Any tips on upping protein without fat? (Vegetarian!)

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Replies

  • erikfarrar
    erikfarrar Posts: 35 Member
    The high protein thing is a total myth. It's going to get converted into glucose anyways.

    This is overwhelmingly false. Proteins (amino acids from proteins, really) *can* be converted to glucose, but this is usually done only during starvation or conditions of acute glucose deprivation (look up "gluconeogenesis"). It's a much more inefficient process than converting carbohydrates to glucose; your body is going to instead reuse amino acids you ingest from protein sources, in turn, to create more proteins (i.e. muscle fibers, enzymes, structural molecules, etc.).

    Please study your biochemistry before making such grandiose comments.
  • KickassRN
    KickassRN Posts: 1
    TVP - Textured vegetable protein!
  • notelling123
    notelling123 Posts: 14 Member
    The high protein thing is a total myth. It's going to get converted into glucose anyways.
    But if you are that worried about protein, all your veggies have a surprisingly high amount of protein in them.

    :huh:

    I'm interested in the evidence that excess protein gets converted into glucose? Not being smart - just wondering if you have evidence?

    It's called gluconeogenisis.
  • sakuya3834
    sakuya3834 Posts: 116 Member
    If meat substitutes don't freak you out, I like the gardein brand stuff. The have all sorts of mock meats (chicken, turkey, beef, fish) that usually have high protein and some carbs but lower fat. I think they taste pretty good, but a few of the vegans I know think they taste too "realistic", if that makes any sense to you.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    Cottage cheese is also a good source of protein. You can get a low-fat or fat free version. I love it on salads:) I also like mlo vegan protein powder and Spirutein. Quest bars and Pure Protein chocolate bars aren't bad, either.
  • Cryptonomnomicon
    Cryptonomnomicon Posts: 848 Member
    The high protein thing is a total myth. It's going to get converted into glucose anyways.

    Source?
    Indeed!
    As a vegan I find "The high protein thing is a total myth" premise to be annoying as it has been said around me in RL and on social networks time and time again! I ask people to back up their claims with science and they will direct me to a blog or YouTube video that more often than not will have anecdotal evidence with little to no scientific basis...and then go onto describe how our needs for "protein" is a conspiracy cooked up by the meat industry to make us consume animal products...even tho there are plenty of vegan/vegetarian options for protein sources and anyone who has the inclination to study basic biology or nutrition will see that protein plays an invaluable role in the human body and the RDA for protein is more often than not understated.

    ETA: Awaits vegans and vegetarians to call me Judas.
  • RhineDHP
    RhineDHP Posts: 1,025 Member
    Try adding chia seeds.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    About the fish...some people eat it occasionally because it is wild caught, so it lived a full and wild life before being caught for food. Not farmed. And fish have very small brains.
  • tanzmitpalmer
    tanzmitpalmer Posts: 124 Member
    Quinoa! It's superb.
    Love your soy.
    And embrace the power of Quorn.
  • SuMcP
    SuMcP Posts: 244 Member
    I use whey protein. Skimmed milk cheese is ok as is Quorn.:flowerforyou:
  • SuMcP
    SuMcP Posts: 244 Member
    And why do people want vegetarians to eat fish?
    Being a vegetarian is a life choice, not something I want to switch on and off.

    Just saying...:ohwell:

    Some people don't consider fish meat because it isn't warm blooded. I personally think this is silly though, because I mean, what is it then? A vegetable?

    Indeed the fish thing is weird "nothing with a face" is my rule :wink:
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    And why do people want vegetarians to eat fish?
    Being a vegetarian is a life choice, not something I want to switch on and off.

    Just saying...:ohwell:

    Some people don't consider fish meat because it isn't warm blooded. I personally think this is silly though, because I mean, what is it then? A vegetable?

