Vegetarian protein
Judyojudy
Posts: 7 Member
Hello All,
I am relatively new to the community, dieting for approximately 3 weeks. I have about 70 pounds to lose forever never to meet again. I am a vegetarian of one year & lactose intolerant. Since dieting I use pea protein powder daily to get enough protein requirement. My question to other vegetarian is do you use protein powder daily, if not what do you eat daily to supplement the protein. I am concern that taking artificial protein daily might not be healthy over the long run.
I appreciate your comments.
Judy
I am relatively new to the community, dieting for approximately 3 weeks. I have about 70 pounds to lose forever never to meet again. I am a vegetarian of one year & lactose intolerant. Since dieting I use pea protein powder daily to get enough protein requirement. My question to other vegetarian is do you use protein powder daily, if not what do you eat daily to supplement the protein. I am concern that taking artificial protein daily might not be healthy over the long run.
I appreciate your comments.
Judy
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Replies
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My vegan friends make legumes a staple of their diets.0
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Vega protein powder (vanilla) is pretty tasty0
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I supplement my protien with either Orgain Vegan or Garden of Life protien powder. Both are very good and come in a variety of flavours - though vanilla is my favourite for both.
To get protien through diet I eat a lot of nuts, legumes, and add flax and chia seeds to many recipes. Many people eat eggs for protien, but as I am violently allergic to both milk (whey) and eggs, I always have powder on hand in case I don't meet my protien goal.0 -
I'm not a vegetarian, but I try to limit red meat to 3 oz./week, so plant protein is my primary source. I *love* hemp protein--fiber and protein combined, but it does taste like delicious sand, so you should use in something thick.0
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I eat lots of eggs, cottage cheese, tofu, tempeh. Lentils and beans are good too. Check out which veggies have protein and work those into your diets everything adds up.0
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Use a good Whey Isolate instead. No lactose, and much higher biological value than pea protein.
NOW SPORTS Natural Unflavored Whey Isolate is tops!
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Thank you for your responses, I am also violently allergic to all milk & egg products. I sometimes use cottage cheese & suffer the consequences. I do eat nuts, legumes, flax, chia & hemp seeds but still need more protein. How long have you been taking protein powder & is it everyday
ps. Kshama, I still have kale in my backyard in the middle of Toronto winter how great is that.0 -
The protein in protein powders isn't artificial. It's just as real as other protein.
But if you want to avoid it, plant sources of protein include beans, grains, vegetables, seitan, tofu, tempeh, and nuts/seeds. You could meet your needs from these foods and never touch protein powder unless you chose to.0 -
I don't find I need to supplement. I get plenty just eating a variety of foods. I make spinach bentos with baked tofu and Beans, beets, carrots, to take to work. I'm a huge fan of edamame either steamed or dry roasted (about 11g protein for 100 calories). Eat lots of lentils as well. I don't know if you can do Greek yogurt (I'm able too even though I don't react great to most dairy), and that's got a ton of protein too.
You say your violently allergic to dairy but then say you eat cottage cheese? I think you mean intolerance. A violent allergy indicates anaphylaxis which j hope you would fully avoid those foods...0 -
Thanks Jane, is there anyone that don't use protein powder, meat or dairy products but still lose weight at a good rate, like 8-10pounds per month?0
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Thanks Jane, is there anyone that don't use protein powder, meat or dairy products but still lose weight at a good rate, like 8-10pounds per month?
I don't eat meat or dairy and I only use protein powder occasionally (maybe 0-3 times a month?) and I lost weight at a steady pace when I was losing. 8-10 pounds is incredibly fast (unless your starting weight is high) so I didn't lose that much, but I met my goals almost every week. I lost over 40 pounds total and am comfortably maintaining that weight loss.
My protein came from vegetables, beans, tofu, and seitan. I sometimes had grains, tempeh, and nuts as well.
What is your starting weight? 8-10 pounds may be a realistic goal for you, but it may be too much.0 -
When I use cottage cheese i get stomach pain, nauseous, gassy and sometimes vomit.0
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starting at 2000
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I've been ovo-lacto vegetarian for over 41 years. I strongly dislike fake meats, protein powders, bars, etc. - I prefer to get protein from Real Food (TM) as much as possible. To me, it's just tastier & more satisfying. I'm currently getting 100g/day on 1800 calories net (I'm heading into maintenance - it was probably closer to 80g/day when I was in a 2lb/week deficit) . . . though quite a chunk of that is eggs or dairy in my case, I admit.
What I think is key is trying to not only look at major protein sources to include in each meal, but also incorporate protein-containing foods in other categories - salads, snacks, veggies, grains, etc. Some of those ancillary sources may only contribute a few grams, but they add up over the course of the day in a surprising way. The small contributors (like veggies) also have lower protein quality (in terms of amino acid completeness), but this is partially mitigated by mixing your sources.
