Beyonce’s Personal Chef Loves This Vegan Protein Made From Lupin Beans

Scott Findlay – a professional plant-based chef trained under Gordon Ramsay – just announced he’s discovered a “breakthrough” vegan protein. The chef, who has cooked for A-listers like Beyonce, Rihanna, Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Madonna, claims that Lupreme’s lupin-based protein is a top plant-based protein source. Developed by Eighth Day Foods, Lupreme provides consumers with 43 percent protein and 30 percent of fiber. The innovative food provides a versatile alternative protein that’s packed with nutrients, making it a top competitor in a rapidly growing market.

“I’ve been specializing in plant-based recipes since 2004 when I first started cooking for Paul McCartney,” Findlay said. “I’ve traveled all over the world using different plant-based products and I’ve yet to come across anything as versatile, delicious, and easy to work with as Lupreme. It’s amazing and I can’t wait to be working more with it.”

Findlay’s endorsement comes as the company prepares to make its lupin-based product available publicly. Lupreme is currently not available for commercial purchase, but the company is planning to expand following several endorsements and internal strides in manufacturing and development. Beyond Findlay’s endorsement, the company has announced that its lupin-based protein is widely well-received.

“We are regularly being told that no other protein tastes as good and it’s proven that no other protein is as kind to the planet,” Inventor of Lupreme and Co-founder of Eighth Day Foods Roger Drew said. “Its unique versatility provides food producers everywhere with endless opportunities to develop their own wide range of quality products, that they develop to their own requirements.”

Eighth Day Foods uses a proprietary fermentation process to create a meaty-texture plant-based protein sourced entirely from lupin beans. The new lupin-based protein is highly versatile and can be shaped and flavored into a variety of meat alternatives. The company boasts that the new protein holds a mild, clean flavor that allows developers and chefs to replicate several animal-based products.

The company debuted its brand new product at this year’s Future Food-Tech Summit, presenting the first-of-its-kind vegan protein. Eighth Day Foods will enter a highly saturated alternative protein market, but its lupin-based product highlights an exceptionally sustainable protein.

The food tech company claims that Lupreme production is significantly healthier for the planet than meat production as well as other plant-based alternatives. Growing sweet lupins restores damaged soil, enriches existing farms with beneficial nutrients, requires no water, and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Lupin production in total is exceptionally efficient, providing a cost-effective solution for the alternative protein market. The manufacturing and agriculture process also creates nearly no waste.

The company also emphasizes the ease of lupin production, requiring only one ingredient for its supply chain. Earth Day Foods predicts that the growth can occur easily, because 96 percent of lupin is currently grown to feed livestock. By reducing the need for meat production, Lupreme intends to reallocate lupin production to create more sustainable plant-based protein products.

Recently, a report from Meticulous Research projected that the alternative protein market will reach $27 billion by 2027. The report explains that due to environmental pressures and rising awareness concerning health and nutrition, consumers will rapidly shift dietary preferences to the plant-based sector. The market currently produces protein alternatives like Future Farm’s chickpea- and soy-based protein or Lightlife’s pea-based protein, but as it expands, more innovative protein sources have become popular.

Lupreme is not the only legume-based protein on the market: San Fransico-based Eat Just uses mung beans as its main ingredient for its plant-based egg products. JUST Egg contains a significant amount of protein thanks to a proprietary method that uses the mung bean to replicate conventional eggs. The company's popularity is rising worldwide as the company’s products just received regulatory approval in Europe. Stateside, the company is preparing for a $3 billion IPO, which would become one of the largest plant-based stock market debuts.

Protein: 21 grams in ⅓ cup (1 ounce) Seitan isn’t as popular as other proteins, but it should be! Made from wheat gluten, its texture resembles ground meat. It’s often used in pre-made veggie burgers or meatless nuggets. Seitan has a savory taste, like mushrooms or chicken, so it works well in dishes that call for an umami flavor. With a hearty texture, seitan can be the star of practically any vegan main dish. Add it to stir-fries, sandwiches, burritos, burgers, or stews. Like tofu, seitan will take on the flavor of any marinade or sauce.

