it could be a new protein source. Most processors remove the seed. We keep it, grinding the fruit and seed kernel together.

How does the Kakadu plum seed compare to pea or soy protein powder?

Pea or soy protein isolate is typically 70 to 90% protein, but only because everything else has been taken out. At 32%, the Kakadu plum seed compares to whole soybeans before isolation, and it keeps what isolation strips away: per 100g, 421mg magnesium, 6.0mg zinc, 6.1mg iron and 873mg phosphorus.

What minerals does the Kakadu plum seed contain alongside its protein?

Per 100g dried kernel: magnesium 421mg, phosphorus 873mg, potassium 669mg, calcium 539mg, iron 6.1mg, zinc 6.0mg, copper 2.5mg and manganese 9.1mg. Iron, zinc, copper and manganese are the four minerals your body uses to make collagen, alongside vitamin C from the fruit flesh.

Is the Kakadu plum seed safe to eat?

Yes. The 2018 study measured lead at 0.013mg per 100g, and arsenic, mercury and cadmium each below 0.01mg, all well within food safety limits. The seed has less oxalate than the fruit flesh. If you’ve had kidney stones or take prescription medicines, check with your health professional before adding a high-nutrient food supplement.

Is Kakadu plum a good way to get protein?

Not on its own. Our capsules are 500mg of whole-fruit powder, taken for their natural vitamin C: 60mg per capsule, 240 times the vitamin C of a fresh orange, gram for gram. The seed’s protein and minerals come along as a bonus. For your daily protein, eat plant protein foods like tofu, lentils and beans.

Kakadu plum nutrition, nutrient by nutrient →

Sources

• Akter MS, Oh S, Eun J-B, Ahmed M. Nutritional compositions and bioactive compounds of three native Australian fruits. International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, 2018. PMC5920425.
• DePhillipo NN et al. Efficacy of Vitamin C Supplementation on Collagen Synthesis and Oxidative Stress After Musculoskeletal Injuries. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018;6(10). PMID 30386805.
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
• NHMRC Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand: protein.
• USDA FoodData Central, accessed September 2026.

Keep reading: the Kakadu plum seed · magnesium-rich foods · what is Kakadu plum?

Our products are food, not therapeutic goods, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition.