Low fibre & vegetarian protein sources?

silverbeam22

Okay, this is going to be a bit complicated, but I hope you won't hate me for having such a specific request.

I've been tracking my macros, and I struggle to get enough protein because of my vegetarian diet. I eat a lot of beans, eggs, lactose free cottage cheese and yoghurt (as low-fat as I can find), avocado, and quinoa (to name a few, haha) as well as a ton of different veggies to help the situation, but what follows is that I get (sometimes way) too much fibre and am usually close to too much fat (oddly I'm usually fine for carbs though).

Are there other high-protein vegetarian foods that are low on fibre and fat, while also being affordable as I'm a student on a budget? I'm allergic to soy beans and am lactose intolerant. I feel a bit funny about protein powders (I'd prefer natural foods over supplements, unless it's risking my health of course - i.e. taking iron supplements for my anaemia)

I know it's already really tricky, but if it were vegan that'd be perfect - I'm trying to become as vegan as is possible with my limitations.

I realise there may be little to nothing that matches what I described (I've been trying to look into it without much luck), so some kind of seafood could be an option - just not tuna for ethical reasons.

Thank you!!

MakePeasNotWar

Is there a specific reason you want to limit your fibre? There is no established upper limit; lots of vegetarians eat 70-90 grams a day without any adverse effects. If you aren't having GI problems, and aren't finding yourself feeling overfull, I don't think limiting fibre would do anything for you.

I know you said you aren't that comfortable with protein powders, but there are vegan sourced, all natural and (I think) organic pea, rice, and hemp protein powders on the market that you might find suit your preferences.

I'm really not sure what else to recommend. The only low-fibre vegetarian foods I can think of are all soy-based, so they're not going to work for you. If you see any high protein rice milks or almond milks, check the ingredients, because they may be fortified with the same protein supplements that you are trying to avoid.

I also wouldn't worry about your fat intake if you are at or under your calorie goals. I go over my fat macro almost every day. Same with the sugar; it includes naturally occurring sugars like the ones in fruit, so I find it irrelevant and useless (and exceed it usually)

lynn_glenmont

To sum up, you want a vegetarian, preferably vegan, but definitely lactose-free, low-fat, low-fiber, "natural" (not supplement), affordable protein source?

I'll be interested if anybody manages to come up with something. The only one I can think of that comes close is egg whites (vegetarian but not vegan, "natural" if you crack an egg and discard the yolk, although I'm not sure if it still qualifies as affordable). Other than that, I think you're going to have to sacrifice one or more of your list of requirements (it wouldn't always have to be the same requirement(s) you're sacrificing -- you could add different things at different meals/days that violate or compromise one or more of your requirements -- say, fish once or twice a week, a serving of protein powder on workout days or days when you're having an especially hard time meeting your protein goals, a mixed one-whole-egg and several-egg-white omelet a few times a week, etc.)

It would help if you quantified what you mean by low-fat and low-fiber (I'm thinking zero or close to zero, but if you're not that stringent, it might open up options beyond egg whites and non-fatty fish). Also, is there some reason you're concerned about the amount of fat and fiber you're getting, other than going over default macros set by MFP? Those default macros are not the only, and for many people not necessarily the best, percentages to use. I almost always get a lot more fat and on average get significantly more fiber than MFP recommends, and it hasn't stopped me from losing weight and seeing better results on other health indicators (blood sugar, cholesterol panel, blood pressure).

RodaRose

The fiber setting on MFP is a minimum. In other words, you are supposed to go over on fiber.

Most vegetarians and vegans go waaaay over and that is good. Also, usually vegetarians/ vegans are higher than others on carbs too.
Eggs and cheese and avocados have good fats. It is fine to go over on fats.

Pay attention to the Calories and the Protein --
--- eat enough Protein and stay below Calories.

You might like Hemp Seeds. Three tablespoons contain 10 grams of protein for 170 calories.

silverbeam22

MakePeasNotWar wrote: »

Is there a specific reason you want to limit your fibre? There is no established upper limit; lots of vegetarians eat 70-90 grams a day without any adverse effects. If you aren't having GI problems, and aren't finding yourself feeling overfull, I don't think limiting fibre would do anything for you.

