Well, if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, you can get your protein from plants (and not animals.) Brown rice, pea, hemp and soy are grown from plants and are good sources of protein, but some research states that you need to make sure that it contains amino acids and other nutritional extras.

For some who don’t follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, they still incorporate plant-based protein into their diet because it is hard to get enough protein in our everyday food consumption and plant-based protein is often easier to digest than, say, whey-based protein.

Protein Powder Benefits

Lest you think I’m advising you to start defrosting a frozen bag of peas, there is a pretty easy way to get plant-based proteins in your diet. It’s with powders.

One benefit of getting protein through a powder (especially for vegan and vegetarians) is that there is more nutritional ‘Oomph’ than in the plant alone. For example, hemp protein has essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega 6, and is naturally high in fiber. Pea proteins have high amino acids lysine and arginin. Soy proteins have no cholesterol, and soy proteins and hemp proteins are low in saturated fat. Soy and hemp are an especially great source of protein for those with high cholesterol and have been advised to stay away from protein sources like red meat, which is high in saturated fat. Thus, a plant-based protein powder often has a combination of these things so it is easy to get the nutrition in a (often portable) and quick way. And let’s face it, we are all SUPER busy and I don’t often have time to cook green beans, ham or eggs. So having protein on the go (plant-based or otherwise), will make it more than likely I will be able to meet my protein resolution this year.

How to Actually Consume Plant Based Protein

GNC (one of the biggest supplement stores in the country), has a product called GNC PUREDGE™ Complete Vegan Protein. It is a powder that has 20 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of aminos from five plant based sources (and it dairy, soy and gluten free) in each serving. So you are getting major protein goodness in a scoop. Plus, it doesn’t have artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners, which is another New Years resolution for many people. Whether you are a chocolate-lover or vanilla-goddess, the GNC vegan protein powder will give you the protein pep I mentioned in this earlier post.

The Benefits of On-The-Go Protein

Cooking a steak on the grill, stir-frying chicken in the Crock-Pot or a baking a ham in the oven, takes a LOT of work, and I just don’t have the time during the day to be carving a roast for my protein mix. Mixing a scoop of the GNC PUREDGE Vegan Protein into a smoothie that I can sip in the car, at the soccer game, or in between loading laundry and unloading dishes, is a major bonus. I can eat healthier than the current portable breakfast, lunch and snack options I’ve fallen into, get the metobolic stability my body needs, and consume more plants and less pigs. (Keeping it real, folks.)

Check out the full details here to see if the product and the concept is right for you. Then see what my fellow friends are doing and experiencing with their resolutions and Plant–based protein diets on Twitter at #GNCPlantProtein. Plus GNC on Twitter is great about answering any product and health questions you might have.

I’m excited for the new year. What about you?

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This post is brought to you by GNC and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own!