Vegetarian!!! Not getting enough Protein!!!!!!?????

Question

I new to vegetarianism and I'm concerned I'm not getting entire protein in my diet. What are the healthiest and tastiest things I can get lots of protein from???

Answer 1

beans or multi-vitamins
or you could eat meat like god intended us to

Answer 2

If you're eating a balanced diet and getting enough calories, it's highly unlikely that you need to worry about protein. It's in practically everything and as a meat eater, you were probably getting up to 4x the protein you actually needed. Excess protein, especially of animal origin, leaches calcium from the bones. It is also an immune system irritant and is hard on your kidneys.

Everyone does need adequate protein, though. Vegetarians get theirs from soybeans and soy products (tofu, tempeh, tvp, edamame, meat analogs,) beans and other legumes (lentils, peas, peanuts, chickpeas,) whole grains, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, as well as eggs and dairy products if you are keeping those in your diet.

Please also note that the information on protein combining is decades out of date now. It's been proven in the meantime that, as long as you're getting protein from a variety of sources over the course of the week, your body will do any combining that is necessary. It is no longer believed to be necessary to carefully combine grains and legumes in a single meal, for example.

Answer 3

Beans, peas, peanuts, soy products like tofu, nuts.

Dairy products and eggs are high protein too, but usually not recommended as the main source of protein because they tend to be high fat/high cholesterol.

When I first became a vegetarian in the early eighties; I learned that the best way to get protein was to combine beans with grains (wheat, rice, corn, etc.).

Later research indicates that the bean/grain combination isn't really necessary for every meal--most people will get enough protein anyway. However, I still eat that way most of the time because I feel the most "satisfied" that way.

As long as you eat a big variety of vegetables, grains and fruits you are probably getting plenty of protein without even trying.

Answer 4

That vegetarians lack protein is totally a misconception..there are so many things you can eat which will fulfill your required nutrient levels, including protein, and also keep your cholesterol low, as opposed to other meat options. A few good choices would be:

Legumes/Cereals
Red Beans/Sprouts
Egg whites, if you allow those
Nuts like almonds, pistachios, pecans in limited quantity
Milk/Yoghurt

As you are new to vegetarianism, and with a few doubts, I'd recommend you reading this article about 10 Veggie Superfoods which will boost your confidence as well as prove that there's nothing you lose in being a vegetarian.

http://funnfud.blogspot.com/2007/10/superfoods-for-vegetarians.html

Answer 5

I agree with Lucy L... if you want to go down the vegan path, a mixture of grains and legumes will give you lots of protein with a good balance of essential amino acids. Some Native Americans ate "succotash", which is a mixture of ground beans and corn, when mean was scarce.
Red lentils are a high-protein staple in India, and while fairly plain in themselves, are great in a vegetarian curry.

Or you could use low-fat dairy products and eggs, which already have the right balance of amino acids for people.

If you don't have Coeliac disease (intolerance to gluten), then you can use gluten flour (available from health food stores and some asian grocers) along with soy products to produce your own meat-substitute products that are _very_ rich in protein (I make tofu/gluten burgers - chopped tofu, gluten flour, beaten egg, onion, vegetarian stock powders and herbs/seasonings; pan-fried).

Answer 6

Simple answer:
Protein is the building block of life. All living things on this planet have protein for their basis.

We, as with other creatures, create our own protein from amino acids.

Any whole protein eaten is broken first down into amino acids then utilized as needed. Therefore, consuming amino acids is much more efficient and less energy wasteful than consuming whole protein. Fruits are full of amino acids. So are lots of other things. You will find that this is also the sort of answer you will get when asking about calcium, b12, and all the other vitamins and nutrients. Eat food and you shall recieve.

Answer 7

Nuts, eggs and beans.

But really, don't worry too much about protein. Most Americans get far more than they need. As long as you have a balanced vegetarian diet, protein shouldn't be an issue.

Answer 8

There are lots of foods that contain protein. Nuts, all kinds of beans (baked beans, chili, etc., etc.), and there are the soy protein "meat" products that are loaded with protein. Hummus is GREAT source of protein and fiber. It's great with pita, and raw veggies (especially baby carrots, green pepper strips). Look at the choices for multi-vitamins. I'm sure there are some with extra protein.

Answer 9

Check your library for books by Adele Davis, who was popular in the 1950s and 60s. She has excellent information on food combining to give you complete amino acids from rice, corn, and legumes. Plenty of dairy and eggs, assuming you are willing to eat animal products, will also add protein to your diet. You should also be concerned about iron, which we get mostly from red meat. You can get iron from dark green vegetables, raisins, dried beans, and a number of other sources.

It is possible to maintain a balanced and healthy diet if you are a vegetarian.

Good luck!

Answer 10

I would sugest you read and then read some more. Go to web sites like the vegetarian society or vegan wolf and read all that is written. You need a balanced diet and you will need to have tasty recipes with beans and lentils and tofu in them. Vegan wolf is a great web site and very helpful.

Answer 11

eating beans and nuts/seeds along with whole grains. Any soy product has a lot of protein (tofu, soymilk, etc.) If you are a vegetarian that eats milk and eggs (lacto-ovo vegetarian), they are both high in protein.