Vegetarians and Vegans: How do you reach your Daily Protein Needs

GlutenIsNotMyFriend
GlutenIsNotMyFriend Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I like real food! Don't like protein shakes, mock meats or anything processed. I am vegetarian and include an egg or two in my diet each day. My protein goal is 64 but I'm averaging 48. Since I'm an older woman, I know that protein will help me to lose weight. How are you getting your protein and do you have any suggestions for me? :) Thanks
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Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    cheese, nuts, beans, lentils, quinoa, and greek yogurt.

    I also supplement with a protein shake/bar which is "real food".
  • GlutenIsNotMyFriend
    GlutenIsNotMyFriend Posts: 4 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    cheese, nuts, beans, lentils, quinoa, and greek yogurt.

    I also supplement with a protein shake/bar which is "real food".

    Thanks, I do eat all of those but try to ease off on the cheeses. I include some of those proteins in my diet each day but still don't reach my required need without exceeding my calorie goal.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I get my protein from beans, grains, vegetables, tofu, seitan, and tempeh. I don't consider protein powder to be "unreal," so I include it in a smoothie once a week or so.
  • lizzocat
    lizzocat Posts: 356 Member
    mock meats are real food- tempeh, seitan, mock sausage, all has a TON of protein- but even without going that route, beans and lentils are great protein sources
  • tristen_leigh
    tristen_leigh Posts: 214 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I get my protein from beans, grains, vegetables, tofu, seitan, and tempeh. I don't consider protein powder to be "unreal," so I include it in a smoothie once a week or so.

    This. Spend some time looking up easy recipes using seitan and tempeh if you're not familiar so you're not overwhelmed - I was when I first started cooking with "meat alternatives"

    I use VegaOne protein powder in my smoothies or quick shakes with just almond milk and protein powder.

    Also it may help to do a little research into how much protein your body actually needs. There is a big push for protein, protein, protein everywhere but you may not need as much as you think. :) Good luck!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Breakfast:
    fage 0% plain. Add a few strawberries to it. It's 120 calories and 18g protein.
    Protein shake mixed with water. 130 calories and 25g protein.
    Proats. 384 calories, 41g protein



    Lunch:
    Lean Cuisine - Veggie Cuisine Tuscan-Style Vegetable Lasagna. 320 calories, 18g protein
    Amy's - Black Bean Enchilada Whole Meal. 330 calories, 9g protein.
    Morningstar Farms - Three-Bean Chili With Griller's Crumbles. 270 calories, 20g protein.
    Veggie wrap with Flat Out - Light Wraps - Italian Herb and hummus. 230 calories and 15g protein.
    Egg salad sandwich. 490 calories, 28g protein


    Dinner:
    Lentil soup. 469 calories, 21g protein.
    Tofu stir fry- 420 calories, 18g protein
    Black Bean Vegetable Soup. calories 299, 13g protein
    Frittata. 737 calories and 41g protein.
    Vegetarian Tacos. 566 calories and 24g protein
    Vegetarian chili cheese fries. 780 calories 23g protein
    Veggie burger. 383 calories, 25g protein
    Frito pie, 431 calories 16g protein


    Snacks:
    Protein bar. 200 calories, 20g protein
    Muscle milk light- 150 calories, 15g protein
    hardboiled egg- 70 calories, 7g protein
    PB2 mixed with chocolate whey into a paste on apples- 250 calories, 28g protein
    Branch Chain Amino Acids.


    Here are some specific items i eat often that contain a high amount of protein. I am 100% vegetarian so none of them contain meat. Let me know if you want a recipe or have questions.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    tristen_leigh wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I get my protein from beans, grains, vegetables, tofu, seitan, and tempeh. I don't consider protein powder to be "unreal," so I include it in a smoothie once a week or so.

    This. Spend some time looking up easy recipes using seitan and tempeh if you're not familiar so you're not overwhelmed - I was when I first started cooking with "meat alternatives"

    I use VegaOne protein powder in my smoothies or quick shakes with just almond milk and protein powder.

