Vegetarian & Protein

saharajungle

Hi,

I'm 23 years old, 5'2", 128 pounds, and a vegetarian.

Recently, I was frustrated with the fact that I was eating so healthy (my daily intake is about 1200-1500 kcal and consists of 80% vegetables and fruits, the other 20% nuts, Greek yogurt, and beans) but not losing the 15 pounds I gained in the past year. I realized that it's because I'm not eating enough protein. I know I have to be consuming around 120g of protein every day but I don't know how I'll do it on a veg diet without eating too many calories.

Right now, for protein I eat: plain nonfat Greek yogurt, about 1/2 a cup of beans (black beans, chickpeas), and some tofu.

Any suggestions? I'd like to eat about 100-120g of protein/day.

Thanks for your help!

_noob_

You could use a whey protein powder if your protein was that important to you. That may be the best way to get protein without carbs or fats so that you could just go about eating your normal foods after the powder.

Most whey powders have <2g fat, <5g carbs and 20-25g protein per scoop/serving.

babyangelica2010

1) You don't need that much protein
2) How do you know you're not losing because of not enough protein? I'm not saying it's impossible, just that I have never heard of this happening before.

_noob_

1) You don't need that much protein

That could depend on goals and exercise. That protein level certainly isn't likely to harm her, and she didn't ask us to evaluate how much she took in, just suggestions on how to reach that goal.

LoseYouself

I can get that much protein a day if I'm trying, and I don't even eat dairy or eggs either. Just try planning meals ahead! You really don't NEED that much protein, but if you want it, add in organic tofu, beans, and lentils. Lentils are 18g protein per cup I think. Don't freak out over the carbs in beans and lentils as some people do. Half of the carbs are usually fibre.. it's not absorbed.

Since you're vegetarian and don't exclude dairy, you could add a simple whey protein shake daily for 100-150 calories.. and that easily adds 25-35g protein. If you ever want a non-dairy source of protein there are also plant based protein powders such as hemp, pea, and brown rice protein. Some are blends to create complete proteins. There's also soy protein for people who don't have issues with soy.

bronnyd

You're on the right track with beans, nuts, greek yogurt and tofu. I also am a vegetarian and I start every day with a Vega shake which has 15g of protein per scoop, plus a bunch of vitamins and nutrients that are harder to come by as a veg like B vitamins and iron.

I agree with the above poster - incorporate lentils. Lentils are an awesome source of protein.

I also agree that at 5'2 and 128 pounds you shouldn't need 120g of protein per day.

lizziebeth1028

Hi,

I'm 23 years old, 5'2", 128 pounds, and a vegetarian.

Recently, I was frustrated with the fact that I was eating so healthy (my daily intake is about 1200-1500 kcal and consists of 80% vegetables and fruits, the other 20% nuts, Greek yogurt, and beans) but not losing the 15 pounds I gained in the past year. I realized that it's because I'm not eating enough protein. I know I have to be consuming around 120g of protein every day but I don't know how I'll do it on a veg diet without eating too many calories.

Right now, for protein I eat: plain nonfat Greek yogurt, about 1/2 a cup of beans (black beans, chickpeas), and some tofu.

Any suggestions? I'd like to eat about 100-120g of protein/day.

Thanks for your help!

eggs
cheeses/ cottage cheese
whey protein powder
soy products

jjrichard83

http://www.theiflife.com/how-much-protein-per-day-build-muscle/

I posted that link a few times today already.... 0.34 - 0.8 grams per LEAN body weight is all thats needed. the rest is **** out. You don't need a whole lot. Whey isn't the best protein source either.

Try Genuine Health Vegan Proteins - pea, hemp, brown rice, cranberry, alfalfa proteins all mixed in one. A much more natural source too.

And your body can only absorb 20-30g of protein at a time, so no need to double scoop it.

LoseYouself

You're on the right track with beans, nuts, greek yogurt and tofu. I also am a vegetarian and I start every day with a Vega shake which has 15g of protein per scoop, plus a bunch of vitamins and nutrients that are harder to come by as a veg like B vitamins and iron.

I agree with the above poster - incorporate lentils. Lentils are an awesome source of protein.

I also agree that at 5'2 and 128 pounds you shouldn't need 120g of protein per day.

Vega products are amazing!

bethany41h

I've been trying to cook tempeh into my foods... I make a lot of meatless chili and I just crumble it up and put into the chili or any other dishes I am making that it works with. It helps to add some extra protein to the diet. Are you a lacto ovo veg? You could do some eggs. I eat oatmeal for breakfast and sometimes mix protein powder into my oatmeal or just down a glass of protein. Maybe some edamame? or quinoa?

_noob_

http://www.theiflife.com/how-much-protein-per-day-build-muscle/

I posted that link a few times today already.... 0.34 - 0.8 grams per LEAN body weight is all thats needed. the rest is **** out. You don't need a whole lot. Whey isn't the best protein source either.