Major sources, for me:- Soy foods, like tempeh, edamame, dry-roasted soybeans, edamame/mung fettucine.
- Beans & legumes of all types. Besides just eating them (as in refried beans or bean/pea soup), I put them in mixed soups, blend them to thicken "cream" soups or sauces, put them in salads, etc. There's also chickpea flour or soy flour that can replace some of the regular flour in baked goods (start with 1/8 bean flour, 7/8 regular, and go up from there as long as results are good). You can get chickpea pasta, which has much more protein than regular pasta. (To me, it tastes a little flatter, so I prefer it with strongly-flavored sauces.) I also like Indian puppodums for a snack (though they're salty - Sharwoods is my favorite brand). Crispy chickpeas are also a good snack - commercially available, or make your own. Freeze-dried snap peas are another snack option. Hummus is good.
- Peanuts, peanut butter and PB2 peanut butter powder. I use the powder to make peanut sauce for the edamame pasta & veggies (mix it with soy sauce, brown rice vinegar, maybe a dash of toasted sesame oil, maybe hot sauce, can season with ginger and/or garlic, etc.)
- Nuts of all types, especially walnuts (for the omega-3s). Reasonable portions, of course, since they're caloric. I put them in my oatmeal, put them in my car & gym bag in pre-portioned snack sizes, and more. Also good in salads.
- Seeds, again in reasonable portions. I especially like shelled sunflower seeds blended into soups or sprinkled on top, and pepitas (hull-less pumpkin seeds) on salads. Tahini (sesame seed paste) can be used to make salad dressings, and it's a hummus ingredient. Consider things like hemp & chia, too.
- Grains: There are ones that are better in protein than rice, and can be used similarly. Quinoa, spelt, triticale, spelt, buckwheat, oats, amaranth, and more. Also popcorn for snacks.
- Some veggies have protein: broccoli, asparagus, green peas, spinach, and many others.
Check out this thread: Carbs and Fats are cheap. Here's a Guide to getting your PROTEIN's worth. Fiber also... . It links to a great spreadsheet with lots of protein-foods on it. There are lots of meats at the top of the spreadsheet (it's kind of in protein-efficiency order), but keep scrolling and you'll find many non-meats as well.
Clearly, I could go on & on. But I'll stop now.
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Are you vegetarian, or vegan?
We have vegetarians in our household and they love these protein heavy foods:
Eggs
Beans, all sorts of beans. So yummy, so healthy.
Whey powder in smoothies (probably out for you with the lactose intolerance, I don't know)
Cheese (again, I think the ones with more protein are probably out for you, but not sure)
Walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, peanut butter
Tofu and veggie burgers
It all works out. Beans are the best of all, so versatile. Just had a lovely kick-*kitten* lentil salad today, 18grams of protein per cup.
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Maybe I should say vegan. Ann I will also check the link & look at how to incorporate more natural sources. However I should also mention I exercise 6 day a week for 35-45min & I find the protein powder after exercise makes my body less tired for the next day.0
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You can make "cheese" and creamy sauces from cashews. Soak cashews in water overnight. Drain. Blend (adding water as to how liquidy you want it). Done!
Depending on how you season it, it can be either sweet or savory. Lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast, etc. for savory; honey, maple syrup, etc. for sweet.0 -
Beans and lentils are your best friend. I have been vegetarian all my life, never taken any artificial supplement. 2 cups of lentil and bean soup will give you enough protein.0
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I honestly wouldn't sweat it, so long as you are eating a "balanced" vegetarian diet.. one full of fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans then you should be getting more than enough protein without having to use supplements.0
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You can make "cheese" and creamy sauces from cashews. Soak cashews in water overnight. Drain. Blend (adding water as to how liquidy you want it). Done!
Depending on how you season it, it can be either sweet or savory. Lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast, etc. for savory; honey, maple syrup, etc. for sweet.
Cashews sufficient to meet protein needs are likely going to be difficult to fit into a diet that also has a calorie deficit as a goal. While this could be *part* of someone's diet, it's not a great replacement for protein powder.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »You can make "cheese" and creamy sauces from cashews. Soak cashews in water overnight. Drain. Blend (adding water as to how liquidy you want it). Done!
Depending on how you season it, it can be either sweet or savory. Lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast, etc. for savory; honey, maple syrup, etc. for sweet.
Cashews sufficient to meet protein needs are likely going to be difficult to fit into a diet that also has a calorie deficit as a goal. While this could be *part* of someone's diet, it's not a great replacement for protein powder.
I'd sure like to try to eat that many cashews, though. I might make it a challenge one day to eat my daily protein goal only in cashews just to see how many kcals I'd need and whether or not I could do it.
