Struggle for Protein!

Fit_Forever25

Hello people!
I am a vegetarian and I have to struggle a lot for daily protein intake in my diet .. I try hard and get at least 60-70% of required amount of Protein. I eat boiled egg (whites) and beans and yoghurt, sometimes I also drink protein shake (but I don't like it as its high in calories and not that great taste)
Does anyone have any better ideas? something vegetarian which is low in fat and high in protein ?

danmoffett

You are really hurting yourself by not eating meat. I recommend that you read a book called "The Vegetarian Myth" by Lierre Keith.
Lierre Keith was a vegetarian for 20 years. It almost killed her before she learned the truth.

You can read the first 14 pages on Lierre's web page: http://lierrekeith.com/vegmyth.htm
Watch a video interview with the author on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNON5iNf07o

Crystal817

Hello people!
I am a vegetarian and I have to struggle a lot for daily protein intake in my diet .. I try hard and get at least 60-70% of required amount of Protein. I eat boiled egg (whites) and beans and yoghurt, sometimes I also drink protein shake (but I don't like it as its high in calories and not that great taste)
Does anyone have any better ideas? something vegetarian which is low in fat and high in protein ?

Are you eating greek yogurt? It has quite a bit of protien in it!

Aaloo79

Try TVP or Soy Chunks. Its more than 50% protein. Other natural sources of proteins (or essential Amino acids) are already there in vegetarian diet (grains, pulses, beans and milk products)

bluehende

Suggest you try I Am Healthy Crunchy soy butter ( 1 Tbsp) on toasted Bagel Thin or Spirutein or Almased Soy protein powder (2 scoopes of Spirutein or 1 svg of Almased - 8 tbsp)) mixed with 1/2 cup cold water and 1/2 cup silk vanilla lite soy milk, a few ice cubes and 1/2 frozen banana or other frozen fruit- berries. Also add 1 tsp. flax seed or 2 tsp. benefiber for added fiber. For 270 cal. you get 50% of an excellent protein source- especially for women, very filling, very tasty can be made in one minute and you can drink in on the way to work. Has been my daily breakfast for years.

Fit_Forever25

Try TVP or Soy Chunks. Its more than 50% protein. Other natural sources of proteins (or essential Amino acids) are already there in vegetarian diet (grains, pulses, beans and milk products)

Thanks but I dont want to go for Soy protein my personal trainer once told me its like poison for me .. as that protein is hard to digest and really not good for women specially as it all gets stored as fats in lower body parts!

Fit_Forever25

Are you eating greek yogurt? It has quite a bit of protien in it!

I was earlier eating Greek yogurt but is it not high in calories? I saw a massive difference in calories in greek and low fat yogurt so I switched to low fat

bluehende

I am a registered dietitian and nationally ceritified credentialled nutrition professional. Unless you have a confirmed allergy to soy it is an outstanding source of protein with numerous clinical trials showing its benefits to health. Suggest you try it.

jquick823

The easiest way to get protein is through shakes. If you're buying them for taste you are wrong anyway IMO. However Cytosport Muscle Milk Light is 195 Kcal and 25G of protein per serving and from my experience Muscle Milk always tasted good (for protein shakes).

Fit_Forever25

I am a registered dietitian and nationally ceritified credentialled nutrition professional. Unless you have a confirmed allergy to soy it is an outstanding source of protein with numerous clinical trials showing its benefits to health. Suggest you try it.

Ahh thanks so much!
I used to have it a lot almost everyday an year ago and that time I lost some weight and few inches as well but then I had physical training with a trainer and she told me not to even touch Soy or Tofu
But I will start eating it again! thanks so much for your help :happy:

therealjanelle

I always go over my protein quota. I use Tofurkey and Gardein products. Both have excellent flavour and texture. Most Tofurkey products are vegan and several of the Gardein items are as well.

Fit_Forever25

I always go over my protein quota. I use Tofurkey and Gardein products. Both have excellent flavour and texture. Most Tofurkey products are vegan and several of the Gardein items are as well.

Thanks a lot .. I will try to find if I can get those products here in the UK.