    Also it may help to do a little research into how much protein your body actually needs. There is a big push for protein, protein, protein everywhere but you may not need as much as you think. :) Good luck!

    You're so right about looking up recipes -- I was nervous about trying tempeh until my first batch of tempeh tacos. Now I eat it all the time.

    I think a lot of vegetarians/vegans have the impression that using a meat substitute is somehow "cheating" or that they are too processed to be good for you, but meat substitutes vary widely and most people can find one that fits within their health goals. Some of them (tempeh, seitan) have been eaten by people for hundreds and hundreds of years. To reject these foods as "too processed" when one is eating things like cheese (which is also the result of processing) makes little sense to me. There is nothing inherently bad about processing -- we should look at the nutritional values of the resulting food before deciding if we want to include it in our diet or not.

    Nobody should eat things they don't like the taste of, but to reject these foods as "unreal" can be really counterproductive.
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
    lizzocat wrote: »
    mock meats are real food- tempeh, seitan, mock sausage, all has a TON of protein- but even without going that route, beans and lentils are great protein sources

    This. Non-vegan here to assure you that seitan "chicken wings" (seitan with vegan buffalo sauce) is the most amazing and delicious food. And I eat "real" chicken wings. I'm not sure why you think of these things as not real, cause I promise, they taste plenty real (sister in law vegan, birthdays are spent at vegan restaurant for support, food is tots fine)
  • kat_princess12
    kat_princess12 Posts: 109 Member
    I like extra-firm tofu in stir fry. Also eat a lot of cheese, eggs (which you say you're already getting), almonds, Greek yogurt, veggie burgers (if you don't want the store-bought ones, make your own - easy enough to find a black bean burger recipe these days), whole grains, green peas, soymilk in my coffee. Protein is in lots of places. May not be as highly concentrated as it is in meat, but if you eat a varied nutritious diet it definitely adds up.
  • Dawn410
    Dawn410 Posts: 120 Member
    I'm not vegan, but I eat vegetarian every other day. I get my protein from beans, quinoa, dairy ( Greek yogurt is awesome)
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited November 2015
    Mock meats are real food, some higher quality than others. I quite like the Beyond Meat line, particularly the chicken analog. 120 calories for 20 grams of quality protein.

    Before becoming very active, I ate 1200 calories a day and had no trouble getting 100-120 grams or more in protein.

    I also don't eat a large amount of cheese, except for cottage cheese, which is a protein powerhouse. Greek yogurt, eggs, soy, tofu, tempeh, lentils, and yes... protein powders and bars. They are real food and convenient when you want something light and aren't feeling terribly hungry.

    There are plenty of recipes on the web for things like lentil or black bean burgers that you can make lighter and more filling by stretching with mushrooms. I do this all the time.

    Also look for the Explore Asia line of bean pastas. A 56 gram serving typically has around 10 grams of fiber and 18-20 grams of protein per serving. Add veggies and some parmesan and it makes for a filling, protein packed meal. These noodles also hold up well in soups to add protein there and serve well as a base for stir-fries.
  • Paulina1230
    Paulina1230 Posts: 215 Member
    Honeyville textured vegetable protein. They have all different flavors and once rehydrated is very close to the real thing. I love the taco, chilli and sausage flavors. Just use it like hamburger in your recipes. Not very expensive either.
  • GlutenIsNotMyFriend
    GlutenIsNotMyFriend Posts: 4 Member
    Thanks all! This has been helpful. Too be honest, I've never given Tempeh or Seitan a try so I wasn't implying that they weren't real foods. I suppose too I have been more informative as to what I mean't by processed. For me it's when the ingredients list doesn't look like any food I'd have in my pantry. Dairy is hard on me, I suffer from IBS and dairy is one of my main culprits hence my need to avoid excessive cheeses. I will give some of these suggestions a try :) Thanks again!!
  • Kimegatron
    Kimegatron Posts: 772 Member
    I rarely hit my protein goal. It's my own fault, I'm such a picky eater and dislike a lot of high protein foods mentioned above. I have just started eating cottage cheese in things, but it's too few and far between. I got these meatless frozen protein burritos from Target over the weekend. Just to try, I thought they would be disgusting, but they're actually pretty good! I will scramble an egg and add it to the burrito for extra protein, but it's still not enough. My biggest concern is my iron levels. I have not even hit HALF of what I'm supposed to, and have probably been like that the last 18 years. Guess I gotta start supplementing, but pills make me choke, lol
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    Soy, tempeh and tofu are good suggestions, as are lentils, beans and other legumes.

