Vegetarians/Vegans: Your best source of low-fat protein?

Its_All_Gongfu

I'm finding it pretty difficult to get my daily intake up to where I want it with the fat going through the roof...... I do soy drinks, tofu, beans/rice, etc...some almonds.

Love to hear from those of you who actually use the foods you recommend......

Lowell

KarenJanine

tofu
seitan
soy 'meat' products
Edamame
whole grain bread


And as I eat dairy:
cottage cheese
Greek yoghurt
eggs / egg whites
low fat hard cheese

deadstarsunburn

I eat cottage cheese. Not sure on the fat but it's only 110 calories with 12g of protein.
If you like eggs you could eat them not sure on how much protein is in those though I don't like eggs.
I just bought some garbanzo bean flour and made a veggie pancake type thing with it and it's 220 calories with 12g of protein.
Black beans are always good. I also drink a chocolate protein shake made by Genisoy, it's soy protein.

tx_angel77

I have the same problem. I am not technically vegetarian by choice but for personal health reasons. I can't eat much meat without getting sick so I eat a lot more fish than I used to but I can only eat so much. I love eggs, but they are high in fat. Peanut butter is usually hard to find in my area without tons of sugar. I don't do tofu or soy products except in moderation.

My question I guess would be about beans. They can be high in carbs right? I hear so many different takes on high carb low carb, high fat low fat. Any thoughts???? I'm coming in way low on the proteins and too high on carbs. Help!!!

Thanks

daffodilsoup

- Seitan

- Plant-based protein powder mixed into oats.

wurstera

Seitan is pretty tasty when mixed with some spicy sauce as hot wings!

I was a vegetarian for a while and a vegan for 6 months (just to see if I could do it). I bought some hemp protein powder which was decent mixed with bananas and peanut butter in the blender.....

m4ttcheek

Protein powders.

Or just eat meat.

tx_angel77

I have nothing against meat....it just doesn't like me! lol

Where do I find Seitan? Is this a health food store item or readily available at local super stores?

Thanks

EmoJew

I use egg whites. Lots of them
Tons of Quorn
Any meat sub made of soya I can find
Quinoa
Nuts
Nut butter
Milk
Protein powder


I make pancakes.
5egg white, 2 whole egg
1/2 tub quark (125g)
50g ground oats.

Divided by three, macros are below
Fat 5g
Carbs 13.7
Protein 16.6

I hit 130-150g protein a day, 50-60g fat eating 1500-1800 cals, on a veggie diet.

You have to be creative (or very boring)

Its_All_Gongfu

:drinker:

Haikugurl

I often eat, peanut butter (higher in fat, but a healthy fat), almonds/walnuts, Ezekiel bread (whole grain), whole grain pasta, black and pinto beans (lots of burritos), tofu, tempeh, and sometimes the pre-packaged stuff (veggie burgers, veggie meatballs, veggie sausage). I usually have no problem meeting my protein needs.

Dustybugger

Non-fat plain greek yogurt, but it's gotta be Fage brand because the other ones taste like sour cream. 18g of protein for 100 calories, 0 fat, and like 7-8 carbs. I eat it plain now, took some getting used to but because it's not like YUM, I eat it slow. I was eating it with a 1/2 cup of a frozen blackberry/blueberry/raspberry mix (thawed of course) and that adds a nice amount of fiber while staying low on the glycemic index. Super filling and doesn't send you into a carb slumber.

Lyby

Make sure when you are eating beans as a vegetarian that you are pairing them with whole grain rice (brown included) in order to build the complex protein chains necessary for your body to use it. Look at cultures where vegetarianism is the norm and you'll see that they generally pair the two. Many stores now carry gram flour (chick pea flour) that can be used in recipes instead of wheat flour (look for modified recipes online because it's popular with gluten-free diet). We often use a mixture of gram and rice flours.

Be prepared for flatulence! Many times soy protein can be more of an offender than whey protein, but it came as a shock to my daughter when she cut meat from her diet that she could easily (an inadvertently) "crop-dust" a classroom that would linger for hours.
It was especially embarrassing for her at the gym when she would bend over during workouts and surprise herself.
It's not just the broccoli that does it! We have found the Beano mint meltaways to be very helpful in this regard.

She is intolerant of tofu (allergies) and utilizes eggs to get much of her protein --- while they may be higher in fat than some other options, they are high in nutritional value also (be skeptical of the eggs=bad cholesterol argument). I have learned to throw a couple of eggs into a non-stick muffin tin and bake them at 350 for 15-20 minutes --- no oil, no extra fat but very tasty with a nice crisp. She then stacks on veggies and seasoning and makes a nice entrée. Eggs pair well with spinach and tomatoes.

I recommend that all new vegetarians purchase a protein "shot" to keep handy on those evenings when you realize that you haven't had enough protein and your body is rebelling --- my daughter got terrible muscle craps after a few days of not paying attention to her protein intake and the little 2oz liquid drink before bed had her in tip top shape in the morning. I wouldn't recommend it on a regular basis, but as a backup when you've had a busy week and feel like crap physically. You really have to learn to listen to your own body and what it is trying to tell you (all mine every says is, "give me another cookie now").