Fit_Forever25

You are really hurting yourself by not eating meat. I recommend that you read a book called "The Vegetarian Myth" by Lierre Keith.
Lierre Keith was a vegetarian for 20 years. It almost killed her before she learned the truth.

You can read the first 14 pages on Lierre's web page: http://lierrekeith.com/vegmyth.htm
Watch a video interview with the author on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNON5iNf07o

Thanks danmoffett! that was really interesting to watch.. I know I am doing so wrong with my body by not eating meat but even if I try I wont be able to eat it :noway: Whenever I see non veg food I only see blood :huh: and then it makes me hate it! I am crazy I know :explode:

Raclex

You are really hurting yourself by not eating meat. I recommend that you read a book called "The Vegetarian Myth" by Lierre Keith.
Lierre Keith was a vegetarian for 20 years. It almost killed her before she learned the truth.

You can read the first 14 pages on Lierre's web page: http://lierrekeith.com/vegmyth.htm
Watch a video interview with the author on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNON5iNf07o

Why? She's not looking to eat meat nor interested... Drives me nuts when meat eaters 'impose' on vegetarians. She was simply looking for ideas on eating more protein. I don't eat meat simply for the same reasons as the OP. Makes me want to vomit. So let's get back to her original question: more protein ideas:

- Whole eggs (a lot of protein in yolks ;-)
- Quinoa
- Beans, split peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy products. These nutrient-dense foods are packed with protein, fiber, minerals, B vitamins, protective antioxidants, and essential fatty acids(1). Sample serving sizes from this group include: ½ cup cooked beans, 4 ounces of tofu or tempeh, 1 cup soy milk, 1 ounce of nuts or seeds, or 2 tablespoons of nut or seed butter.Of course, if you do not have allergies to any of these foods.
- Yogurt and cheese (given you are not vegan)


And you're not crazy! I'm exactly like you... I see blood, suffering, and all sorts of nasty stuff when I look at meat... not to worry, you are not alone! LOL. I can tell you that 90% of my digestive problems went away when I stopped eating meat all together which was a suggestion form my Family Doctor. I had been to 2 different Gastroenterologists, have had multiples tests done (Barium swallow, colonoscopy, endoscopy, etc...) as for years I suffered with abdominal pain, bloating, acid reflux etc... But not anymore.

PBJunky

Doesn't spirulina have a lot of protein?

Aaloo79

Like that
Around 20% of worlds population is vegetarian...

One Interesting calculation though
Following is the list of typical protein content by calories for these group of food items:
e.g. if a food has 2 grams proteins (4x2=8 calories, each protein gram has 4 calories) and total calories in the food item is 100, then it has 8%)
Fruits 5-10%
Vegetables: 15-50% (e.g. 50% in Spinach)
Grains 15-20%
Semi Skimmed Milk : 16%
Lentils and Beans : 30%

Aaloo79

You are really hurting yourself by not eating meat. I recommend that you read a book called "The Vegetarian Myth" by Lierre Keith.
Lierre Keith was a vegetarian for 20 years. It almost killed her before she learned the truth.

You can read the first 14 pages on Lierre's web page: http://lierrekeith.com/vegmyth.htm
Watch a video interview with the author on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNON5iNf07o

Why? She's not looking to eat meat nor interested... Drives me nuts when meat eaters 'impose' on vegetarians. She was simply looking for ideas on eating more protein. I don't eat meat simply for the same reasons as the OP. Makes me want to vomit. So let's get back to her original question: more protein ideas:

- Whole eggs (a lot of protein in yolks ;-)
- Quinoa
- Beans, split peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy products. These nutrient-dense foods are packed with protein, fiber, minerals, B vitamins, protective antioxidants, and essential fatty acids(1). Sample serving sizes from this group include: ½ cup cooked beans, 4 ounces of tofu or tempeh, 1 cup soy milk, 1 ounce of nuts or seeds, or 2 tablespoons of nut or seed butter.Of course, if you do not have allergies to any of these foods.
- Yogurt and cheese (given you are not vegan)


And you're not crazy! I'm exactly like you... I see blood, suffering, and all sorts of nasty stuff when I look at meat... not to worry, you are not alone! LOL. I can tell you that 90% of my digestive problems went away when I stopped eating meat all together which was a suggestion form my Family Doctor. I had been to 2 different Gastroenterologists, have had multiples tests done (Barium swallow, colonoscopy, endoscopy, etc...) as for years I suffered with abdominal pain, bloating, acid reflux etc... But not anymore.

