best vegetarian protein sources?

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nehptune
nehptune Posts: 138
in Food and Nutrition
ok, so i need to up my protein intake. i had a carb-heavy dinner last night and did not make me feel good. at all.

i don't eat meat or fish and soy protein powder gives me gas so i need a better solution... any ideas? i already eat a lot of beans and pulses, tofu occasionally, greek yogurt or milk every day, cheese sometimes. not explored seitan or tempeh much yet...

no need to suggest eating meat, i've been vegetarian for over 20 years and don't plan on changing my diet that drastically. i don't have a lot of weight to lose, i just need to more support strength and HIIT training than i have done in the past (used to be more of an edurance afficionado).

Replies

  • Cbandelier
    Cbandelier Posts: 217 Member
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    Eggs would be good.
  • TriPixie
    TriPixie Posts: 28
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    You may look into eating more couscous - per serving you get 8g protein. :) Happy Veggie Eating!!
  • Simonscat
    Simonscat Posts: 249
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    When I was a veggie eater. I ate Quorn! It's processed but it's awesome!
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    The only other thing I could think of would be eggs, but I'm not sure how you feel about those. I know some vegetarians eat them and some don't. They're a good source. Otherwise, you've about hit all the bases I would think of. Maybe what you could do is try to avoid things like breads and pasta for a while, which would kind of force you to go with more veggies and beans and such.

    Have you ever tried lentil loaf? That might be a good, out-of-the-ordinary main dish for you. Here's a link to one that includes eggs:
    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lentil-Loaf/Detail.aspx

    If you don't do eggs, I know there are vegan recipes available for the same dish.
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
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    Artichokes have protein

    Beans

    Dairy

    I'm a veg and I never had issues with meeting protein goals (no soy either) but it's my calcium that I have problems with.
  • naturalval
    naturalval Posts: 7
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    Have you tried rice or hemp based protein powders? Make your protein shake with rice milk or almond milk too. Try eating more tofu..or Tofu or soy based products...like meatless meatballs...or meatless burgers.
    My daughter is vegetarian and I was for 6 1/2yrs. That is what I did to get enough protein. The greek yogurt is a great idea, but be careful about too much cheese if you're worried about fat intake (I don't know if you are).

    Hope that helps a little. : )
  • carl1738
    carl1738 Posts: 444 Member
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    Nuts like almonds, peanuts and pistachios have a good blend of protein, fiber and healthy fats. Get them unsalted if you're watching your sodium intake.
  • Healthyby30
    Healthyby30 Posts: 1,349 Member
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    Have you tried Quinoa? Its yummy! You can use it anywhere you can use rice. Its loaded with fiber and protein. I think one serving has about 5 g of fiber and 8g of protein. It also has lots of iron and B2.
  • llbonn
    llbonn Posts: 12 Member
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    Below are some of my favorites for adding protein. I hope this helps!

    Fat free cottage cheese:
    Calories 81
    Carbs 7.6g
    Dietary Fiber 0g
    Protein 11.7g


    Smart dog soy hot dogs.
    Calories 45
    Carbs 2g
    Dietary Fiber 1g
    Protein 8g


    Textured Vegetable Protein added to soups, broths chilies etc. per 1/4 cup (reconstituted is over a 1/2 cup)
    Calories 80
    Carbs 7g
    Dietary Fiber 4g
    Protein 12g
  • myukniewicz
    myukniewicz Posts: 906 Member
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    Quinoa.
    Its the only grain that is a complete protein (like meat), which means it has the all the recommended amino acids for body development.

    http://caloriecount.about.com/quinoa-mother-all-grains-b472562?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_20110121&utm_term=continue1

    here is a short article about Quinoa :)
    ENJOY!
  • nehptune
    nehptune Posts: 138
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    what a great response!

    i'll definitely explore quinoa, couscous and getting more nuts into my diet. i'm having the problem only because i have decided to try for a 40/30/30 C/F/P ratio, which means that i suddenly need to incorporate quite a bit more protein into my diet.

    eggs are good too. i eat them a couple of times a week but try not to go overboard because of fat and cholsterol... and i don't really like using only one portion of the egg and chucking the other so i usually eat whole eggs. egg whites in a carton just don't look good to me, so i stick to organic whole eggs.
  • bluemartini6
    bluemartini6 Posts: 81
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    Hi do you eat fake meat? Gardein has a fake chicken scalpopini (sp?). I also like quron brand items. Although watch sodium intake. Hardboiled eggs (just eat the white) seem to have a lot and can easily be added as a snack

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