Eating enough protein?

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elirin13
elirin13 Posts: 4 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone. I just recently started using MFP, which has opened my eyes to the fact that I don't eat enough protein. I generally eat more vegetarian or even vegan varieties, but I'm not strict about it. Any suggestions on how to eat more proteins without much more fat or carbs would be welcome.

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  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited June 2016
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    How do you feel about fish? Would a pescatarian approach suit you?
    Do you eat legumes? They have carbs, but also fiber.
    Tofu?
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also/p1 That spreadsheet, which you can download, is awesomely valuable and free. Enjoy.
  • llbrixon
    llbrixon Posts: 964 Member
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    Premier Protein/Chocolate is what I drink if my protein is too low for the day. Cottage cheese has lots of protein also. Boiled eggs.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
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    If you're not committed to veganism for ethical reasons then stop. You'll do much better getting sufficient protein from highly bio-available sources like dairy, meat, fowl, eggs, egg whites, and fish. It's much easier to hit your macros and diet if you're not placing restrictions on what you eat.

    If you are committed then accept that you'll likely need to supplement. Pea and soy protein are options and legumes are a decent source.
  • tomatosoup3
    tomatosoup3 Posts: 126 Member
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    tofu!!! i love the stuff.
  • BrianaS7
    BrianaS7 Posts: 16 Member
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    *Personally, if you enjoy sticking to the vegetarian/vegan diet, there are a lot of different protein options that you may not fully be aware of. Lacto-ovo vegetarians are allowed to eat eggs, and other high protein dairy products, including greek yogurt.

    Other protein ideas:
    ~Quiona: plant-based protein (very delicious)
    ~Soybeans
    ~Lentils
    ~Black Beans
    ~Kidney Beans
    ~Veggie Burgers
    ~Chickpeas
    ~Baked Beans
    ~Nut Butters (Can get a little on the fat side)
    ~Chia Seeds
    ~Flax Seeds
    ~Almonds
    ~Etc...

    On a side note, I do not prefer recommending mimicked meats, as they are highly processed. However, if you're desperate for more protein options, you can look into the three main mimic meats: Tempah, Sietan, and Tofu.

    Good luck! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.*
  • elirin13
    elirin13 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thanks for all the ideas everyone. I also love tofu and Seitan, though I'm running out of ways to cook them.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    Eggs or egg whites if you can.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Have you frozen the tofu and the defrosted it in the fridge? Freezing changes the texture:
    http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/06/14/behold-the-greatest-tofu-hack-of-all-time/
    http://vegetarian.lovetoknow.com/How_to_Freeze_Tofu
  • teatumbles
    teatumbles Posts: 17 Member
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    Define "enough". Because of all the advertising of meat and egg products, people tend to think they need a lot more protein than they really do. If you get enough calories, you'll be getting enough protein because all food has at least some protein (most plant based foods have about 5-15% of their calories in protein). We actually only NEED about 2.5-5% of our calories coming from protein to be healthy, but 10-20% is probably more realistic.
  • Zipp237
    Zipp237 Posts: 255 Member
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    If you're going vegan, learn to embrace the carbohydrate. It's your friend. When you cut meat, fish and dairy, you have to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits and they are carbolicious. Soybeans might be the healthiest food on Earth and protein is one of the lovely things they contain, along with buckets of nutrients and some carbs.

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