Try Genuine Health Vegan Proteins - pea, hemp, brown rice, cranberry, alfalfa proteins all mixed in one. A much more natural source too.

And your body can only absorb 20-30g of protein at a time, so no need to double scoop it.

I believe the correct study to ascertain how much protein is "needed" would be what is required/optimum to build/maintain lean body mass in a caloric deficit. Studies across the board demonstrate relatively less protein per lb/ lean mass is needed to build muscle in a calorie surplus.

MoreBean13

You could use a whey protein powder if your protein was that important to you. That may be the best way to get protein without carbs or fats so that you could just go about eating your normal foods after the powder.

Most whey powders have <2g fat, <5g carbs and 20-25g protein per scoop/serving.

Yep.
Also Eggs, Milk, Lentils, Greek yogurt, Meat Substitutes, Beans, Mozzarella String Cheese (other cheeses too, but the mozz is 8g protein per 60 cals), cottage cheese are all big contributors in my diet. I'm vegetarian and get between 120-140 g protein a day.

Sarauk2sf

Protein does not help you lose weight - a calorie deficit does that. Getting enough protein, combined with a good strength training program maintains LBM, so that your weight loss = fat loss.

I am a vegetarian and get in excess of 120g of proteim a day. My 'staples' are:

Greek yogurt
Milk
Whey
"Fake' meat such as seitan, soy and quorn
Edamame

With some extra from things like:
nutritional yeast
veggies (mushrooms are surprisingly high)
other dairy (including ice-cream)
eggs
nuts (but these are really a fat source)

jjrichard83

http://www.theiflife.com/how-much-protein-per-day-build-muscle/

I posted that link a few times today already.... 0.34 - 0.8 grams per LEAN body weight is all thats needed. the rest is **** out. You don't need a whole lot. Whey isn't the best protein source either.

Try Genuine Health Vegan Proteins - pea, hemp, brown rice, cranberry, alfalfa proteins all mixed in one. A much more natural source too.

And your body can only absorb 20-30g of protein at a time, so no need to double scoop it.

I believe the correct study to ascertain how much protein is "needed" would be what is required/optimum to build/maintain lean body mass in a caloric deficit. Studies across the board demonstrate relatively less protein per lb/ lean mass is needed to build muscle in a calorie surplus.

Even high performance athletes need only .8 grams so I don't think it would be far off in those numbers. You do bring up a good point about the calorie deficit that I didn't think about, so maybe closer to the athlete range...

GoTeamMeaghan

Lack of protein won't keep you from losing weight. The only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. That being said, I've been vegetarian for over 2 years and easilly get 120-160 g of protein a day-feel free to check out my diary for ideas.

skinnybitcheslovecats

Stay away from whey protein it's bad news and terrible for your sinuses.

Here's some great sources!
Kale
Chia seeds
Hemp anything
Chickpeas/hummus
LightLife oil free meat substitues (19g of protein per serving)
Tofu (obviously)
Flax
Almond milk
Nature's Good brand Raw Meal
Spinach
Broccoli
Tempeh
Bean sprouts
Avacados

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This content has been removed.

skinnybitcheslovecats

Hemp protein has far more protein per serving (11g per 3 TABLESPOONS) and absolutely NO saturated fat or cholesterol! Think about that! And it's only $11.97 for a huge tub!

daffodilsoup

Tofu and legumes are good sources of vegetarian protein. There are lots of options for meatless protein though! Here's my list:

The "Bulk" of Proteins:
- Lentils
- Tempeh
- Seitan
- Protein Powder
- Veggie burgers/soy crumbles
- Tofu
- Textured Vegetable Protein
- Primal Strips Seitan Jerky (74 calories and 10g protein in the Thai Peanut flavor, which is clearly the best flavor)
- Clif Builder Bars

Supplementing With:
- Peanut butter
- Mushrooms
- Edamame
- Oats

Sarauk2sf

Hemp protein has far more protein per serving (11g per 3 TABLESPOONS) and absolutely NO saturated fat or cholesterol! Think about that! And it's only $11.97 for a huge tub!

How many calories for that 11g of protein?

My whey isolate has 0.5g saturate fat, only 1g of fat, 30g cholesterol and 24g of protein per scoop (120 calories). The bio-availability of whey is excellent.

Random search of Hemp protein shows it has 7g protein for 50 calories with 1g fat.

I know which one makes more sense to me,

Sarauk2sf

http://www.theiflife.com/how-much-protein-per-day-build-muscle/

I posted that link a few times today already.... 0.34 - 0.8 grams per LEAN body weight is all thats needed. the rest is **** out. You don't need a whole lot. Whey isn't the best protein source either.

