You re Missing These 18 High Protein NON-TOFU Vegan Foods!

You actually don't need tofu to get a ton of protein as a vegan. Here in Mexico, for example, tofu really isn't that common. But you can still get over 100 grams of protein eating common, everyday foods. And to prove that, I'm going to show y'all in this local market exactly what high-protein foods you're missing. ¡Vamos! One thing I noticed about the market was just how much fresh fruits and vegetables there were. And the fruit here is usually so much tastier. But don't let the raw vegans fool you. These are not a good source of protein. Nope. Not even spinach. Or any of these foods, for that matter. But I've been vegan for over six years now. I live a very active lifestyle. And I've gotten to the best shape of my life. So I've learned a thing or two about plant protein. Sometimes it's hiding right in plain sight. Alright, well, and of course you can't talk about vegan protein without talking about beans. But seriously, there's so much variety of beans here. You've got these. These are called baquitas. So it means like cow. These are called peanut beans, I guess. Because like peanuts, alubia. It's like white beans. Flor de Mayo. Or something. I don't even know what that means. May? Oh, Mayflower? It could be Mayflower. You've got these white beans. You've got these black beans. We've got all types of beans. There's beans for everybody here. And it's an amazing source of protein. Also doesn't have cholesterol. And way lower in saturated fat. So, sign me up, baby. And actually, one can of beans alone can have 21 grams of protein. And on some days, I even have two. Which puts me at 42 grams of protein from beans alone. Plus, they're like a dollar each. So, yeah. Alright, so I actually just found something that I've been telling you all about for a while. And it's carne de soya. So, it's like soy meat. Or it's basically just like TVP. But here they call it soy meat. And I did say no tofu. But this doesn't count. Because it's not tofu. But that's what I've been telling you all. Food like carne de soya is just normal food here in Mexico. It's not so weird. So, even though something like tofu might be more foreign. Something like carne de soya, which is still made from soy. Is something you can just find here in the market. So, there you go. And it's crazy high in protein. Makes a great replacement for beef, ground beef. And any time you use it in recipes. Mexican grandmas know, when you're running low on ground beef. Mix in some carne de soya. But seriously, carne de soya or TVP is literally 50% protein by weight. And when you compare it to ground beef, it's got twice as much protein. And at least here in Mexico, it's a fraction of the cost. This is really like a goldmine. Because here we've got some oats. Of course, we've got oats. Some people will actually tell you that oats aren't good for protein. And honestly, they're wrong. Hear me out. Earlier this year, I hit a huge lifting milestone of 100 kilos on the bench press. Which is around 225 pounds. Which is something that only 1% of the population can do according to some sources. While I was training for that, oats made up a huge part of my diet. And actually, I wanted to prove that everyday foods like oats and beans by themselves. Are more than enough protein to get incredibly strong. So, during that period, I barely touched foods like tofu and protein powder. And the results? By the end of the challenge, I was able to push 100 kilos. Not once, but twice. Alright, on to another Mexican classic. We got maiz azul. Blue corn. Stuff like corn is also pretty good in protein. We had literally just eaten these incredible tlacoyos made from blue corn tortillas right outside the market. They were stuffed with beans, potatoes, and mushrooms. You know, they were so good. I literally went back for them for a week straight. Alright, what do we have here? Maybe you can't read Spanish, but products 100% vegan. Check it out. Even here in the random market, they've got these 100% vegan meats. They've got this vegan cheese. I chatted a bit with the owner of the shop. She was showing me her selection of vegan meats and cheeses. And she said that the brand she was selling specifically had won national awards for its quality and just how similar it is to meat. Take notes, Beyond Meat. And I'm not surprised. The truth is, people are sleeping on the vegan products of Mexico. Like the stuff you can find in the grocery store. These days, there is so much that imitates the traditional foods. My cousin, for example, she actually prefers vegan chorizo because she says the real one grosses her out. And in general, meat-style products are very high in protein because they're made from wheat or soy. So this is amaranth. It's a Mexican whole grain. You find it a ton here. People eat it all the time. Full of protein, full of fiber, full of antioxidants. They even got chocolate amaranth, strawberry amaranth. It's a very traditional, classic Mexican protein. And look what we found. ¿Y qué tiene? ¿Es azúcar o miel o qué? So we even got these peanuts. So peanuts are a great source of protein. Okay, it's made from molasses. To sweeten it. Because you want it to taste good. Obviously. Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Even though I'm not sure if this whole thing is vegan, just look, y'all. They got the pepitas, they got the pumpkin seeds lining the whole thing. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of protein as well. Super easy to find lots of different vegan sources of protein. No tofu. The more I walked around and talked to people, the more I realized just how much vegan protein was laying around everywhere. Like, at this point, I know what foods to look for, but it felt like everywhere I turned my head, there was protein. People think it's hard to get vegan protein here in Mexico, but really, it's all around us. I found a woman who I will hereby dub the bean queen. She was selling green split peas, yellow split peas, and chickpeas. But there was one thing noticeably lacking. I wasn't wrong, y'all. The bean queen had all the beans. Alright, so check this out. We got the ajonjoli. The ajonjoli natural. So, ajonjoli is actually the Mexican, specifically Mexican name for sesame seeds. But again, sesame seeds, great source of protein. It's a nut, or it's a seed. It's in the name. But, yeah, it's a great source of protein there. And then, yeah, there's just so much variety here in the market. We have cebada perla, which is pearled, what is it called? Barley, pearled barley. And, y'all, they even have flaxseed. They have ground flaxseed. Did Dr. Greger hit this market? And, of course, they've got the amaranth as well, which, again, like I said, is a classic Mexican source of protein. Almost everything you see here is a great source of protein. You got the pecans. You got the peanuts. You got the walnuts, which, remember, omega-3. We got these fancy Whole Foods-style walnuts. Sorry, almonds. We got the pepitas again. Las macadamias. Right, macadamias? Las macadamias? Así se dice? The truth is, I love showing off the plant-based food in Mexico because it breaks so many of the stereotypes that it's expensive, that it's gross, that it's for the privileged, that it's for white people. Mexicans have been getting protein from plants for generations. And as many Mexicans will tell you, meat wasn't a big part of the culture until the Spanish arrived. So, there's a rich history of delicious foods that are 100% vegan. And in recent years, people have been even more creative with the ingredients and flavors they're putting together. Yo, they even got sprouted garbanzo beans, chickpeas. I think you just eat these like these, wow. Even though we're focusing on the protein, it's hard not to get distracted by the delicious fruit lining the stalls. And that's when I stumbled upon someone selling these bad boys. Wow, blue tortillas, amazing. So good. ¿Cuánto cuesta? ¿Esto es un kilo? ¿Nos compramos una? Uh, alacranes, peligroso. No, es que no como animal. Oh, wow. I guess I lied, they do have tofu. Oh, la la, wow. ¿Y usted lo hace? Then we got to my favorite part of the whole market. This stand had all kinds of snacks based on whole foods, like crispy salted lentils, crispy beans with chili and garlic, candied peanuts, and every single one was so good, I actually wanted to buy everything. I need to ask them for a loyalty card. This is also made from amaranto. I don't know how, but it is. They do everything here with amaranto. And by the way, if you want to try some of these places, flavors, and foods with me and other like-minded vegans, I'm hosting a week-long vegan experience right here in Mexico City in October of this year. The idea is to bring together people with shared values over incredible food and create an environment where you're not the exception, you're the rule. If you're looking to build connections with other vegans, this is perfect for you. Plus, you'll get to experience what is quickly becoming the world's gold standard for plant-based food in a way tourists never will. Click the link below or scan this QR code to learn more. So, while these foods are great, there's one problem. It's not enough knowing just what they are. You need to know easy and delicious ways to include them in your diet. So, check out this video next where I'll show you exactly how I get over 100 grams of protein eating foods like the ones from today. No tofu.