Low soy/carb high protein vegetarian and vegan foods?

gettingto65

Hi

Does anyone have any favourite low soy/low carb, high protein vegetarian or vegan foods/meals?

I feel like one of those low fat, soy, single shot latte with caramel creamer Starbucks people. I swear I’m not.

Thanks!

stefanieplittlewood7092

I love using jackfruit as a substitute for soy. Have you tried that?

lynn_glenmont

gettingto65 wrote: »

Hi

Does anyone have any favourite low soy/low carb, high protein vegetarian or vegan foods/meals?

I feel like one of those low fat, soy, single shot latte with caramel creamer Starbucks people. I swear I’m not.

Clearly, since a soy latte with caramel creamer would be neither low carb by most definitions nor low soy.

How about eggs (you say vegetarian or vegan, so it would help if you clarified whether you eat eggs and/or dairy)? One or more poached eggs are a nice protein boost over a wide variety of foods, including cooked veggies and a warm greens and grain salad. Plus the runny yolk makes the dish "self-saucing".

Also, it would help if you clarify what your definition of low carb is. Under 100 grams of carbs power day? Under 50? Under 20?

The problem you're going to run into is that vegetarian (and especially vegan) diets are intrinsically higher carb, unless you are eating a lot of processed or nutrient isolated foods. And as you focus on the lower carb foods, you will find it challenging to get adequate nutrition (because you'll have to eliminate or severely restrict so many food categories).
Even getting adequate energy (calories) can be a challenge unless you want to consume much of your calories in oils and isolated fats (whole high fat vegan foods such as nuts come with carbs -- avocados and olives aren't too high, I guess -- again, depends on your definition of low carb).

Your body, your life, your decisions. But if you have chosen either vegetarian/vegan or low carb (or even low soy) because you heard it would help you lose weight or was inherently more healthful (absent specific medical conditions), you might want to do further research on those assertions.

And, again if these choices are not medically or ethically driven, you might want to consider whether any health benefits you can find good research to support are worth the added stress and social complications of combining all three, as well as the health risks of combining three restrictions that create difficulties for meeting your nutritional and energy needs.

lemurcat2

There's not really much particularly low carb and low soy but high protein and vegan.

Seitan may be your best bet -- I see 17 g protein and 3 g net carbs for 90 cal.

(For reference, extra firm tofu has 9 g of protein and 2 g net carbs for 80 cal. Black soy beans have 11 g of protein and 1 g net carbs for 120 cal.)

A generic pea-based protein powder, if open to that, has 21 g protein and 1 net carb for 100 cal.

Powdered peanuts have about 90 cal for 8 g of protein, 10 g carbs, so not low carb.

Black beans have about 5.5 g protein and 11.5 g net carbs for 85 cal.

Cannellini beans have 5 g protein and 8 g net carbs for 88 cal.

Chick peas have 5.4 g protein and 10 g net carbs for 85 cal.

I'd find it pretty hard to low carb on a vegan diet (especially without some reliance on soy!) with sufficient protein unless you are using a broad definition of low carb or are open to using a lot of protein shakes and seitan.

Dairy and eggs could help, if vegetarian not vegan. Eggs aren't especially high protein, but they have almost no carbs (and of course the protein adds up). An extra large egg is about 80 cal and 7 g protein, less than 0.5 g carbs. Greek yogurt has more protein and more carbs: non fat (the protein and carbs won't differ, just the cals) has about 9 g of protein and 10 g of net carbs in 75 cal (some brands will have slightly better numbers). Cottage cheese could be a good option: in 80 cals, about 11.5 g protein and only 3.5 g net carbs (that's a low fat version, again the actual numbers will vary some by brand).

lemurcat2

stefanieplittlewood7092 wrote: »

I love using jackfruit as a substitute for soy. Have you tried that?

Isn't jackfruit low protein?

jgnatca

Jackfruit is a carb.

https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/09144

I love the thorough answer above. I would not have the patience. If a diet is so restrictive the proteins can be listed on one hand, it’s hig time to reconsider the restrictions.

DaddieCat

I always found that the issue was not with finding enough protein or getting a high protein meal, but rather in managing the amount of total carbs after fiber. It's super easy to get a varied protein source on a plant based diet, but if you frame it as managing extraneous carbs (added sugars, sweets, comfort foods rather than a well planned meal, etc.).

Seitan is always my go to, though. Has been for a very long time.

If I might ask, though... do you have a reason for avoiding soy? If there's not a medical reason, it's a great addition to any plant based diet and to be frank, I'd give up living if I couldn't have soy sauce.

sdegue

I eat a lot of tofu but have a lot of high protein bean recipes as well.
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ChristalCori

I do the same! Let’s connect. It can be more challenging, but SO good for my gut health, metabolism, and inflammation in general -it addresses WHY I have such a hard time losing weight. I also take supplements for thyroid support and balancing my hormones. When my diet and sups are on point, I lose that constant drive to eat, the depression/ fatigue & feel like a normal person. It makes me want to work out & get things done. It would be a luxury to be able to eat easier diets, and I have temper tantrums about that sometimes. It isn’t fair that I have to be SO mindful of what I eat in order to feel normal & not blow up 20 lbs. But it’s worth it.

georgieamber2

Check Kate Flowers and HealthyCrazyCool on YouTube! Kate normally does higher carb and miles higher fat but they both have recently released videos doing lower carb and more protein:) x

wendyheath32

Check out high carb Hannah on YouTube she's doing high protein atm. Also look out for pea protein products and seitan

DX2JX2

Have you checked out Beyond or Impossible burgers? Beyond that, I got nothing...