Where do vegans get protein from?

Question

Aren't there any vitamins that you ''lose'' since you don't eat meat?

Answer 1

Thats sometimes true, although you can get protein from soy products

Answer 2

As long as you eat a balanced diet you get all the nutrients you need. Even those who eat meat can get difficiencies.

The protein scare is the biggest misconception about vegetarian diets. There are quite a bit of misconceptions so here are some web sites I think will help. The first is a list of vegetables with protein and how much the second are calcium sources in raw veggies. The third is an article about B12. It is actually a microbe found in soil and is abundant in seaweed, tempeh, miso, and root veggies. The last one is a list of foods with iron and how much.

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm

http://health.rutgers.edu/factsheets/iron.htm

http://www.carrotcafe.com/f/calevel.html

http://www.pamrotella.com/health/b12.html

Answer 3

Plant based protein is actualy a better source of protein than meat based protein, as it comes with healthy omega fats not unhealthy saturated fats.

there is also too much protein in meat, too much protein consumption can contribute to osteoporosis and it places a constant heavy load on our kidneys and our liver.

all food has varying amounts of protein in it. which includes vegetables, legumes, fruits, seeds, nuts and grains.

in fact our dietary protein requirements are leveled at 5% of our diet. most vegetables have more than that.

though if we do lots of exercise or want to body build our protein requirements will be higher.

some great plant based sources of protein are: legumes, nuts, seeds and grains.

specifically high amounts are in: Chic peas, Lentils and beans. nuts are also a great source and they are choc full of essential fatty acids.

No there isnt any vitamins you 'lose' since you dont eat meat. when the body uses protein it breaks it down into amino acids and utilizes the acids, it makes no difference wether the acids come from a meat or plant based source, the only difference is the unhealthy saturated fat meat also comes with, which contributes to obesity and heart disease.

Meat does have iron and calcium in it.

Though there is plenty of iron and calcium in leafy green vegetables and there is also iron in beans. the iron and calcium in plant based sources is also very bio-available for humans, meaning we uptake lots of the vitamins when we eat it.

the iron and calcium in dairy and meat is bound tightly and it thought there is a lot in it, its harder for the body to break it apart, so as a result the uptake is much lower, regardless of how much there is in the source.

there is nothing in meat that cannot be found in a plant based source, and the plant based sources are much healthier.

Other answeres have mentioned 'complete proteins' and i thought i would just add that that is a myth, the body stores amino acids in the liver and in the stomach. eating well rounded meals is still very good for us, but protein uptake and utilizations does not require combining proteins, it was a theory put forth in a popular book that was proven bunk and was quickly recanted, however the recanting of the theory has yet to gain as much popularity as the book did :/

Good Luck : )

Answer 4

The only nutrient that vegans must supplement is B-12, which comes not from meat but from bacteria harbored by cows. People used to get it reliably from root vegetable but most soil has been overtreated with pesticides and chemical fertilizers and can no longer support the bacteria that synthesizes it.

We get protein from soybeans and soy products (tofu, tempeh, meat analogs, edamame, etc,) beans and other legumes (lentils, peas, beans, peanuts, chickpeas, etc,) whole grains and grain products, nuts and seeds, fresh fruits and vegetables, and mushrooms. Almost all foods have protein in them. Think about large herbivores like elephants - they have to get a lot of protein from plants to grow that large!

Answer 5

Everything we need thats in meat, can also be found in other things, including protein. Soy, nuts, certain grains, and many vegetables are a good source of protein.

Answer 6

we get protein from legumes and nuts as well as all fruits and veggies, (believe it or not protein is in almost everything), the only 2 vitamins to be concerned with on a well balanced vegan diet are B12 which you can get from nutritional yeast which tastes like cheese, and iron which you can get from supplements or load up on green and red veggies to get

Answer 7

God I LOVE this question.

We get our protein mainly from beans, nuts, and grains, as well as some vegetables and fruits that may contian small traces of protein.
And we don't 'lose' any vitamins at all. On the contrary, we consume more nutritious vitamins in our diets because we're not filling our stomachs with flesh, mentruation, and lactation.

Answer 8

http://www.happycow.net/humor_images/protein.gif


The vegan diet is the healthiest there is.

Protein is far more abundant in fruits and vegetables than in anything the meat and dairy industries churn out.

BTW, just because we live a cruelty-free lifestyle doesn't mean we eat any less than a meateater, our choices are just healthier and don't contribute $ to inhumane industries.

Answer 9

Basic nutrition teaches that IF YOU EAT A GRAIN AND A LEGUME TOGETHER... it's a complete protein... that is why Black Beans and Rice is such a staple in 3rd world diets.

Answer 10

Beans and legumes are one excellent source of protein.

Answer 11

They get it from their food...duh. What on earth does this question mean? Where do meat-eaters get their protein from? From their food. Everything has protein. Unless you eat dirt and rocks, you're consuming protein.