How do you get protein when your a vegetarian that doesn't involve pills?

Question

My family tells me I have to get protein

Answer 1

Protein does not only come in animal form and there is a variety to choose from in a vegetarian diet. The links/sources below have more info. including charts of foods and their protein quantity.

According to:http://www.everydiet.org/articles/protei...

"Vegetable dietary protein sources

Plant foods contain the same amino acids as animal foods, but in differing amounts. Protein in foods such as most grains, fruits, and vegetables are considered incomplete proteins, being either low in, or lacking, one of the essential amino acids. Plant protein sources can be combined with other plant or animal products to form a complete protein; eg rice and beans, milk and wheat cereal, corn and beans. Plant foods considered complete proteins:

Nuts

Soy foods (tofu, tempeh, miso, and soy milk)

Sprouted seeds (each type of sprout differs in nutrient proportions, so eat a variety)

Grains (especially amaranth and quinoa, highest in protein)

Beans and legumes (especially when eaten raw)

Spirulina and chorella or blue-green algae (over 60% protein) "

According to: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/gu...

"Milk, Cheese Yogurt

Not only are dairy foods excellent sources of protein but they also contain valuable calcium. Choose skim or low fat dairy to keep bones and teeth strong, prevent osteoporosis and enhance weight loss.

Eggs

Eggs are one of the least expensive forms of protein. The American Heart Association says normal healthy adults can safely enjoy an egg a day.

Beans

One-half cup of beans contains as much protein as 3 ounces of broiled steak. Plus, these nutritious nuggets are loaded with fiber to keep you feeling full for hours.

Soy

Twenty five grams of soy protein daily can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Combine soy protein foods like tofu with a healthy low fat diet."

From personal experience, I am a long time vegetarian & now vegan. I have never felt physically fatigued and have great muscle definition. The requirements for protein intake are low (think a 3-4 oz. steak- it is TINY but that is all that is recommended) and so, is easy to fulfill with a proper diet. Many marathon runners are even vegan and get their protein from plant sources only (see http://www.vegansociety.com/html/people/...

It is better to eat 'complete proteins' than incomplete ones and some surely exist in the vegetarian world. As with most diets, you can underconsume OR overconsume too much protein.

Answer 2

If you're worried about getting enough protein from a vegetarian diet, you can get ample protein by eating a variety of vegetarian foods such as legumes (i.e. beans, soybean), vegetables, whole grains, seeds, and nuts.

Check out the sample menus here: http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm

Just make sure you eat enough foods with all your needed nutrients. http://www.vegsource.com/nutrition/pyram...

It's not hard. Have fun.

Answer 3

protein isnt very hard. beans, nuts, grains are all high in protein. tell them if they had done their research they would ask where you are going to get your b12 or omega 3 fatty acid.

Answer 4

how do you get protein chewing on death animal flesh with out involve pills...

Answer 5

There are amino acids (the building blocks of protein) in pretty much every plant food on the planet.

The myth of vegetarians being protein deficcient is just that - a myth.  Humans don't need nearly as much protein as they believe.  If you eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds then you don't need to supplement for protein.

Try not to rely heavily on eggs and dairy for protein - they're high in cholesterol and saturated fat.

I've been vegan 19 months, and I've never supplemented.  I'm strong, active, and healthy.

Answer 6

Soy beans--such as in boca burgers (soy burgers), soy chicken nuggets, eggs (if you're not a vegan), nuts (peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc.)

Answer 7

TOFU!

Eat your tofu, and beans. They are both amazingly good sources of protein. tofu is actually the best source of protein out there, and it is so good for your body. I also found that a lot of the fake meat products [Boca,ect..] has good amounts of protein.

Just read your labels, and you will be fine.

Answer 8

It's really easy to get protein as a vegetarian. Cheese, eggs, and beans! Make some bean burritos or an egg salad sandwich or an omelet with tons of veggies in it.

Bagels have protein. I had one for breakfast, it had 10 grams..If you out cream cheese or an egg on it, thats even more protein.

Answer 9

Protein is in plants!   You can get a balanced diet without eating any meat.

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http://waltonfeed.com/omega/protein.html

Points to remember about protein:

1. The RDA of protein for a 79kg (174 lb.) adult male is about 63 Grams. Women (calculated for a 63kg or 138 lb. woman) need about 50 grams. (0.8 Grams protein per Kilogram of body weight.) Pregnant and nursing women require about 30% more. Children need as much as adults because they are growing. A rapidly growing child can require 2 to 3 times more protein than an adult by weight.

2. A safety factor was built into the RDA for protein and actually represents a little over twice as much as our bodies actually need.

3. Our body gets all but 1/6 of the protein it needs from recycling old body tissue. This amounts to 100-300 grams. The 1/6 we don't recycle must come from essential amino acids we eat.

4. Hard work does not require more protein!

5. Protein is required for growing, body repair, and maintenance. A person with serious physical injuries or illness requires much more protein.

6. If we do not get enough protein, our bodies will steal it from our muscles. This is also true when we are ill. We need more protein, but often can't eat it.

7. North Americans generally eat 3 to 5 times more protein than they need. The protein not needed is broken down further and most of it is used to make energy. However there is some left over product from this process which is not good for our bodies.

8. We can only absorb about 25 grams of protein at one time. The rest is broken down and burned or stored as fat.

9. Plant protein is absorbed at about 70-90%, animal protein at 85-100%. There is concern among some about plant protein not being absorbed as readily as animal protein. This is not a problem as we in North America presently eat 2 to 3 times the RDA for protein anyway.

10. North Americans have been brain washed into believing they must get their protein from meat. Third world nations all over the globe, who get enough calories in their diets, eat little or no meat yet many of them are in excellent health from eating only plant protein.

Answer 10

You absolutely need to have protien.  Most soy bean products have lots of protien.  Some vegggies have a good amount of protien.  Or go to GNC and pick up some supplements.

Answer 11

1) Eat enough calories--for most people, it's between 1,800 and 2,000 calories a day.

2) Make sure they're not mostly junk food.

That's how you get your protein.  And if your family gives you a hard time, ask them if they've ever heard of kwashiorkor.

Besides, too much protein causes you to lose calcium and also screws up your kidneys.

Answer 12

if you are really concerned about it, you can look into nutritional yeast flakes or hemp seed powder, that contains 9 grams of protein.

Answer 13

You eat food, that's how.

I don't know why this question keeps coming up.  For some reason, the whole of the meat-eating world is convinced that it's the only place to get protein and completely ignores the fact that protein is the building block of life.  Therefore, pretty much all life (yes, including plants!) has it.

Most Americans eat far, far too much protein and it's really hard on your health.  Even most American vegetarians easily get more than they need.  Protein deficiency is almost unheard of in the developed world, with the possible exception of people with eating disorders.  If you are eating enough calories to meet your energy needs, and those calories are not made up entirely of junk, you are undoubtedly getting enough protein.

Vegans get plenty of protein from soybeans and soy foods (tofu, tempeh, tvp, edamame, fake meats,) beans and other legumes (peas, peanuts, lentils, chickpeas,) whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables (especially dark green veggies,) and mushrooms.  In addition to all of those sources, vegetarians also get protein from dairy products and eggs.  Eat foods from all of the vegetarian food groups and you will be fine.

Here is a link talking about how much (little) protein you actually need, plus some info on why too much protein is bad for you and a list of specific high protein vegetarian foods: http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/prote...