I know you said you aren't that comfortable with protein powders, but there are vegan sourced, all natural and (I think) organic pea, rice, and hemp protein powders on the market that you might find suit your preferences.

I'm really not sure what else to recommend. The only low-fibre vegetarian foods I can think of are all soy-based, so they're not going to work for you. If you see any high protein rice milks or almond milks, check the ingredients, because they may be fortified with the same protein supplements that you are trying to avoid.

I also wouldn't worry about your fat intake if you are at or under your calorie goals. I go over my fat macro almost every day. Same with the sugar; it includes naturally occurring sugars like the ones in fruit, so I find it irrelevant and useless (and exceed it usually)

Thank you so much for the tips!
I have some GI issues which I've connected with my high fibre intake - nothing that a generous cup of coffee wouldn't solve, but caffeine makes my tremor disease much worse, so I avoid it when I can. Stupid health issues.
I'm also determined to never go under 1000 calories a day, but the fibre keeps me full up so I usually end up having to eat more than I feel hungry for to get enough calories (I try to get as close to 1330 as I can every day - about half the time it's easy enough though so that's not a massive issue).
I'll look into the protein powders, that seems like a very possible option! Also, you made me go check my almond milk haha. As to the fat - I'd love to add some more olive oil to my diet but I thought my love for avocado was getting in the way, maybe not after all..!
Thanks again, you reassured me lots.

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

To sum up, you want a vegetarian, preferably vegan, but definitely lactose-free, low-fat, low-fiber, "natural" (not supplement), affordable protein source?

I'll be interested if anybody manages to come up with something. The only one I can think of that comes close is egg whites (vegetarian but not vegan, "natural" if you crack an egg and discard the yolk, although I'm not sure if it still qualifies as affordable). Other than that, I think you're going to have to sacrifice one or more of your list of requirements (it wouldn't always have to be the same requirement(s) you're sacrificing -- you could add different things at different meals/days that violate or compromise one or more of your requirements -- say, fish once or twice a week, a serving of protein powder on workout days or days when you're having an especially hard time meeting your protein goals, a mixed one-whole-egg and several-egg-white omelet a few times a week, etc.)

It would help if you quantified what you mean by low-fat and low-fiber (I'm thinking zero or close to zero, but if you're not that stringent, it might open up options beyond egg whites and non-fatty fish). Also, is there some reason you're concerned about the amount of fat and fiber you're getting, other than going over default macros set by MFP? Those default macros are not the only, and for many people not necessarily the best, percentages to use. I almost always get a lot more fat and on average get significantly more fiber than MFP recommends, and it hasn't stopped me from losing weight and seeing better results on other health indicators (blood sugar, cholesterol panel, blood pressure).

I acknowledge that my request was...limiting.
Thanks for the suggestions though, I'll probably end up following much of your advice too! Egg whites has been a thought of mine recently, I'll probably try to incorporate them into my diet more. I just don't really want to waste the yolk (I've heard it can be good for hair - maybe I'll try that! I'm trying to lessen my waste too). I'm not looking to minimise my fibre or fat, just something I could add to my current diet/supplement some of the high-fibre protein I'm currently having to balance it out. I wouldn't give up my beans (growing up my dad called me "Bean Queen".)!

Yes, my family and many of my friends think I'm being ridiculous.

blueakama

Re: fibre. Do you think you are having too much because you are blocked up? If so, that could be the type of iron supplement you are taking. Look for something a bit gentler with vitamin C.

superslug375

High protein vegetarian foods are hard to come by. Anytime I've gone vegetarian in the past, I've had to use protein mix supplements as a safeguard.

melimomTARDIS

I eat a lot of fiber, no issues with my above 25g per day intake...

silverbeam22

blueakama wrote: »

Re: fibre. Do you think you are having too much because you are blocked up? If so, that could be the type of iron supplement you are taking. Look for something a bit gentler with vitamin C.

