how do you as a vegan or vegetarian ensure you are getting adequate protein?

Question

I have a vegan friend who does not get adequate protein. She suffers many health ailments from the lack of it.

Every vegan or vegetarian Ive met seem to be uneducated in the protein requirements for their body weight and exercise output.

What do you do as a vegan or vegetarian to ensure you get adequate protein? Do you know how much you even need in a day?

Answer 1

Hello. I'm not a vegetarian or vegan myself, but I have a strong interest in nutrition/fitness and eat more plant foods than most people.

The recommendation for protein is about 0.5 grams per pound of of lean bodyweight. Formula would be 0.5 x (total weight - bodyfat weight). Someone who is physically active or exercises could use more. Anywhere from 0.6 grams to over 0.8 grams per lb lean bodyweight. Over 0.8 grams may be optimal for those strength training (with weights, pushups, etc...) depending on intensity. So by this formula, a 130lb women with 25% bodyfat would need anywhere from 49 to 78+ grams per day (depending on activity level). These numbers can be met by a vegan diet. Although it's not only the amount of protein eaten that matters, but also the composition.

Your body needs a complete array of amino acids (protein) in order to utilize it properly, or in other words "complete protein". For vegans, this can be met by eating different protein sources throughout the day. Mix and match any food from these 3 groups and you get a fairly complete protein: beans/legumes, grains, and nuts/seeds. For instance, combine peanut butter (from beans/legumes group) with whole grain bread (grain group) for a complete protein. Or corn (grain) and peas (bean). Trail mix containing peanuts (bean/legume) and sunflower seeds/almonds (nuts/seeds). And so on. You don't necessarily have to eat the groups together (although preferable) since the amino acids stick around in your body for awhile giving them time to be utilized together.

There are some plant proteins billed as a complete protein although they are still lacking in some aminos and are best utilized as part of a varied diet (and not the only protein source). If you eat soy I would recommend you go organic because most non-organic soy is genetically modified and contains more of the potentially problematic aspects of soy (anti-nutrients, allergenic components) along with being genetically modified to withstand higher pesticide application (more harmful pesticide residues and bad for environment). A less well known protein source is hempseed. Shelled hempseed is possibly the most digestible source of plant protein and it's also a good source of EFAs (I buy bulk 5lb bags of nutiva shelled organic hempseed from amazon.com for $30) .

Answer 2

Protein deficiency symptoms are usually muscle-wasting (as seen in third world country, especially the children) and suffering from many bacterial/viral infections. Also protein deficiency needs to be diagnoised by a physician, not self. Unless you and your friend are in a third world country and borrowing a computer from some rich American/European to ask this question, I doubt that protein deficiency is the problem.
Like all the answers from the educated vegetarians/vegans, protein is found in every plant, some have more protein and others have less, but all have protein. Protein is not the culprit as the media would like everybody to believe, when you get sick as a vegetarian/vegan. From experience, it seems that some vegetarians forget to eat vegetables! French fries and pizza are still junk food, although vegetarian. Green leafy vegetables will help getting rid of any blood born bacteria, and legumes & grains create an environment that viruses don't like. You still have to eat healthy whole foods, not processed vegetarian foods, to be healthy.

Answer 3

The problem with Americans is that they get too much protein, instead of too little, so do not worry too much. A good amount of protein is from 35 grams-55 grams. If you have too much protein, you can gain wieght.

Here are some High-Protein Foods That are Vegan:

-Soy Milk (some have as many as 10 grams of Protein per cup!)
- Almond Milk
- Whole Grains
- Soy Yogurt
- Vegan Cheese
- Nuts
- Legumes
- Beans
- Vegan Sour Cream
- Vegan Cream Cheese
- Trail Mix Bars (they usually have nuts and soy protein inside. but be sure to get the vegan kind).

Good Luck!

Answer 4

I'm a vegetarian, so I can get protein a bit more easily than vegans (cheese, eggs, etc.). Still, vegans can get protein by eating nuts, beans, vegan "meats," and by drinking protein drinks, if necessary. I was sick some time ago, and my doctor practically had a fit that I was vegetarian because she was convinced that I wasn't getting enough protein. She went so far as to order a blood test to make sure my protein level was okay. Well, every single thing they checked for (including protein) was in the normal range, except for B6, which was a bit high. Unless your vegan friend is completely ignorant about what kinds of foods she should be eating (which is unlikely- vegans usually know what they need to eat to stay healthy), she should be getting enough protein. If you're really concerned, maybe you can cook a meal or two for her, or cook it together, and make sure it's got lots of protein in it.

P.S. She can add protein powder to smoothies, etc. if she can't seem to get enough protein out of regular food.

Answer 5

"Every vegan or vegetarian I’ve met seem to be uneducated in the protein requirements for their body weight and exercise output."

-I'm willing to bet it's not them with the misconception.

"What do you do as a vegan or vegetarian to ensure you get adequate protein? Do you know how much you even need in a day?"

-Nothing special. Yes I'm quite aware how much protein I require. The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends 10%-15% of your daily calorie intake come from protein. Humans require a minimum of 5% of daily calories from protein. Our true requirement is fairly small, you could eat nothing but potatoes and get enough protein, but that doesn't stop the U.S. government, that is lobbied by the meat and dairy industry, from increasing our protein requirements to 35% as of recently! This was based on no scientific study and was a direct result of lobbing efforts.
A good rule of thumb is this; unless you are staving it a very safe bet your getting enough protein.

Answer 6

The amino acids in brown rice and legumes (beans) offer a complete and adequate protein when eaten together.

Vegans are probably the most educated about protein requirements. One serving of meat should be about the size of a deck of cards, but most meat eaters I know eat three times that amount in one meal. Lack of protein is not much of a problem in most of the developed world. With the exception of the very young and the very poor, most people probably eat too much protein.

Answer 7

I'd be willing to bet that your friend is suffering from something other than just protein deficiencies if she's feeling poorly--it's actually rather hard NOT to get enough protein and most adults in the United States and Canada get too much. (This can result in kidney problems, incidentally.) Tell your friend that she simply needs to consume a variety of plant-based foods--legumes are particularly good--and consider sending her to the links I've cited.

Answer 8

Eat lots of nuts and nut butters, beans and legumes, soy protein in soybeans, tofu, and meatless meat products, protein powders. Its really not too hard. Anyone who goes vegan or even veggie should make themselves knowledgeable about their own dietary needs.

Answer 9

Yes..I know how much I need. Any educated vegetarian would make sure they know. We don't need as much as you think though. If you do your research, you would know that almost every food has protein in it and it's nearly impossible not to get enough unless you just eat junk food.

Did you know that educated vegetarians eat healthier than the average omnivore? Most omnivores do not get nearly enough whole grains and vegetables and actually eat too much protein.

I have to even wonder if you even know what you are talking about with this question.

Answer 10

there are many vegan meat substitutes that that large amounts of protein in them... I like those, also I eat alot of dairy (i am vegetarian, not vegan,, but I do enjoy vegan products) there is alot of meat in dairy (also in vegan dairy substitutes) I also drink the slim fast protein drinks as a multi-vitamin and not to lose weight.... that also has alot of protein in it... I get tons of protein!!! Also I eat flaxseed bread (YUM!!) and that has alot of protein in it!