Any vegans/vegetarians out there who want to share how much protein they eat/where they get it?
Hausisse1
Posts: 165 Member
Hi! I was advised a little while ago by my physician to eat meat as a source of protein (something about the hormonal imbalance I have, I don't quite understand it), but once my hormones even out I'd like to try to eat a (mostly) vegan/vegetarian diet. Sooo what ratio of carbs/fat/protein do any vegans or vegetarians out there eat, and where do you get your protein from? I can't eat dairy or soy, so those are not options for me.
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Something I've always had trouble with is figuring out exactly *how much* protein I need... there are different schools of thought about that everywhere...0
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On a plant-based diet I get protein from lentils, chic peas, black beans, green peas, almonds, walnuts (good for Omega 3), hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, brussel sprouts, broccoli, kale.
If you can eat eggs, they are a good source of protein.0 -
On a plant-based diet I get protein from lentils, chic peas, black beans, green peas, almonds, walnuts (good for Omega 3), hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, brussel sprouts, broccoli, kale.
If you can eat eggs, they are a good source of protein.
thank you! I do eat eggs currently, but would really like to switch to a more plant-based diet eventually.
What percentage of protein do you usually eat per day, if I may ask? 0 -
I really struggle to eat enough protein. Most of my calories seem to come from carbs.
I've consulted a trainer at my gym and they want me to eat 100g of protein a day. I usually get about 60g so I am supplementing with vegan protein powder and making shakes and protein balls.
Most of my protein comes from soy and legumes. For lunch today I roasted a tin of chickpeas and at the whole lot for 18g protein.
Beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts, seeds are good soy free protein sources. You'll get small amounts from other vegetable too so make sure you track everything. If you still struggle like I do it might be worth looking at protein powder (most vegan powders are made from pea protein so are soy free).
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kyrannosaurus wrote: »I really struggle to eat enough protein. Most of my calories seem to come from carbs.
I've consulted a trainer at my gym and they want me to eat 100g of protein a day. I usually get about 60g so I am supplementing with vegan protein powder and making shakes and protein balls.
Most of my protein comes from soy and legumes. For lunch today I roasted a tin of chickpeas and at the whole lot for 18g protein.
Beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts, seeds are good soy free protein sources. You'll get small amounts from other vegetable too so make sure you track everything. If you still struggle like I do it might be worth looking at protein powder (most vegan powders are made from pea protein so are soy free).
Yeah, I eat tons of nuts, seeds and legumes!! they're super healthy but I usually use them as sources of good carbs or fats. I'll look into vegan protein powder more, thank you 0 -
I usually get around 10-15 percent protein (usually close to 12), but that's still around 40-50grams for me (so I meet my daily requirement the CDC says I need).
Honestly I don't know where I get it. I don't plan for it or anything. It just happens. A good percentage of mine is from breads, actually (a super underrated protein source). I almost never eat raw nuts, and usually the only beans I eat are Refried and in a burrito. But there are small amounts of protein in everything and they really do add up0 -
I have no trouble reaching or exceeding my MFP protein goal on a vegan diet--One of my favorite, simple dishes--a can of butter beans mixed with 2 cups of frozen, chopped spinach and 2-3 Tablespoons of Red Star nutritional yeast with a little salt and pepper is a protein bomb, in addition to being super high in other nutrients, and it is totally soy- and dairy-free. I also like cooking canned refried beans with canned green chiles, chopped bell peppers, a chopped zucchini, salt and pepper, and that's full of protein, as well. Google high protein vegan foods for more ideas. There is protein in most foods, even leafy greens, so try noticing what foods score you the most protein as you are logging and you should be fine.0
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See if your physician will refer you to a registered dietician to talk with about this. But do read up on vegan or vegetarian nutrition in the meantime. The Vegetarian Resource Group is a reliable source of info you can find online.