I already halved my iron supplement dosage to make it easier on my system, but I doubt that's the only issue. I'll check with my doctor next time! Hopefully I'll be able to stop taking the pills completely (I've been having lots and lots of spinach too recently!) and that could make the situation a bit better.

I make sure I get enough vitamin C through fruit and vitamin drinks and I also drink a ton of water generally so I don't think that's an issue.

My body seems to just be generally complicated - as well as my brain

canadjineh

The iron in spinach is not easily assimilated due to the oxalic acid, also make sure you are getting enough magnesium as well as Vit D as most people are pretty low on these. N. American suggested dosages from FDA and other nutrition sites have been upped lately because we don't get enough. Magnesium citrate helps things 'move along.' Just added thought re: your worrying that 'too much' fibre is binding you up.

silverbeam22

RodaRose wrote: »

The fiber setting on MFP is a minimum. In other words, you are supposed to go over on fiber.

Most vegetarians and vegans go waaaay over and that is good. Also, usually vegetarians/ vegans are higher than others on carbs too.
Eggs and cheese and avocados have good fats. It is fine to go over on fats.

Pay attention to the Calories and the Protein --
--- eat enough Protein and stay below Calories.

You might like Hemp Seeds. Three tablespoons contain 10 grams of protein for 170 calories.

I've been eyeing hemp seeds and other similar things in my local organic shop!! Unfortunately they're all quite expensive, but maybe I'll just have to make some more adjustments to my budget, maybe I'll have to opt for cheaper non-organic fruit & veg

I mentioned above that my high fibre intake is causing me some trouble, but hopefully my body will be able to settle better when/if I get off my medication.

I adore cheese but I've been trying to cut back as much as possible as I'm trying to slowly become as vegan as possible in my situation. Also, I don't seem to be able to stop eating it once I get started..! I do love my avocados, coconuts and nuts though, I'll be alright with my fat(s)

silverbeam22

canadjineh wrote: »

The iron in spinach is not easily assimilated due to the oxalic acid, also make sure you are getting enough magnesium as well as Vit D as most people are pretty low on these. N. American suggested dosages from FDA and other nutrition sites have been upped lately because we don't get enough. Magnesium citrate helps things 'move along.' Just added thought re: your worrying that 'too much' fibre is binding you up.

In addition to everything else, I take vitamin D supplements (currently with calcium) especially during winter, it gets ridiculously dark here in Northern Europe and realise how vital it is.
I also take some extra vitamins that include magnesium and lots of vitamin B! I don't enjoy taking so many supplements but it's a necessity.

Thank you for your message though (especially the bit about spinach - I had no idea!), and thanks to everyone else so far too, I didn't expect to get so many great and informative suggestions and alternatives! MFP is turning out to be great for me

lynn_glenmont

Given your responses, silverbeam22, it sounds like low-fat might be the requirement on that list that you could dispense with, since you don't have (unless I missed it) any specific-to-you (as opposed to hitting the default macro) reason for wanting low fat. Higher fat protein sources would also help you meet your goal of consuming 1330 calories without getting too full from fiber and other foods that are higher in volume and mass for the calories they contain. So eat the whole egg. And maybe have higher-fat versions of the lactose-free cottage cheese and yogurt. If you're having trouble getting enough calories, fat is your friend.

Also (and it feels so wrong to say this), if you're eating exclusively or mainly whole-grain breads and cereals, you might try swapping some of them out for products (or better yet, home-made) made with part or all refined grains -- you'll get less fiber (and fat, assuming that the manufacturer doesn't add extra fat) with the grain protein.