Protein: 16 grams in 3 ounces If you like a protein with a bit of bite, add tempeh to your list. Made from fermented soybeans, tempeh has a slightly nutty flavor and is pressed into a block. Most varieties include some sort of grains, such as barley or millet. Not only is tempeh a plant-based source of protein, but the fermentation process also creates good-for-your-gut probiotics. You can cut tempeh right off the block and use it as the base for a sandwich or pan-fry it with some sauce. Or, crumble, heat, and make it the star of your next taco night.

Protein: 13 grams in ½ cup cooked Lentils come in multiple varieties--red, yellow, green, brown, black. Regardless of the type lentils are small but mighty nutritional powerhouses. They pack a good amount of protein as well as iron, folate, and fiber. When cooked, brown lentils retain their texture and can be the base for a grain bowl or make a hearty substitute for ground meat in meatballs, lasagna, tacos or Bolognese. Red lentils are a bit softer and make a nice add-in for a hearty soup, chili, or stew.

Protein: 10 grams in 3 tablespoons Hemp seeds are a tender and nutty seed, derived from the hemp plant. They contain good amounts of omega-3s, iron, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese. They are also a solid source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps to keep your digestive tract healthy and humming. Because they pack a double whammy of protein and healthy fats, hemp seeds can help satisfy hunger, preventing those embarrassing stomach growls as you slog your way to your lunch break. Add them to your morning smoothie or sprinkle them on top of yogurt, oatmeal, or even a salad.

Protein: 9 grams in 3 ounces (⅕ of a block) Made from coagulated soybeans, tofu is the most popular plant-based protein. Soy is one of the only meatless "complete" proteins, meaning that it contains all of the essential amino acids that the body can’t make but needs for muscle and immune function. With 15% of your daily calcium needs, tofu is also a good replacement for dairy.

Protein: 9 grams of protein in ½ cup This sushi appetizer is a nutrient powerhouse, so eat it anytime. Edamame is really just another name for soybeans in their pods. Let’s list off some stats--a small ½-cup serving of edamame has 9 grams of protein, 15% of your daily vitamin C, 10% of your daily iron and 16% of your daily fiber. Keep a bag of edamame in your freezer to serve as a fun-to-eat side dish or opt for the shelled variety to toss into salads or a grain bowl.

Protein: 8 grams per cup (cooked) Quinoa is an ancient grain and since it's gluten-free a great choice for anyone avoiding gluten. Add it to your burger recipe to create filling texture, or instead of meat in your taco or burrito. Quinoa is among the healthiest foods on the planet, delivering phytonutrients that have anti-inflammatory qualities, so keep it in your pantry for any meal that needs a filling grain. Just remember to soak it and rinse before cooking to get rid of any bitter taste.

Protein: 7 grams in ½ cup (canned) Eating beans on the regular might as well be a prerequisite for a plant-based diet. Not only are canned black beans inexpensive, but they also contribute 10% of your daily iron and 25% of your daily fiber to your diet. For less than $1 a can, beans can be the star of tacos, quesadillas, salads, soups, burgers, or dips.

Protein: 6 grams in ⅔ cup (cooked) Chances are you’ve never cooked amaranth. But you should, since this tiny, gluten- free grain is packed with almost 30% of your daily fiber and 20% of your daily iron. Cook it like a traditional grain to yield a soft, porridge-like texture. Many people add amaranth to other a hot breakfast cereal mixture, like oats and quinoa. It also pops like popcorn. Toss it in a pot with some oil and wait for it to pop up into a nutritious snack.

Protein: 5 grams in ⅔ cup If peas were one of your most hated veggies as a kid, it’s time to give them another chance. These green beans are a great low-calorie protein to keep in your freezer. Sure, they don’t always taste great when steamed or microwaved (who wants to eat mushy, overcooked peas?), but they do blend well into a yummy puree that can be slathered on toast. To amp up the flavor, add some lemon juice or mint to your mix before you blend.