i a vegeterian but dont get enough protein in my diet?

Question

i eat cheese and other dairy products but im still missing a huge amount throgh not eating meat and fish. i also dont think ive got enough variety in my diet, any ideas how to get protein and variety?

Answer 1

peanut butter is a great source of protein. Also try your local health shops for advice like Holland & Barrett. Quorn do some fantastic ranges of food so variety is never really an option. I have been a vegetarian for the past 18 years and think that there is definately more variety now than there ever has been. Also try vegetarian cookbooks.

Answer 2

Why do you think you are not getting enough? It's nearly impossible not to get enough in a developed country. Everything has protein in it and since you include dairy, it's even more likely that you meet or exceed what you need.

What else are you eating that you are lacking variety? I eat different types of grains (whole), veggies, fruits, nuts etc. Last night I had tacos made with soy crumbles, Other things that I've eaten recently include grilled cheese with tomato soup, pasta with sauce, cheese enchiladas etc.

Just use your imagination.

I also wanted to add that "protein combining" to make a complete protein has never been proven as beneficial and there is no scientific evidence supporting it. The idea came from one person back in 1971 and is widely believed still today but as stated, nothing says that you need to combine proteins to get complete proteins.

Answer 3

How do you know that you aren't getting enough protein? Have you seen a doctor who did blood work and confirmed this? Chances are, you are getting plenty. Protein isn't just in cheese and dairy. It's in nuts, grains, vegetables, and most foods that you eat.

If you are worried, increase your intake of vegetarian protein rich foods. Things like seeds, nuts, soy products, mock meats, protein powders, etc.

But honestly, unless you are eating cocoa puffs 4 meals a day, chances are good that you are fine. And even then, if you are using a cup of milk each time, you are fine. So, unless you are eating watermelon and candy canes all day, chances are strong that you are fine.

Try monitoring your intake via a food journal. http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/HealthyLiving/LogsJournals has a great one that can help you keep track of how well you are doing nutrient wise. : )

Answer 4

Tofu,quorn (if your in the UK)the wide range of fake meats available in health food shops and supermarkets?

The fact is that the human body needs far less protein than most people think.The average western diet contains far more than your body needs.If you are eating a bit of cheese and you eat eggs you will certainly be getting enough.

Answer 5

How can I get enough nutrients on a vegetarian/vegan diet?

One of the most common questions vegetarians hear from non-vegetarians is “Where do you get your protein?” Of course, the folks who wonder this may guzzle chicken wings by the bucket and soda by the gallon, never stopping to think where they get their fiber or vitamin C. Vegetarian, vegan or not, we all need to consider the health effects of what we eat. While it’s true that protein is necessary, equally important for vegetarians are calcium and iron, and, if you’re vegan, vitamin B12.

If you’re eating a well-balanced vegetarian diet with plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, you are eating one of the healthiest diets on the planet. You do, however, need to make sure you get a few vital nutrients.

Protein

The little known truth about protein is that most of us get too much, not too little of it. Women need about 45 grams per day and men need around 55 grams. One cup of tofu contains about 20 grams of protein, so women, eat some tofu and you’re almost halfway there! Lots of foods contain protein and if you’re eating a well-balanced diet, you’re probably consuming more than enough protein without even thinking about it. Even though it’s quite easy to get plenty of protein on a vegetarian or vegan diet, its a good idea to make sure you’re eating a variety of protein-rich foods.
If you’re a lacto-ovo vegetarian, you’ll likely get sufficient protein from eggs and dairy without even trying, but if you’re vegan, here are some high protein vegan foods to include in your diet: tofu, seitan, veggie burgers, soy, lentils, chickpeas, nuts and seeds, brown rice and whole grains.

Answer 6

MYTH: "Vegetarians get little protein."

FACT: Plant foods offer abundant protein. Vegetables are around 23% protein on average, beans 28%, grains 13%, and even fruit has 5.5%. For comparison, human breast milk is only 5% (designed for the time in our lives when our protein needs are as high as they'll ever be). The US Recommended Daily Allowance is 8%, and the World Health Organization recommends 4.5%.

MYTH: "Beans are a good source of protein."

FACT: There is no such thing as a special "source of protein" because all foods -- even plants -- have plentiful protein. You might as well say "Food is a good source of protein". In any event, beans (28%) don't average much more protein per calorie than common vegetables (23%).

Answer 7

You need to eat a variety of pulses. Haricot beans, all types of nuts. A very good source of protein is Quinoa pronounced 'keen wah'. This is so easy to prepare. Put a measure of quinoa into a saucepan, add water, boil for about 5 minutes, let it cool and either eat as you would porridge or you can mix other things into it eg. sweetcorn, nuts, beans and have it with salad. Quinoa is very high in protein. You can buy this from Asda Walmart or any health food shop.

Answer 8

Handfuls of almonds throughout the day will help. Raw almonds help prevent cancer. Nuts are good. So are pumkin and sunflower seeds.

I'm a huge fan of soy milk and tofu. You can also snack on roasted soy nuts and chickpeas. Beans are a vegetarian protein source.

Broccoli and spinach are also protein sources.

You can cream silken tofu into smoothies.

Answer 9

Soya has all the essential amino acids
If eating pulses, have grains at the same meal time to enable your system to make complete proteins from them. And have some vitamin C at the same time (orange juice maybe) to get the iron from the food.
Eggs are good too.
Cheese is high in fat, so eat sparingly.
Check out the Vegetarian Society for more information.

Answer 10

beans have lots of protein
soy meat is excellent when it comes to protein
peanut butter also is a good source
even plants have SOME protein (not a lot but some...it's incomplete proteins though)
I recommend Amy's food products for taste and protein
try going to nutritiondata.com to see how much protein certain foods have