Protein

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emilynw10
emilynw10 Posts: 60
in Food and Nutrition
I just started logging my food and found that on my average day I get about 30 g of protein. I'm glad I discovered just how unbalanced my diet is, but I can't figure out how to get more protein in.

I'm currently nursing (I know, which makes it even worse) and my baby is allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts... so those are all out. I'm also a little nervous about large amounts of soy. So that leaves meat, chicken, and fish. I seriously can't eat so many servings of these things to fill up my daily protein needs. I do eat beans, lentils, etc... but they don't help my numbers a whole lot.

So what else can I do? I'm also not in the US and don't have access to some of the more... "sophisticated" foods. So it has to be pretty basic.

Replies

  • Dementedllama
    Dementedllama Posts: 177 Member
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    Protein shakes? Boost is a good one!
  • lisabinco
    lisabinco Posts: 1,016 Member
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    I get 40-70 grams of protein every day without eating meat or dairy. It's all in what you eat. I get plenty of protein from legumes and vegetables and some soy. Not sure what you're eating, but 40 grams of protein is not a low number. Too much protein puts a strain on your kidneys and liver. Ask your doctor what your target should be as a nursing mother. Your doctor can recommend a nutrition expert to help you eat healthy while still getting the nutrients you need. You need more than just protein anyway. Get professional advice. We are not professionals in nutrition here, for the most part.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    IMO see a registered dietician, you should be considering your micronutrient intake too. How much protein are you imagining you need, and how much meat/ fish/ seafood do you imagine that translates to? You should be eating oily fish several times a week anyway for the essential fatty acids for your and your baby's health including appropriate immune responses, the bones in the canned stuff also supplies minerals you may not be getting if you are avoiding dairy, nuts and seeds.

    Soybeans and yellow mung daal (lentils) are richer in protein than other pulses, whole soybeans in moderation is not the same as consuming large quantities of processed soy. There are health conscious vegans everywhere, so there are non dairy/ non soy protein powders (rice, pea) available to order online in any western country. You might be fine with a hydrolysed protein derived from a source you are wanting to avoid because the molecules are cut up into little pieces so not recognised the same by the immune system but obviously run that past your medical team.

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