Vegetarians.... I got a ?

Question

I just recently became a vegetarian. and my parents aren't really too happy about it because they are worried about me getting protein. So, what are some tasty foods that provide protein??? I want my mom to stop worrying about it.

Answer 1

Hmm, well before you become vegetarian you must realize that you have to eat a lot more than a non-veggie. Vegetarian options will not give you enough condensed calories to sustain you. If you are really headstrong about it then quinoa is a good grain that is a complete protein. Beans like red, black, pinto, cranberry, garbanzo (chickpeas), and nuts ar good sources of protein. So is dairy like cheese, yogurt, and milk. Godd luck. Make sure you do your research first and consult a doctor before you do this. You can always eat veggie stuff when it is available. I LOVE vegetarian and vegan food, but I'm not a vegan or a vegetarian.

Answer 2

Your parents have subscribed to The Protein Myth. We've been brainwashed into believing that protein is the end-all-be-all of human nutrition and that meat is the only good way of getting it. The fact is that meat eaters get far, far more protein that they need and the excess must be excreted; doing this taxes the kidneys and leaches calcium from the bones. In the Western world nobody, even vegetarian, is protein deficient unless they are lacking calories overall.

That said, of course you need some protein. Vegetarians get it from a wide variety of sources, including eggs and dairy if you haven't given those up. Other vegetarian sources include soybeans and soy products (tofu, tvp, edamame, meat substitutes,) beans and other legumes (peas, peanuts, lentils, chickpeas,) whole grains (try quinoa - not only is it a complete protein, but it's also a great source of calcium and iron, two other nutrients your parents might be worrying about,) nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables (especially dark green ones, also good in the calcium and iron departments,) and even mushrooms have protein.

Answer 3

Quinoa, a grain that can be used just like rice and is just as simple to prepare, is a complete protein. I use it with beans (another great protein source), in salads, as a breakfast cereal. Available at most grocery stores.

Nut butters: peanut, almond, sesame (tahini) are all protein sources and can be used in a variety of ways. Sandwiches, sauces, desserts.

Beans: Drain and rinse canned beans and use them in salads, on top of fritos, in wraps with other veggies. Black beans, pintos, garbanzo, kidney, red, etc. You can also mash them, add favorite spices and eat them as a dip or spread with chips, crackers, tortillas.

Go to the library and check out some vegetarian cookbooks. The ones in the juvenile non-fic. section often have some of the easiest and tastiest ideas, as well as answers to questions like yours.

I am an "almost Veg." mom. My kids and I eat meat 2 or three times a week, and I'm sure we still get more protein than we need. Our diet is so much more interesting for our efforts!

Answer 4

Every food provides some amount of protein. Foods that are higher than others are whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and certain green vegetables. Foods that are low in protein are fruits and oils, but they still provide necessary nutrients.

MOst likely, your mom doesn't even know how many grams of protein you need in a day. You only need about 20-40 grams as a female, 30-50 as a male (maybe about 10 more grams each for activity levels).

If you read labels, you will see how easy it is to get protein, or plug your food amounts in fitday.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

Explain to your parents that as long as you eat a wide variety of foods, you shouldn't have to worry about not getting enough protien. In fact, protein is only supposed to make up 10% of your diet, so most people are getting more protein than they really need.

As for foods that are good sources of proteins, if you're an Ovo-lacto vegetarian, milk, eggs, cheese, and yogurt are good sources of complete protein. This is important, because most vegetable proteins are incomplete, but complete proteins are necessary for you because it contains all amino acids necessary to make new proteins. Also, eating combinations of incomplete proteins can form complete proteins.

Some other good sources of protein [vegan friendly also,] are leafy greens like spinach, nuts, beans, soy products [complete source of protein,] peas, sunflower seeds, hummus, and veggie burgers.

Best of luck!

Answer 7

You've probably heard people expound on the wonders of tofu before. Soy products are excellent for vegetarians, but they can do things to your hormones because they contain phytoestrogens. Soy products take on other tastes very well, but if you don't like them, you can compensate with other foods.

Portobello burgers are my favorite. You can eat them when non-vegetarians are eating meat, and Gardenburgers' portobello burers are excellent.

Protein powders should be available from your local health food store. They come in different flavors, you can mix them into smoothies, and they're generally just great. You should definitely try some out to see if you like them.

There's also protein supplements specifically for vegetarians. You can talk to a nutritionist about them. Very, very important to explore that option.

Talk to your doctor about different options and look around online. He or she may refer you to a nutritionist or give you some supplements. Your mom's concern is valid, but you should be able to remedy it without too much trouble. Good luck!

Answer 8

There are actually more proteins in soy than in meat, so she really doesn't need to worry, specially if you're eating meat substitutes, which are often made with soy.

If you don't like soy (which would be strange because there are so many kinds of soy you're bound to like at least some), then you need to mix cereals with stuff like beans, chick peas,... that kind of vegetable, to get good quality proteins.

Anyway tell your mum not to worry. I don't know how old you are, but I grew up without meat and I've always been fine, in great shape and no health problems at all - quite the opposite in fact.


Go vegan!

Answer 9

the possibilities are eeeeennnnnndddddllllleeeeeeeeesssssss!! here's a few to get you started though:::

soy (tofu)
quinoa
legumes (beans)
nuts
seeds
peanut butter
cheese/milk/yogurt (if you are lacto/ovo vegetarian or lacto vegetarian)
whey protein powder (you can mix some with water or soy milk/milk and drink it down..doesn't taste that bad)

go to barnes and noble or hastings or some place like that and get a book about vegetarianism. it will give you some nutrition pointers and help you go about it being healthy.

the book i got when i was 13 was The Complete Idiot's Guide to..Becoming Vegetarian. it helped a lot.


good luck! and tell your mom that i'm 14 and i've been one for almost a year, and i'm healthier than ever right now.

ps: check out this site. http://www.vegetarianteen.com i love it!

Answer 10

This question gets asked several times a day here. I would either type "vegetarian protein" in the search box above or in Google.