Like that
Around 20% of worlds population is vegetarian...

One Interesting calculation though
Following is the list of typical protein content by calories for these group of food items:
e.g. if a food has 2 grams proteins (4x2=8 calories, each protein gram has 4 calories) and total calories in the food item is 100, then it has 8%)
Fruits 5-10%
Vegetables: 15-50% (e.g. 50% in Spinach)
Grains 15-20%
Semi Skimmed Milk : 16%
Lentils and Beans : 30%

JennLifts

Are you eating greek yogurt? It has quite a bit of protien in it!

I was earlier eating Greek yogurt but is it not high in calories? I saw a massive difference in calories in greek and low fat yogurt so I switched to low fat

It has calories.... but you need your cals to be from GY, so you're going to have to put the cals towards them. If you're doing 1200 calories, you can easily put 400 towards the protein and get 100g. whether it be shakes, (there are delish ones), GY, Cottage cheese, egg whites, etc. The thing about shakes, GY, and cottage cheese, is their highest macro IS protein. You don't have to drink the protein either. Use it to flavor stuff.

jilld76

Are you eating greek yogurt? It has quite a bit of protien in it!

I was earlier eating Greek yogurt but is it not high in calories? I saw a massive difference in calories in greek and low fat yogurt so I switched to low fat

It depends what type of greek yogurt you buy. The plain greek yogurt is pretty comparable in calories to a low fat yogurt, it's the flavored greek yogurts that are really high in calories.

I used to buy the flavored ones, but have started to buy plain and have gotten used to it. I usually add some fruit and cereal to it and eat for breakfast.

I've also mixed protein powder with greek yogurt to give me some additional protein. I'm not vegetarian, but I have a difficult time getting enough protein.

If you decide to try mixing protein powder with greek yogurt, I would suggest using a greek yogurt that's not too thick. I love chobani, but it's really thick and with the protein powder it's really gross. Greek Gods is thinner and the plain yogurt is less sour tasting, so mixing the powder tasted better with this kind. Experiment.

13hirteen

I've recently succeeded in getting up to 2g of protein per kg of muscle mass (I'm into powerlifting, hence the high desired level), mostly be eating cottage cheese.
LOTS of cottage cheese.

I've also found protein powder to be useful (I use a casein based one).

JennLifts

You are really hurting yourself by not eating meat. I recommend that you read a book called "The Vegetarian Myth" by Lierre Keith.
Lierre Keith was a vegetarian for 20 years. It almost killed her before she learned the truth.

You can read the first 14 pages on Lierre's web page: http://lierrekeith.com/vegmyth.htm
Watch a video interview with the author on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNON5iNf07o

Why? She's not looking to eat meat nor interested... Drives me nuts when meat eaters 'impose' on vegetarians. She was simply looking for ideas on eating more protein. I don't eat meat simply for the same reasons as the OP. Makes me want to vomit. So let's get back to her original question: more protein ideas:

- Whole eggs (a lot of protein in yolks ;-)
- Quinoa
- Beans, split peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy products. These nutrient-dense foods are packed with protein, fiber, minerals, B vitamins, protective antioxidants, and essential fatty acids(1). Sample serving sizes from this group include: ½ cup cooked beans, 4 ounces of tofu or tempeh, 1 cup soy milk, 1 ounce of nuts or seeds, or 2 tablespoons of nut or seed butter.Of course, if you do not have allergies to any of these foods.
- Yogurt and cheese (given you are not vegan)


And you're not crazy! I'm exactly like you... I see blood, suffering, and all sorts of nasty stuff when I look at meat... not to worry, you are not alone! LOL. I can tell you that 90% of my digestive problems went away when I stopped eating meat all together which was a suggestion form my Family Doctor. I had been to 2 different Gastroenterologists, have had multiples tests done (Barium swallow, colonoscopy, endoscopy, etc...) as for years I suffered with abdominal pain, bloating, acid reflux etc... But not anymore.