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Vegan here for the last 8 months. I aim for C:80 F:10 P:10 but find I'm regularly over with the fat (need to limit my nut intake!)0
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Seitan is a great source of protein, and even better when you make it yourself. I make amazing sausages, 'ribs', not-meatballs, burgers... even shredded 'chicken'. If I use beans in the mix too, I get even more protein. :-)0
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See if your physician will refer you to a registered dietician to talk with about this. But do read up on vegan or vegetarian nutrition in the meantime. The Vegetarian Resource Group is a reliable source of info you can find online.
I think I will talk to an RD if I can, yeah. I'm just not sure how much protein a person really NEEDS. You know? Like 10% protein per day seems like too little to me, and I know that meat is a good source of it, but I'm also not convinced that people need as much protein as they think they need. That's really what's stumping me, haha.0 -
Seitan is a great source of protein, and even better when you make it yourself. I make amazing sausages, 'ribs', not-meatballs, burgers... even shredded 'chicken'. If I use beans in the mix too, I get even more protein. :-)
I LOVE seitan, but I've been told to stay away from gluten... only because a lot of women with hormonal imbalances (apparently) tend to be gluten intolerant, though, so I might try to geeeeeently reintroduce it into my diet.0 -
Seitan is a great source of protein, and even better when you make it yourself. I make amazing sausages, 'ribs', not-meatballs, burgers... even shredded 'chicken'. If I use beans in the mix too, I get even more protein. :-)
Do they sell seitan products that don't have trace soy? I like Sweet Earth, for example, but if I'm remembering correctly the ingredients often say soy sauce0 -
I think I will talk to an RD if I can, yeah. I'm just not sure how much protein a person really NEEDS. You know? Like 10% protein per day seems like too little to me, and I know that meat is a good source of it, but I'm also not convinced that people need as much protein as they think they need. That's really what's stumping me, haha.
I think I read somewhere (in a nutrition class) that the minimum is 1g/kg of body weight. For exemple, if you weigh 60kgs, you need at least 60g of protein. You don't need as much as people seem to tell on these forums.
If you exercise a lot, you can eat more protein.
You can read about proteins here: forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=156380183
I'm vegetarian, I'm trying to eat around 70g of protein daily, mostly from eggs, cheese, yogurts, oats, beans, lentils.0 -
For me personally, just eating nuts and grains (including, weirdly, eating a fair bit of popcorn) make me always meet and exceed my recommended protein intake - nuts and seeds, especially squash and pumpkin seeds, are especially handy since they also come with lots of healthy fats and iron.
If I wanted to specifically boost it, I would look into eating more hemp and flaxseed, or even investing in hemp-based nutritional powder, while getting more of my caloric load from mushrooms, beans, quinoa, barley, and rice-and-lentils. I like tempeh and seitan and tofu just fine, but for me that's always been going-out food, rather than stuff I'd make myself as part of a daily diet.
While there are of course exceptions and everyone's bodies are different, there is no reason you can't get even bodybuilder-levels of protein from purely vegan (and especially vegetarian) sources. Any nutritionist who is suggesting that you can't is...well at the very least I would get a second opinion.0 -
I eat between 70 - 85 gms of protein a day. I eat seitan, quinoa, beans, nuts, dark green veg, eggs greek yogurt and cheese. I also currently supplement with Isopure Whey protein isolate. Previously I supplemented with Biochem Vegan protein powder. What I've read is for women 50 -60 gms is good, but if you work out you want to aim higher. My doctor recommends between 60 - 70. Personally I have found I lose better at the 70 plus level.
I try not to stress over carbs snce most of mine are coming from beans and plants. I rarely eat breads, crackers, pastas, etc...0 -
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Tofu. But make sure you cook it properly. Badly cooked tofu is dire, well cooked tofu is a pleasure.0
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Sarahlascelles wrote: »Tofu. But make sure you cook it properly. Badly cooked tofu is dire, well cooked tofu is a pleasure.