    Some cheese is lactose-free and might be easier for you to digest. Greek yogurt could be fine for your system too -- lots of people who have trouble with dairy somehow have no problem with yogurt.

    Just remember to read up on complete versus incomplete proteins. Many plant-based proteins are "incomplete proteins" because they don't contain the full range of amino acids required to build cells. The best bet for vegans is to combine various types of incomplete proteins together to form complete proteins.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    segacs wrote: »
    Soy, tempeh and tofu are good suggestions, as are lentils, beans and other legumes.

    Some cheese is lactose-free and might be easier for you to digest. Greek yogurt could be fine for your system too -- lots of people who have trouble with dairy somehow have no problem with yogurt.

    Just remember to read up on complete versus incomplete proteins. Many plant-based proteins are "incomplete proteins" because they don't contain the full range of amino acids required to build cells. The best bet for vegans is to combine various types of incomplete proteins together to form complete proteins.

    Just for context: our body can actually combine these over time, so there's no need to combine them within the same meal. As long as vegans are eating varied foods, protein combining isn't something that requires much attention.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited November 2015
    segacs wrote: »
    Soy, tempeh and tofu are good suggestions, as are lentils, beans and other legumes.

    Some cheese is lactose-free and might be easier for you to digest. Greek yogurt could be fine for your system too -- lots of people who have trouble with dairy somehow have no problem with yogurt.

    Just remember to read up on complete versus incomplete proteins. Many plant-based proteins are "incomplete proteins" because they don't contain the full range of amino acids required to build cells. The best bet for vegans is to combine various types of incomplete proteins together to form complete proteins.

    piggy backing onto this-

    http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/protein

    The one amino acid you really need to eat enough of is lysine. The rest shouldn't have to worry about if you're eating a variety of foods. Unless you are eating the foods suggested above like tofu, seitan, beans and legumes, regularly you are likely not getting enough from plant foods. It's an important amino acid because it helps prevent osteporosis and regulates calcium levels as well as helps the immune system.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    LetThemEatVegetables wrote: »
    Thanks all! This has been helpful. Too be honest, I've never given Tempeh or Seitan a try so I wasn't implying that they weren't real foods. I suppose too I have been more informative as to what I mean't by processed. For me it's when the ingredients list doesn't look like any food I'd have in my pantry. Dairy is hard on me, I suffer from IBS and dairy is one of my main culprits hence my need to avoid excessive cheeses. I will give some of these suggestions a try :) Thanks again!!

    It seems like avoiding ingredients that aren't like anything in your pantry may limit you from trying some exciting things, like ethnic foods. When I went vegan, I resolved to try new things regularly. Many of them aren't at all like the foods I grew up eating, but I have added so many new (and fun) things to my diet.

    I don't have IBS, so you're obviously the best expert on what works for you, but if you're struggling to meet your nutritional needs, trying a few new things and monitoring for how your IBS responds may work.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
    64g of protein shouldn't be too difficult to hit. I don't eat meat, yogurt or cottage cheese, but I do love tempeh (try it crumbled and prepared as for tacos), seitan (great in casseroles) and tofu (crispy fried = yum). I drink a protein shake almost daily. I buy protein bars from Aldi that are delicious (in their "Fit & Active" line) and average 10-15g of protein per bar. Breads offer a good amount of protein. And all the other suggestions - nuts, beans, seeds, eggs. Do you eat seafood? I do and it's a protein powerhouse.

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