I envy and applaud all who have the dedication and commitment to following through on a vegetarian (or mostly vegetarian) diet -- regardless of their motivation to do so. I wish I liked vegetables even a little bit --- there's no doubt I would get a good start on my weight-loss and health goals if I could stand veggies even just a little.

angmarie28

my main sources are
fake meats, sausage and chick'n patties
greek yogurt
pb2
chickpeas
but i have a hard time getting over 75g

saratf

Greek yogurt, soy milk, whole grains, eggs, beans, seitan (I use the post-punk kitchen recipe to make mine), and tofu are all great sources. I've recently started using a protein shake mixed with almond milk. It's surprisingly tasty and helps me meet my protein goals, which I've recently upped because I enjoy lifting heavy weights.

Also, don't worry about "pairing" the right foods in every meal. That's an outdated, incorrect theory.

redraidergirl2009

I recently had this problem and added a protein shake daily after my workouts as a snack. It's low fat/low carb soy isolate. You can get other protein shakes, not sure if you're vegan/veg but you can try different kinds. I just prefer soy because of allergies and it's a complete protein.

redraidergirl2009

Also, don't worry about "pairing" the right foods in every meal. That's an outdated, incorrect theory.

This. As long as you have lots of different foods all day you're fine. Soy is a complete protein though, but other proteins as long as eaten through out the day complete themselves.

luckyclover78

Has anyone mentioned lentils? Beans. asparagus, brocolli

CoronerKris

cottage cheese, greek yogurt(dannon light n fit), edamame, protein powder(jay robb)

DesireeLovesOrganic

Lentils, pea soup (a bowl has 18 grams), black eyed peas, black beans, pinto beans, any kind of bean. Brussel sprouts, kale, potatoes, zucchini, and mushrooms have a decent amount too. Nuts, peanut butter, pepitas, almond butter. Nutritional yeast has a couple grams in a very small amount and is easy to sprinkle on foods (and has b12.) Every day after my workout I make a "caca-pot" (ha) smoothie that is 4 tablespoons nutiva hemp, 2.5 tablespoons raw cacao, 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, 10 almonds, and 1 tablespoon of PB and it has 33 grams of protein. I am a soy-free vegan and I wouldn't touch "fake meat" to save my life but I still average a decent amount of protein every day. According to CDC it says women my age need about 46 grams a day (I get around 70 ish usually.) I read to times your weight by .36 which for me would be 46.8.

A super yummy kale salad that has 20 grams of protein (not low fat though because it has nuts but I don't care about low fat, healthy fat is good for you) http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2012/01/spicy-peanut-ginger-kale-salad.html

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

Egg whites and protein powder

Zylahe

Dont forget quark. 13 g protein for 72 calories.
I use it instead of cream cheese, make a cheese sauce , or mix it with nutella.
Also great in semolina with some amaretto......:brokenheart:

EmoJew

Dont forget quark. 13 g protein for 72 calories.
I use it instead of cream cheese, make a cheese sauce , or mix it with nutella.
Also great in semolina with some amaretto......:brokenheart:

Quark in semolina with some amaretto. OMG i have to try this!!

megaeragryphon

What is quark?

Never mind, it's cheese. Wouldn't let me delete my silly question so I decided to answer it myself. ;-)

Its_All_Gongfu

Dont forget quark. 13 g protein for 72 calories.
I use it instead of cream cheese, make a cheese sauce , or mix it with nutella.
Also great in semolina with some amaretto......:brokenheart:

Damm!!! That sounds good.....What is "quark", exactly?

jeannie0312

you can find Seitan at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Publix & Kroger. Or there are plenty of recipes on line.Just make some yourself.I like the book "vegan on the Cheap" & Post Punk Kitchen. They both have great recipes for making things from scratch.

LadyMustard

Best sources of low-fat protein in our house:

Weight Watcher's Lean Chicken Patties
(I don't do weight watchers, but they make the meat as lean as possible and portion it for you)

Egg Whites
Love these. It cuts out a lot of calories and fat. Its a preference thing too, since I've never really like the yolks. You can buy them in quarts at your local grocery.

GetBalance Crunch
One of those healthy fiber/protein cereals. The one we use is the generic variety of the expensive store brand. Have it with some low fat milk or almond milk to add a bit more protein. (almond milk will add a couple grams of fat, but it has less calories)

Zekela

Don't really care for low fat but protein for me: soy products, dairy products and protein bars...

Its_All_Gongfu

Best sources of low-fat protein in our house:

Weight Watcher's Lean Chicken Patties
(I don't do weight watchers, but they make the meat as lean as possible and portion it for you)

LOL!! :laugh:

Its_All_Gongfu

Protein powders.

Or just eat meat.

"Just eat meat"....How cute....Seems to always be a bitter 11-year old hiding in the crowd....:laugh:

Supern0va81

What are great thread - bump to reference again and again!