what can a vegetarian eat for protein?

Question

i really want to become a vegetarian, but as a young man i eat loads and need lots of protein. i try to eat fish and white meat so i dont get loads of cholesterol. what can vegetarians eat that is healthy and high in protein?
thanks a lot

Answer 1

Well, let's get this out of the way - most foods contain protein, it's a myth that you need meat for protein.

Now, as for protein, there are very high-protein foods such as tempeh (20+ grams per serving), tofu, and beans; there is also a lot of protein in some vegetables and whole grains (I am very fond of Ezekiel 4:9 bread, which is a combination of a few different sprouted grains that form a complete protein source).

If you are like my male cousins, who curl weights and work out a lot and try to body build a little, you can buy soy protein powder and mix it into smoothies, or you can make your own high-protein smoothies like this one:

http://vegweb.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=e1fc61d6206d4cf689e9fd1e16d078f5&topic=5617.0

Answer 2

If you live in England, Quorn make a huge range of products that are protein based. Try their link:-

http://www.quorn.co.uk/CMSPage.aspx?ssbid=2

Otherwise, cheese, eggs, milk, nuts, beans etc etc.

Being vegetarian can be a very healthy lifestyle, the days when all vegetarians were pale and weak are long past!! Plus you can sleep easy knowing that no animal suffered to feed you!!

Incidentally I eat meat when I know where it came from - meat that has been factory reared, mass produced or mass killed isn't for me. Some friends of ours raise and kill what they are going to eat, I really don't have a problem with that. Just modern farming methods and abattoirs!!

Good luck with your decision!

XX

Answer 3

First of all, if you eat fish and white meat, you are NOT a vegetarian.

Second, as long as you eat enough calories, and they aren't from junk food, you'll get enough protein. I mean, if you live in an industrialized nation, protein deficiency is practically unheard of.

However, some better sources of protein are tofu, tempeh, quinoa (a South American grain), nuts (but watch out, they're high in fat), and beans.

Answer 4

Hi, I'm a registered dietitian and a vegetarian.
There are foods which are low in cholesterol (ie low fat dairy) or cholesterol free (all plant-based foods) which are good sources of protein. Some people have named some already. For example, 100 Calories of skim milk has 9.3 grams of protein ( a little over 1 cup of skim milk), and 100 Calories of chickpeas has 5.2 grams of protein (a little less than 1/2 cup) You may ask your doctor or a nutritionist or registered dietitian to find out how much protein you need every day- *maybe* around 75 to 100 grams per day for a "young man".

I did see some untrue statements made here- first, that we can get our protein from eating mainly what cows eat- grass. Grass has very little protein and a lot of fiber. And our digestive system is very different from a cow's. Cows have massive amounts of bacteria in their multi-chambered stomachs that are capable of converting fiber into protein for them- we don't. So we need to eat foods that are already higher in protein than grass to survive and thrive.

As far as avocado and coconut, they are not particularly good sources of protein. Avocado contains .8 g protein per 100 Calories (just under half a cup). Fresh coconut contains 1.4 g protein per 100 Calories (just over 1/4 cup). Both of these plant foods are very high in fat, and we would gain a lot of weight trying to rely on these as protein sources.

Answer 5

Meat. It's what the rest of us eat for protein, too.

Seriously, though, if you are bent on becoming a vegetarian, kudos, you've embarked upon one of the single most difficult lifestyle changes a human being can make. Not only is just about EVERYTHING made with animal products (be sure to check the ingredients of any food product you purchase, or they may sneak something into your body that you've decided you don't want anymore) but you are also going to be fighting against your natural instinct to eat the flesh of beasts.

I recognize how difficult this change will be, and I honor you for doing it. I don't think it's necessarily the right thing to do, but I do think it is a challenge that the animals would probably thank you for attempting.

Just remember, should you fail to stay the course, it does NOT make you a bad person, a weak person, or anything else negative... it may make you a bad vegetarian, but there's really no shame in that.

Look at the animal kingdom. Who would you rather be? Mufasa or Mickey Mouse? Shere Khan or Peter Rabbit? I'm not saying Mickey or Peter R. are uncool, but Mufasa and Shere Khan are certainly cool-er!

There's nothing wrong with eating a little meat... Just keep in mind the amount of meat you eat should be in proportion to the number of teeth you have designed for meat. There are 4-6 teeth out of about 30 which make tearing and slicing meat practical. So thats a little less than 20% of your diet. You don't have to give up meat to be healthy, you just have to eat smart.

If, on the other hand, you just can't bear the thought of an animal being slaughtered for your benefit, then um... soy? Beans? Dairy? Most vegetables that provide protein don't provide complete proteins, so you have to mix and match to get the full necessary protein requirements that you could get with just one kind of meat.

Answer 6

Tofu and various other soy by products are high in protein. Morning star is one company that makes a great variety of vegetarian alternatives. There are also beans and eggs and cheese and milk if you're willing to be a lacto-oval vegetarian. My dad is a vegetarian and I do know he takes multi-vitamins to help him get the nutrients he needs. In fact most of the vegetarians I know take multi-vitamins. Good luck! Being a vegetarian can be hard, I know. I keep a mostly vegetarian lifestyle and rarely have meat or fish.

Answer 7

Nuts and beans are the main source of protein for most vegetarians.

But honestly, don't worry too much about protein. Most Americans get far more than they need. If you get too much, you aren't going to grow faster or anything.

Answer 8

tofu, legumes (beans), nuts such as almonds, sunflower seeds. Go to a health food store where they can help you also. Go to Borders book store, and buy a book on being a Vegetarian. Also the library. Recipe books for vegetarians.

Answer 9

Soy, tofu, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame, mushrooms, oat, chestnut, hazelnut, peas, beans. Avocado and coconut are protein rich fruits...
if you're not a vegan you can simply drink milk, eat cheese, eggs.....

Answer 10

Are you just sick of the standard diets had been after the diet end the extra lbs are just coming and coming following finish the diet regime? Are you experience the truth that after your physique gets used to a diet regime then this diet regime gets to be less powerful more than time since your entire body adjusts to compensate?