ETA: The math says 18 servings of 100 grams and 9954 calories for my personal goals.0 -
People covered it pretty well here in with Lentils, beans, tofu, and so on. I would add MRM Veggie Elite protein powder. It's Pea protein and a few other sources, has around 22g per serving and unlike Veggie Warrior or Vega it is actually affordable (bodybuilding.com sells 2lbs for about $25 which is 30 servings).
For food, google Beyond Beef, their burgers, beef crumbles, and meatless balls have no soy, gmo's, gluten, and are organic plant based made. I use the crumbles to make tacos and chili and honestly you cannot tell the difference at all from beef.0 -
BecomingBane wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »You can make "cheese" and creamy sauces from cashews. Soak cashews in water overnight. Drain. Blend (adding water as to how liquidy you want it). Done!
Depending on how you season it, it can be either sweet or savory. Lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast, etc. for savory; honey, maple syrup, etc. for sweet.
Cashews sufficient to meet protein needs are likely going to be difficult to fit into a diet that also has a calorie deficit as a goal. While this could be *part* of someone's diet, it's not a great replacement for protein powder.
I'd sure like to try to eat that many cashews, though. I might make it a challenge one day to eat my daily protein goal only in cashews just to see how many kcals I'd need and whether or not I could do it.
Post results! Science must move forward.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »BecomingBane wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »You can make "cheese" and creamy sauces from cashews. Soak cashews in water overnight. Drain. Blend (adding water as to how liquidy you want it). Done!
Depending on how you season it, it can be either sweet or savory. Lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast, etc. for savory; honey, maple syrup, etc. for sweet.
Cashews sufficient to meet protein needs are likely going to be difficult to fit into a diet that also has a calorie deficit as a goal. While this could be *part* of someone's diet, it's not a great replacement for protein powder.
I'd sure like to try to eat that many cashews, though. I might make it a challenge one day to eat my daily protein goal only in cashews just to see how many kcals I'd need and whether or not I could do it.
Post results! Science must move forward.
I did the math. It's interesting. I updated my post above to include.0 -
Before I started with weight training I was able to maintain a very reasonable level of protein consumption without the use of supplements (50-60g a day) with beans and nuts. Now that I am aiming for a much higher # (roughly 100g a day) I do use protein powders daily, so I believe the amount you need to consume will vary greatly on how much stress you plan on putting on your muscles. I rotate between whey, pea protein, hemp, and casein because I enjoy variety and figure each has its own strengths and weaknesses. If your worried about long-term maybe consider adding more variety as well, and pick products with as few strange additives as possible (not to suggest there are long-term risks involved in pea-protein consumption, I really dont know).0
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I'm not a vegetarian, but I try to limit red meat to 3 oz./week, so plant protein is my primary source. I *love* hemp protein--fiber and protein combined, but it does taste like delicious sand, so you should use in something thick.
OMG - I forgot about hemp seeds. Those are amazing! I add them to a lot of stuff as well. They're a staple in my diet, can't believe I forgot lol.
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BecomingBane wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »BecomingBane wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »You can make "cheese" and creamy sauces from cashews. Soak cashews in water overnight. Drain. Blend (adding water as to how liquidy you want it). Done!
Depending on how you season it, it can be either sweet or savory. Lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast, etc. for savory; honey, maple syrup, etc. for sweet.
Cashews sufficient to meet protein needs are likely going to be difficult to fit into a diet that also has a calorie deficit as a goal. While this could be *part* of someone's diet, it's not a great replacement for protein powder.
I'd sure like to try to eat that many cashews, though. I might make it a challenge one day to eat my daily protein goal only in cashews just to see how many kcals I'd need and whether or not I could do it.
Post results! Science must move forward.
I did the math. It's interesting. I updated my post above to include.
That would be quite a day. Of course, you'd also need the tortilla chips for the cashew queso.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »BecomingBane wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »BecomingBane wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »You can make "cheese" and creamy sauces from cashews. Soak cashews in water overnight. Drain. Blend (adding water as to how liquidy you want it). Done!
Depending on how you season it, it can be either sweet or savory. Lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast, etc. for savory; honey, maple syrup, etc. for sweet.
Cashews sufficient to meet protein needs are likely going to be difficult to fit into a diet that also has a calorie deficit as a goal. While this could be *part* of someone's diet, it's not a great replacement for protein powder.
I'd sure like to try to eat that many cashews, though. I might make it a challenge one day to eat my daily protein goal only in cashews just to see how many kcals I'd need and whether or not I could do it.
Post results! Science must move forward.
I did the math. It's interesting. I updated my post above to include.
That would be quite a day. Of course, you'd also need the tortilla chips for the cashew queso.
Oh dear lord... that would be a day. That's already 3 times my daily calorie intake
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WOW so grateful for all the helpful information, you all rock.0
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