I cannot have soy
But thank you anyway 0 -
You might like to check out http://www.nomeatathlete.com/5-warning-signs/
10% is much too low, especially if you exercise regularly. There are great vegetarian protein sources out there to help you correct it. Try whey isolate (great if you are lactose intolerant as all the nasties removed, but research your brand carefully as some have some nasty additives, I use dymatize), nut butters, eggs, pulses, soy or almond milk (really easy to make your own so no nasty additives), nuts, chia, quinoa or leafy green vegetables such as spinach or broccoli
Good luck on a vegetarian diet, I was always averse to meat but forced to eat it as a small child but gave it up at 13 and am fit, healthy and athletic and my parents have now embraced a mainly vegetarian diet for health reasons0 -
You might like to check out http://www.nomeatathlete.com/5-warning-signs/
10% is much too low, especially if you exercise regularly. There are great vegetarian protein sources out there to help you correct it. Try whey isolate (great if you are lactose intolerant as all the nasties removed, but research your brand carefully as some have some nasty additives, I use dymatize), nut butters, eggs, pulses, soy or almond milk (really easy to make your own so no nasty additives), nuts, chia, quinoa or leafy green vegetables such as spinach or broccoli
Good luck on a vegetarian diet, I was always averse to meat but forced to eat it as a small child but gave it up at 13 and am fit, healthy and athletic and my parents have now embraced a mainly vegetarian diet for health reasons
I can't eat soy products or dairy products, and unfortunately, that includes whey! But I can (and do) eat eggs, and I'll check out the website you referred me to!! Thank you so much!0 -
Thank you all for your help! I hated the notion of feeling like I was going to have to rely on animal protein forever -_-0
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So it's around 2-3g per kg of body weight and I currently get around 100g a day. Hummus is great...chickpeas and kidney beans...nut butters...tofu and the best product tempeh. In 100g it has around 19g of protein but also I supplement and the best so far is from pulsin soya protein powder which for 30g has 27g of protein! It's flavorless do you can add it to anything from food to drink....0
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Some great ideas shared here... always looking for interesting sources to add more protein in my diet besides always meats. I too have to stay away from soy. Thanks all I'll bookmark this thread and check back. 0
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Seitan is a great source of protein, and even better when you make it yourself. I make amazing sausages, 'ribs', not-meatballs, burgers... even shredded 'chicken'. If I use beans in the mix too, I get even more protein. :-)
Do they sell seitan products that don't have trace soy? I like Sweet Earth, for example, but if I'm remembering correctly the ingredients often say soy sauce
It's actually easy to make your own. Mix vital wheat gluten with water/broth and your seasonings of choice, knead it until it is very springy, then wrap it in tin foil and throw it in the oven. None of this "gently simmer, but don't let it boil or you'll ruin it" nonsense.
I made a batch yesterday and a 370 calorie serving has 45g of protein. The calories could have been slightly lower but I put olive oil in mine.
I believe there is a test to determine gluten intolerance; I'd recommend taking it before you cut out gluten because gluten-free and soy-free vegan is going to be very challenging if you want to get more than the bare minimum of protein. There are many other sources, of course, but they are proportionally lower in protein so it can be hard to get enough protein without going over on calories, depending on your goals.
When I pre-log, I tend to get about 100-120g of protein a day, but that includes a lot of soy. When I don't pre-log or plan out my day, 70-80 is more common. I had a 30% protein level recommended to me, but I just can't seem to make that happen without using tons of supplements or eating only "protein foods" because I need to use my entire day's calorie allotment just to get the protein gms.0 -
I dont eat that much protien, but I shoot for 50g and above each day, which is what the WHO recommends for a lady of my size. (Im small ya'll). I get protien from beans,lentils, boca burgers, rice protien powder, etc0
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Quinoa is a complete protein. Also edamame has 9 g protein.0
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I was told I didn't eat enough protein so now I eat plenty of beans. I made a 3 bean chili yesterday which was devine and I also eat lentils and Quinoa.0
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