Proteins are indispensable for our body. While the protein requirement in the general population is usually already met unconsciously, athletes should pay more attention to it due to their increased need.
However, endurance athletes in particular often underestimate their protein requirements. In order to still provide the body with sufficient protein, they should definitely know the most important protein sources. Because through sport and an ideal diet , performance can be sustainably increased.
That's why proteins are so important
Protein is one of the most important nutrients for our body. Because proteins cannot be replaced. While you can reduce fat consumption in favor of more carbohydrates and still be full of energy, there is no suitable substitute for proteins . Adequate protein intake is therefore extremely important – especially if you are active in sports.
But what exactly are proteins responsible for in the human body? On the one hand, they give the body its structure and allow movement. This is ensured to a large extent by the muscles .
On the other hand, proteins occur in the form of regulatory units, such as enzymes , and are thus involved in numerous biochemical reactions in the body. But proteins are also needed to maintain immune function and as a source of energy.
Do athletes need more protein?
In a nutshell – yes! Athletes, whether in the field of endurance or strength sports, have an increased need for dietary protein .
This is due, among other things, to the fact that the sporting activity causes small damage to the muscles , which must be repaired. The building blocks of these regeneration processes are amino acids, the components of the protein.
However, when choosing protein sources, not only the quantity , but also the quality must be taken into account . Because the human body is most powerful when it is optimally supplied with nutrients.
This makes a good source of protein
A good protein supplier is not only characterized by a high proportion of protein (quantity), but also by its composition (quality). This composition of the components of the protein, which are called amino acids, is defined in nutritional science via the concept of biological value .
Simply put, this concept is about ensuring that the so-called amino acid profile, i.e. those amino acids contained in the protein, correspond as closely as possible to that of the human protein.
This ensures that the protein from the diet can be better converted into the body's own protein , such as our muscles.
| Food | Biological value |
| Chicken egg | 100 |
| Pork | 85 |
| Soy Protein | 81 |
| Beef and poultry | 80 |
| Rye flour | 78 |
| Beans and corn | 72 |
| Rice | 66 |
| Oats and lentils | 60 |
However, the figures are not percentages . Rather, the hen's egg serves as a reference value. However, this value can also be exceeded. Exemplarily recognizable by a mixture of milk and potatoes , which together bring it to a value of 114 .
Animal proteins
As can be seen in the biological value table, animal protein sources are a good way to adequately meet the demand. Nevertheless, more and more athletes are turning to plant-based protein sources. But why? If biological value is the measure of all things, what speaks against animal proteins ?
What speaks against animal protein sources?
Although animal protein sources are known to have a high biological value , there are some disadvantages to this positive property. This means that many animal protein sources have unhealthy ingredients that are considered harmful to health.
For example, animal protein sources such as meat or sausages contain considerable amounts of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol .
Vegetable proteins
In contrast to animal protein sources, vegetable proteins have hardly any undesirable side effects. On average, they have a slightly lower biological value than their animal counterparts. In order to still meet your needs, you should be familiar with the best vegetable protein sources.
Because who knows which protein-rich foods they can fall back on and how best to combine them, they no longer have to worry about an adequate intake.
Cereals as a protein supplier
Cereals contain more protein than you might think at first glance. In particular, whole grain cereals and pseudocereals have a significant protein content. Another advantage is that the amount of grain that can be consumed is very high.
Because you rarely eat only 10 grams of pasta. Servings are more likely to be 100 to 150 grams. The same applies to oatmeal. They are also usually consumed in portions of 50 to 100 grams. This significantly increases the amount of protein actually supplied .
| Grain Variety | Protein content per 100g |
| Wheat bran | 16g |
| Amaranth | 15g |
| Quinoa | 15g |
| Bulgur | 12g |
| Oats | 11g |
Cereals, such as oatmeal , also have a significant amount of health-promoting fiber and complex carbohydrates . This ensures long-lasting saturation and an adequate supply of energy , from which endurance athletes in particular can benefit.
Cereal and pseudocereal species therefore form the basis of a protein-rich plant-based diet . But the real superfoods among vegetarian protein suppliers are the legumes.
Legumes as a source of protein
Legumes , such as beans or lentils, are indispensable in a plant-based diet. Not without reason – because they are not only rich in healthy fiber and minerals , but also have an above-average protein content.
| Type | Protein content per 100g |
| Red Lentils | 27g |
| Kidney beans | 25 |
| Beluga Lentils | 23g |
| White beans | 21g |
| Chickpeas | 19g |
For example, beans quickly get a whopping 20 to 25 grams of protein per 100 grams . Lentils sometimes even exceed these values, with up to 29 grams of protein per 100 grams.
Also to be highlighted are the versatile chickpeas , which bring it to just under 20 grams of protein.
Vegan Chocolate Bean Brownies with Chia Seeds
Ingredients
- 240 g canned beans (e.g. kidney beans)
- 3-4 tbsp baked cocoa
- 70 g oatmeal
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 70 ml plant-based drink (e.g. oat drink)
- 50 g grated walnuts
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
Preparation
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First, you can preheat the oven to 180°C (convection).
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Drain the beans first, then place them in a bowl.
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Then puree the beans thoroughly with a blender until a creamy mass is formed.
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Then add the cocoa powder and mix the bean mixture well.
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Then add the oatmeal, the chia seeds, the grated nuts, the maple syrup and the melted coconut oil and mix all the ingredients together well until a dough is formed. Then put the dough in a baking pan and smooth it out.
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Depending on how high the mass is in your form, the brownies take 20-30 minutes in the oven. Before you can enjoy the brownies, it's best to let them cool down a bit before you take them out of the mould and cut them into pieces.
Nutritional values
High-Protein Brain Foods – Nuts and Seeds
Widely known for its protective function for the brain, but often underestimated in terms of its protein content – nuts and seeds. Granted, you rarely consume more than a handful of nuts and seeds. Nevertheless, this supposedly small amount should not be underestimated.
Because a handful of nuts and seeds alone can contain up to 10 grams of protein. The great advantage of these protein sources is that they can be integrated particularly easily and in a variety of ways into everyday nutrition. For example, chia seeds are particularly good as a topping for porridge, yoghurt, etc.
Nuts, on the other hand, can not only serve as a topping in their original form, but can also be processed as a tasty mush . For example, almond butter is particularly good as a healthy spread on bread or a lower-carb Green Protein waffle. But nutmeg is also suitable in protein-rich shakes, processed in cake dough or as an additional source of flavour in porridge.
Sports products from Verival – the ideal protein breakfast
The best of the vegetable protein world can be found in our Verival Sport Range . In order to optimize the biological value in our products, the protein-rich ingredients have been combined in such a way that they enhance each other.
The Best Seller Sport Protein Porridge with the flavour cocoa banana, for example, consists of a combination of whole grain oatmeal, sunflower and pumpkin seed protein powder as well as linseed. Thus, this product provides you with all essential amino acids for breakfast.