Oh, have you tried seitan? It's made from wheat gluten, which is just protein. If you can't find it, you can make it yourself; you should be able to find gluten in the grocery store with the flour, because it's used in baking bread, especially in whole grain loaves or if you're not using bread flour. The gluten box should have a recipe for seitan. I'm not sure how affordable it is, as I've never made it myself, so I'm not sure how much a box yields. I would think a fair amount.

silverbeam22

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

Given your responses, silverbeam22, it sounds like low-fat might be the requirement on that list that you could dispense with, since you don't have (unless I missed it) any specific-to-you (as opposed to hitting the default macro) reason for wanting low fat. Higher fat protein sources would also help you meet your goal of consuming 1330 calories without getting too full from fiber and other foods that are higher in volume and mass for the calories they contain. So eat the whole egg. And maybe have higher-fat versions of the lactose-free cottage cheese and yogurt. If you're having trouble getting enough calories, fat is your friend.

Also (and it feels so wrong to say this), if you're eating exclusively or mainly whole-grain breads and cereals, you might try swapping some of them out for products (or better yet, home-made) made with part or all refined grains -- you'll get less fiber (and fat, assuming that the manufacturer doesn't add extra fat) with the grain protein.

Oh, have you tried seitan? It's made from wheat gluten, which is just protein. If you can't find it, you can make it yourself; you should be able to find gluten in the grocery store with the flour, because it's used in baking bread, especially in whole grain loaves or if you're not using bread flour. The gluten box should have a recipe for seitan. I'm not sure how affordable it is, as I've never made it myself, so I'm not sure how much a box yields. I would think a fair amount.

Thank you for taking the time to read all that and answer, I appreciate it! I'm trying to give as much information as possible to give people a good idea about my situation so that I don't waste anyone's time suggesting things to me that aren't valid.

The problem with the eggs, cheese and yoghurt are that I'd rather not use animal products. Currently I'm not able to give them up because they're my best/easiest source of protein (I often have yoghurt as an evening snack to get some more protein and add to my calories - also the higher fat ones feel quite heavy so I eat more if it's lighter), and I have to choose my health over food ethics. This is why I was looking for the best possible alternative. I don't think I'll ever completely be able to give them up, but I'll work with what I can. I'd rather try than to just give up on my beliefs

Seitan, unfortunately, is expensive and not too easy to come by here - for now. I don't think I've ever had it before, but it sounds interesting so I'll definitely try it when I get the chance! Another great option to consider working into my budget, thanks!

Edit: Oh, and about the refined grains - that does sound wrong haha! I don't have rice very often, but the kind I have is white! I guess that's not enough since pretty much everything else is whole grain. I'll think about it, but amongst everything else already listed I'm trying to keep my carbs lowish (but it's not a priority), so I don't really know how I feel about having more refined grains - the more I have the more I seem to want so it may compromise my goals.

melimomTARDIS

cut back on some parts of your diet (the organics) to add more to other areas (seitan and Quorn maybe?)

corgicake

silverbeam22 wrote: »

Seitan, unfortunately, is expensive and not too easy to come by here - for now.

https://eatingrules.com/how-to-make-seitan/ - this is a version using regular flour
http://www.theppk.com/2009/11/homemade-seitan/ - and for vital wheat gluten

The stuff has never been well known. I confused a couple health food store workers by trying to explain to them why I wanted a bunch of vital wheat gluten. Not even the health food stores around here sell pre-made seitan, but VWG is carried by every single mainstream grocery store.

botch74

Check out Dr joel Fuhrman's books like eat to live or end of dieting. Lots of good dietary ideas that won't break the bank. Like you when I reduced the meat in my diet I struggled with the protein issue.

mykaylis

i LOVE hemp hearts. full of protein and healthy fats.

if you are constipated, consider changing your iron supplement. i hear Floradix is non-constipating, and it's vegan.

silverbeam22

mykaylis wrote: »

i LOVE hemp hearts. full of protein and healthy fats.

if you are constipated, consider changing your iron supplement. i hear Floradix is non-constipating, and it's vegan.

I looked into Floradix and apparently it's available in Finland, yay!! I'll give it a go when I get the chance to go to a chemist's. And hemp hearts sound delicious!! I've definitely seen those around, too.

I'll make a new year's resolution to reorganise my budget to make room for all these suggestions