Like that
Around 20% of worlds population is vegetarian...

One Interesting calculation though
Following is the list of typical protein content by calories for these group of food items:
e.g. if a food has 2 grams proteins (4x2=8 calories, each protein gram has 4 calories) and total calories in the food item is 100, then it has 8%)
Fruits 5-10%
Vegetables: 15-50% (e.g. 50% in Spinach)
Grains 15-20%
Semi Skimmed Milk : 16%
Lentils and Beans : 30%

Only issue with beans, is they're high carb. Carbs are so fine, but when you're doing low calories, sometimes it can be easier to find less nutrient dense, so you can get more.

ETA: I am a vegetarian too.

cecejoy

If you like mushrooms I hear that they have high protein and fiber and are low in fat

Hungry_Tuna

You are really hurting yourself by not eating meat. I recommend that you read a book called "The Vegetarian Myth" by Lierre Keith.
Lierre Keith was a vegetarian for 20 years. It almost killed her before she learned the truth.

You can read the first 14 pages on Lierre's web page: http://lierrekeith.com/vegmyth.htm
Watch a video interview with the author on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNON5iNf07o

Um, don't second guess your choice based on this one response, because it's obviously biased and untrue. You've made a wonderful decision to go vegetarian, and there are a plethora of protein options out there.
Nuts, seeds, legumes, grains like quinoa, soya products like tofu or seitan for example, dairy, eggs, some fruits& vegetables (in larger amounts)...

I get my protein through shakes, using powders like Garden of Life's RAW Protein Powder and MLO Milk & Egg protein powder.

kaetra

I like to make homemade Tzsatziki sauce with plain Greek Yogurt. The ingredients are really simple, it makes a great dip for veggies and it's very high in protien and low in calories.

Plain Greek Yogurt strained overnight (I use a coffee filter to strain it)
Shredded Cucumber strained overnight
Fresh minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

kaetra

double post

kaetra

OMG triple post, woopsie!

_VoV

First, a question: how many grams of protein are you looking to eat in one day?

Secondly, I would make absolutely every calorie count. Some foods are purely 'recreational' and add very little of value, other than taste, into the diet. Skip those, and concentrate on nutrient-dense veggies, and other plant foods. Also, sticking to whole grains, instead of refined helps. Every little bit counts.

One day, I ate 1200 of plain fruits and veggies, either raw or lightly steamed --I ended up with 60 grams of protein for the day. Things like broccoli, green peas and bitter greens have loads of protein. I'm not recommending this by the way, but merely stating that people think you need a glop of protein on your plate for it to count. NOT! Look at some of the most powerful animals: vegetarians! You can do this, and hold firm to your ethics.

_VoV

First, a question: how many grams of protein are you looking to eat in one day?

Secondly, I would make absolutely every calorie count. Some foods are purely 'recreational' and add very little of value, other than taste, into the diet. Skip those, and concentrate on nutrient-dense veggies, and other plant foods. Also, sticking to whole grains, instead of refined helps. Every little bit counts.

One day, I ate 1200 calories of plain fruits and veggies, either raw or lightly steamed --I ended up with 60 grams of protein for the day. Things like broccoli, green peas and bitter greens have loads of protein. I'm not recommending this by the way, but merely stating that people think you need a glop of protein on your plate for it to count. NOT! Look at some of the most powerful animals: vegetarians! You can do this, and hold firm to your ethics.

AmyLRed

peanut butter
Amy's Texas veggie burgers are a favorite of mine and i am not a vegetarian

fuhrmeister

switch back to greek yogurt the energey you get from the protein is worth it.

also try lentils they are the most complete plant protein you can get.

msfayzer

I used to be veg and still don't eat a lot of meat. I get a lot of protein from soy products. Beans and rice are a really good filling way to get a ton of protein too.

Also, don't listen to this junk about veg being unhealthy. Anyone who got sick off of being veg simply wasn't doing it correctly. In fact, we as Americans eat entirely too much meat to be healthy for us. It should be a once a week or so treat, not a three times a day thing. As long as you follow your nutrients for the first few months to get a good idea of what you need, you will be fine and likely healthier than the average American. If you are truly concerned, go talk to a dietician who can make sure you get everything you need.