5 Min
Zuletzt aktualisiert am 23.09.2026
It is often said that the quality of vegan protein is not as "high" as that of animal-based protein. Even authors of renowned magazines and fitness trainers share this opinion. It is therefore not surprising that many people are uncertain and prefer to use whey (whey protein).
In the following 2-3 minutes, we will dispel this myth. First, we will explain what the term "quality" or "high-quality" actually means and then show that plant-based protein may even be better suited for some people than animal-based protein.
When is a protein high-quality?
The term "quality" refers to the basic building blocks of proteins: amino acids. You have probably heard of amino acids before and wondered: What are amino acids?
It is actually quite simple! Every protein consists of different amino acid chains. There are a total of 21 different amino acids. Of these, 8 are essential, meaning they cannot be produced by the body itself and must be obtained from food.
The essential amino acids include:
- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Lysine
- Methionine
- Phenylalanine
- Threonine
- Tryptophan
- Valine
Now for protein quality: The more amino acids a protein contains, the higher-quality the protein is. Animal-based protein contains all essential amino acids and is therefore considered very high-quality (index approx. 104).
So, what is the quality of vegan protein?
As already mentioned, the quality of a protein depends on the amount of amino acids contained in the protein.
At the beginning of this article, we mentioned that many magazines and fitness trainers say vegan protein is not as high-quality. This accusation is not unfounded. Vegan protein varieties on their own (e.g., pea protein) do not contain all essential amino acids.
But how can we claim that vegan protein is just as high-quality as animal-based protein? The blend is what matters! There are many different plant-based protein sources (e.g., peas, hemp, rice, flax & chia seeds, soy, pumpkin & sunflower seeds, etc.). These different protein sources in turn contain different amino acids.
Combining the individual protein varieties creates what is known as a multi-component protein. Thanks to the different components, this now contains many different amino acids and is therefore - depending on the exact composition - comparable to animal-based whey.
If you are looking for a high-quality plant-based protein, you should always choose a multi-component protein!
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Why can plant-based protein be better than animal-based protein?
Now you know that plant-based protein can certainly match animal-based whey protein in terms of quality. But why could it even be better than animal-based protein?
Plant-based protein & your body
Unlike animal-based protein, plant-based protein contains numerous other nutrients such as minerals and fiber.
Pea protein, for example, contains large amounts of the micronutrient iron. Flaxseed protein, in turn, contains important fats (omega-3 & omega-6 fatty acids).
Another advantage of plant-based protein is its high digestibility. This means that people with lactose intolerance can also consume protein shakes.
Benefits for the environment and animals
It is no secret that animal farming releases enormous amounts of greenhouse gases. Around 15-20% of global CO2 emissions are caused by animal farming. Ruminants in particular (cows) are responsible for this. According to the Ärzteblatt, the negative impact of whey protein on the environment is 5 to 10 times higher than that of soy and other plant-based proteins.
In addition, cows are often kept in intensive farming systems. An adult bull in conventional farming has only about 2.7 square meters of space available. In intensive farming, calves are separated from their mothers immediately after birth. Cows also quite often suffer injuries to their legs and udders.
Especially at a time when climate change is one of humanity's greatest problems, it is extremely important to be aware of this!
