Vegetarian- Where do you get your protein?

Vio_Fit_Bunny

Hi MFP buddies!

The journey of a fitness lifestyle is something I am sure we are all able to relate to, it's essential and valuable for daily living. This isn't a hobby, it's a lifestyle!

But I wanted to reach out to you guys to inquire, what are you guys eating for protein in place of meat?

I'm a 4 month vegetarian transitioning this way of eating forever...and I am constantly looking for ways to implement protein into my diet. I workout seriously 5-6 days a week...and a protein shake and protein bar isn't enough....

Any ideas and thoughts on how to add protein to my Vegetarian diet will be appreciated

cwolfman13

Are you ovo-lacto...if so, things like greek yogurt and other dairy...eggs and egg whites. Beyond that, tofu...seitan...edamame...beans, lentils, etc...

socajam

I love lentils and use chick peas (as my version of scrambled eggs extremely filling - look up the recipe online) and all the other legumes. Nuts, but you have to be careful as they are extremely fattening.

janejellyroll

I'm vegan -- I get my protein mostly from beans, tofu, tempeh, and seitan, supplemented with the protein in vegetables and grains. I'll occasionally have a protein shake with hemp or rice protein.

fjmartini

Fish, eggs, and cheese are the only whole food I can think of.

janejellyroll

fjmartini wrote: »

Fish, eggs, and cheese are the only whole food I can think of.

OP is a vegetarian, so fish wouldn't be something she'd eat.

Mary_Anastasia

Cheese and grains. I get about 70g a day this way, but I don't work out, so it meets my macro.

I eat tofu about 1x a week, too, though I'm not supposed to

NorthCascades

90 grams of protein to a bag. Delicious in tacos!



The truth is if you're not lifting and bulking, you're probably getting enough protein already.

msr8898

I get the majority of my protein from 24+/- cups of lentils a week, supplemented by 2 scoops of veg based protein powder a day. Lots of oatmeal and wheat germ make up 3rd and 4th on the list.

ariceroni

I second what @NorthCascades said, you probably are getting enough already! The Dietary Reference Intake is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.36 grams per pound) which is easy to hit even just eating fruits and veggies! I'm a distance runner so I aim for 75-90 g per day as the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends 1.0 to 1.6 g/kg (or .45 to .72 g.lb) for endurance athletes. Anyway, I'm vegan and still have no problems meeting this goal. I add soy protein powder (plain, it literally is just soy protein and nothing else) into my oatmeal or smoothies, or when I bake. Protein smoothie (soymilk, fruit, and vanilla protein powder) after long or hard runs. Tofu, tempeh, and seitan as others have mentioned! I don't use much tofu honestly because the texture is weird to me, but I make my own seitan and it is delicious! I'll use soymilk sometimes for extra protein with cereal or in recipes, though I prefer almond milk. Beans and lentils are great too, as well as whole grains like oats, brown rice, and quinoa. I love to snack on soy nuts from time to time (roasted salted soybeans), the flavor reminds me of corn nuts and they have 10g of protein in a 140 calorie serving! Meat substitutes (beyond meat and gardein are my favorites!) help from time to time as well

NorthCascades

I like protein smoothies, too. Here's what goes into my blender:

* A bunch of frozen raspberries
* Peanut butter
* Sometimes protein powder
* Milk

It's like sorbet. It's more enjoyable without the protein powder, and I don't usually need it, but, sometimes I'll add it if I skipped a meal or something. There's already a lot in the peanut butter and milk.

Ok, here's another "trick:" read the labels on cheeses. Like if it's a toss up between two different kinds, check the protein content and calories before you decide. Dairy can be a great source of protein. (I'm a vegetarian not a vegan personally.)

PennWalker

Vio_Fit_Bunny wrote: »

Hi MFP buddies!

The journey of a fitness lifestyle is something I am sure we are all able to relate to, it's essential and valuable for daily living. This isn't a hobby, it's a lifestyle!

But I wanted to reach out to you guys to inquire, what are you guys eating for protein in place of meat?

I'm a 4 month vegetarian transitioning this way of eating forever...and I am constantly looking for ways to implement protein into my diet. I workout seriously 5-6 days a week...and a protein shake and protein bar isn't enough....

Any ideas and thoughts on how to add protein to my Vegetarian diet will be appreciated

I'm vegetarian, don't eat eggs, and rarely eat dairy. I have no problem getting enough protein.

My protein mostly comes from:
Lentils and beans, especially black beans and chickpeas. Most varieties of beans are a great protein source.
Tofu, which I press the water out of, cut in small pieces, and stir fry with olive oil, spice, and vegetables like tomatoes.
Silk protein nutmilk, which I drink for the Vitamin D, but it also has 10 G protein for 1 cup.
I also like Amy's soups, which are vegan and in many stores, plus you can order online from Amazon, etc.
Many vegetables and grains also have tiny amounts of protein which add up in a day.
Also, a few walnuts and almonds every day in my oatmeal for "good" fat -- they have a little protein too.

HeliumIsNoble

Peas! 100g frozen peas is 60-80 calories for 5-7g protein.

Soya milk, tofu, nuts, peanuts and peanut butter, chickpeas, some Quorn, some faux meats, bread (generally 3-5g per slice of wholemeal- check the packet), broccoli, beans (including baked beans and kidney beans in chilli sauce!)

AliceDark

I'm ovo/lacto, so I eat a lot of greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, beans, other cheeses, and then some brown rice, protein bars/protein powders, etc.

HeliumIsNoble

Oh, and you can add a tablespoon of chia seed and/or cacao powder to your yogurt.

AnnPT77

I try to eat a minimum of 100g daily (now that I'm in maintenance). Dairy (esp. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, other cheese, skim milk); nuts & seeds in reasonable portions (esp. walnuts, hemp seed, flax seed); oatmeal; beans and all types of legumes (including peanut butter & PB2 powder, the latter mainly as flavor in yogurt or as the base for pseudo-Asian peanut sauce for veggies) and chickpea pasta; soy (tempeh, dry-roasted soybeans, edamame, soy "pasta"); nutritional yeast; eggs.

Also, think about preferring veggies and fruits with a bit of protein, over those with none, such as guavas, spinach, broccoli, etc. These are not high-quality sources (in the sense that they don't mostly have a complete set of the essential amino acids), but getting a great variety of them will help with this.

Prefer grains and breads/pastas with more proteins over those with less, such as quinoa over rice.

If you eat snacks, choose snacks with relatively more protein (dry-roasted soybeans, nuts in reasonable portions, crispy chickpeas, seasoned roasted seeds, puppodums, etc.).

Try to get at least a little protein from almost everything you eat, especially the more caloric choices.

This thread (and a spreadsheet it links to) are a great resource for finding things you like that have protein:

Carbs and Fats are cheap. Here's a Guide to getting your PROTEIN's worth. Fiber also...

It lists foods by protein efficiency, i.e., basically by most protein for fewest calories. The things at the top of the spreadsheet tend to be meat/fish . . . scroll down, and you'll start finding the better vegetarian sources.

I've been ovo-lacto vegetarian for 43 years. I don't routinely eat fake meats, protein powders, or protein bars. This is not some weird religious bias; I just don't find them tasty. Life is too short to eat things I don't enjoy.

angej2

I'm a vegetarian, feel free to stalk my diary any time
Yogurt, eggs, legumes, seeds, nuts and tofu are usually where I get my protein.

Okohme

Yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, pintos, black beans, lentils, tofu....