    Indeed the fish thing is weird "nothing with a face" is my rule :wink:

    People eating fish in a mainly vegetarian diet are pescatarians I believe but the term is not used that much. I regularly hear people talk about being vegetarian and eating fish

    Its either because they don't think the people who they are talking too will understand pescatarian or they dont understand it themselves.
  • live2dream
    live2dream Posts: 614 Member
    http://michaelbluejay.com/veg/protein-strength.html

    "Vegan diets have plenty of protein for muscle-building

    Plant foods supply plenty of protein even for athletes and those trying to build muscle, according to numerous studies in peer-reviewed journals. The amount of protein recommended even for athletes by official nutrition and sports bodies is easily supplied by vegetables. Anyone who says otherwise simply hasn't bothered to look up what the science actually says.

    It's true that meat has more protein than vegetables, but more isn't better, it's useless. The excess you eat beyond what you need is simply wasted. If you're shopping for a car, and one goes 200 mph and the other goes 400 mph, the faster car isn't better, because you're not allowed to drive even 200 mph anyway. Two hundred mph is more than you need for a car, and plant foods supply more protein than you need from food. As one science journal said, "...protein beyond that necessary to maintain nitrogen balance does not provide additional benefits for athletes."10

    Simple math makes this clear. We simply figure the amount of muscle you can build, how much protein is in that new muscle, and then how much extra protein you'd have to eat to account for that new muscle. When we do that, we see that, not surprisingly, the amount of extra protein you'd need to build the muscle is right in line with what the authorities recommend. (Click to see an example of the math.)
    The US RDA for protein suggests 63 grams of protein a day for a 175-lb. man. If that man wanted to build 1.5 lbs. of dry muscle a month (which would be optimistic!), that would be another 23 grams a day, for a total of 86 grams, or 366 calories from protein, which is not much. It's only 12.2% of a 3000-calorie/day diet. Not surprisingly, the 12% figure is close to what the experts recommend. And when we look at food, we see that vegetables average nearly twice that (22%)."

    15% protein is plenty!
  • KombuchaCat
    KombuchaCat Posts: 834 Member
    I'm not clear on why you are afraid to add fat when there are lots of good fats, that are actually beneficial, such as nuts and nut butters.

    I agree. I would focus more on reducing the sugar then worrying about the fats (save trans fats and polyunsaturated vegetable oils like safflower and canola which are now being shown to have some health detriments as they are typically heavily processed and unnatural to the human diet). Tofu, tempeh, raw dairy, eggs WITH the yolks that's were all the good nutrients are, nuts, seeds, cottage cheese, hemp protein powder.
  • hoppa321
    hoppa321 Posts: 448 Member
    I recommend quinoa if you want vegetarian high protein...I love this salad:

    http://www.cookingquinoa.net/spinach-quinoa-tabbouleh/
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    check out the morning star brand, they have some soy based "sausages" that are really good and their black bean burgers too
    egg whites
    low fat cheese/other dairy
    beans
    granola/granola bars with added protein (nature valley is doing this now)
    bagels actually have a fair bit for a bread item
  • ginakiki
    ginakiki Posts: 226 Member
    I use Vegan One Protein Shake its so good i get the vanilla chi one
  • katematt313
    katematt313 Posts: 624 Member
    Black beans, pink beans, refried beans, etc. I mix cooked black beans with sauteed onions and peppers and sofrito, and some taco seasoning, then puree for homemade refried beans.
  • lavendy17
    lavendy17 Posts: 309 Member


    I'd also just consider eating a little fish now and again while you're losing weight. That's what I did and it sped things along so well. Just food for thought.

    What plant do fish come from? Lol

    Ha ha!
    People suggest fish to my vegetarian husband too and we also make this comment.
    However, some vegetarians actually do eat fish. They have their reasons, I guess.
  • erikfarrar
    erikfarrar Posts: 35 Member
    Also, for anyone looking to replace some favorite staples with protein-boosted versions:

    Protein Pow - High protein cakes, cookies, bars, and more
    http://proteinpow.com/

    7 Foolproof Protein Sweets (Bodybuilding.com article)
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/7-foolproof-protein-sweets.html?mcid=facenutrition02062914

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