Try Genuine Health Vegan Proteins - pea, hemp, brown rice, cranberry, alfalfa proteins all mixed in one. A much more natural source too.

And your body can only absorb 20-30g of protein at a time, so no need to double scoop it.

I believe the correct study to ascertain how much protein is "needed" would be what is required/optimum to build/maintain lean body mass in a caloric deficit. Studies across the board demonstrate relatively less protein per lb/ lean mass is needed to build muscle in a calorie surplus.

Even high performance athletes need only .8 grams so I don't think it would be far off in those numbers. You do bring up a good point about the calorie deficit that I didn't think about, so maybe closer to the athlete range...

Here are some studies that would indicate otherwise:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/823505-research-on-protien-intake

MoreBean13

Hemp protein has far more protein per serving (11g per 3 TABLESPOONS) and absolutely NO saturated fat or cholesterol! Think about that! And it's only $11.97 for a huge tub!

How many calories for that 11g of protein?

My whey isolate has 0.5g saturate fat, only 1g of fat, 30g cholesterol and 24g of protein per scoop (120 calories). The bio-availability of whey is excellent.

Random search of Hemp protein shows it has 7g protein for 50 calories with 1g fat.

I know which one makes more sense to me,

Whey isolates are about the highest purity protein available and much more bioavailable than Hemp. Which means, even if your hemp came close to the same purity as the whey, even if it had the exact same amount of protein per weight as the whey, you're actually getting less protein from the hemp than the whey.

skinnybitcheslovecats

80 calories
4g polyunsaturated fat
omg cholesterol
0mg sodium
240mg potassium
12g fiber
11g protein

35% dv of magnesium
15% dv of zinc
25% dv of iron

ALL FOR 3 TABLESPOONS!

PikaKnight

Stay away from whey protein it's bad news and terrible for your sinuses.

I've used whey protein daily for years....and my sinuses are just fine. It's a constant protein addition to my diet.

I also get protein with cheese, greek yogurt, nuts, veggie burgers, beans, etc. Right now I am doing low carb...so the majority of my diet comes from protein.

I just started with Optimum Nutrition the past about month and haven't had any effects. loving it because it is helping me meet my protein #s (which is one of my main health focuses seeing that I ended up protein deficient )

PikaKnight

Whey isolates are about the highest purity protein available and much more bioavailable than Hemp. Which means, even if your hemp came close to the same purity as the whey, even if it had the exact same amount of protein per weight as the whey, you're actually getting less protein from the hemp than the whey.

When I was researching which protein supplement to start on (soy, whey or hemp)...I was looking at a few studies that said (through their research) what you basically said, MoreBean. So very much agree that whey isolate protein supplements are nothing to shy away from.

skinnybitcheslovecats

I get the Nutiva Organic Hemp Protein

Another good source is Raw Meal by Garden of Life.
2 level scoops; 270 calories, 34g protein, 360mg potassium, 9g fiber.
100% + your daily value of vitamins A, D, K, B6, B12, C, and E
100% + your daily value of zinc, chromium, riboflavin, calcium, panthothenic acid, iron, niacin, thiamin, folic acid, biotin, and manganese.
Also entirely raw and organic!
And is considered a meal replacer (it's great for after gym workouts or early mornings when there's no time for breakfast).

skinnybitcheslovecats

http://www.gardenoflife.com/Products-for-Life/Foundational-Nutrition/RAW-Meal.aspx

jjrichard83

Stay away from whey protein it's bad news and terrible for your sinuses.

I've used whey protein daily for years....and my sinuses are just fine. It's a constant protein addition to my diet.

I also get protein with cheese, greek yogurt, nuts, veggie burgers, beans, etc. Right now I am doing low carb...so the majority of my diet comes from protein.

Doesn't mean you wouldn't feel better on another type. I never knew how good you could feel, and thought the other feeling was normal, but once I cleaned the diet from processed, meats, and dairy, I felt so much better.

Just b/c you did it for years, doesn't mean it's the healthiest for you. I personally think it's not good for you, but thats my opinion. If it works for you, great! if you listend to everyones advice, we'd all live in bubbles and not be able to eat anything!

skinnybitcheslovecats

Lactose intolerance and a sliding hernia affect me much differently than most, so I tend to stick to easier to digest things that aren't thick.

skinnybitcheslovecats

Thank you, someone with some health sense finally.

MoreBean13

Lactose intolerance and a sliding hernia affect me much differently than most, so I tend to stick to easier to digest things that aren't thick.

I'm not trying to argue with you, it's good that you have a protein that you like and I have no problem with you sticking with it- I just want to make a point for others that may be reading. Whey ISOLATE is actually virtually lactose free. Lactose intolerance is different than a milk allergy- allergies are usually reactions to the proteins, so it's not safe if you have a milk allergy but whey isolates are ok for people with lactose sensitivity.