Difficult having enough protein everyday, for vegan

HI Everyone;
I'm using MFP to measure my food and I find that I have a lack in protein intake.
The app tells me that I need about 102g of protein, while I can consume about 50-70g.
I'm on Intermittent fasting(16-8) with 2 meals a day! Please can you guide me how to add extra protein to my diet?
Thanks

Replies

  • mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12
    mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12 Posts: 204 Member
    Lots of vegan foods are good sources of protein, for example:

    tempeh
    tofu
    Beans
    lentils
    seitan
    quinoa
    Nuts/seeds

    The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.36 grams of protein per pound (0.8 grams per kg) of body weight. This amounts to: 56 grams per day for the average sedentary man. 46 grams per day for the average sedentary woman. Obviously, your numbers will be different (few of us are average) but are you aiming to eat more protein than you need?

    According to the CDC protein deficiency is rare, with more Americans eating too much protein rather than not enough so worth checking your goal is spot on.

    If your goal is correct try basing meals round higher protein foods and you could add a vegan protein shake if you need to. Try a few brands till you find one you like.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    You've got two choices: you can either have bigger servings of the protein-rich foods you're already eating or you can search out new protein-rich foods to add to your diet. I'm not sure what you're currently eating, but I regularly eat beans, tofu, tempeh, and seitan and usually have no issue getting enough protein once it's added to the protein already in my diet from things like vegetables and grains. I will have a protein shake or bar a few times a month usually too, but it's not a regular thing.
  • Angela937
    Angela937 Posts: 514 Member
    Whey isolate protein powder. You can get flavored powders to make smoothies, or flavorless powder to mix in with your soups, yogurts, cottage cheese, etc....
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 865 Member
    General recommendation for protein intake is 0.8 grams per 1kg of weight. So ... calculate your protein level that way and see if it's lower than MFP estimates (MFP has a default way they break down your macros which you can change manually if you want). You might be getting enough actually.

    If additional protein is all you want without adding in a bunch of calories (i.e. your diet right now already has you at your desired level of calories) then you should try a protein powder (vegan one -- but make sure it has all the essential amino acids required....usually it will need to have a mixture of different types of vegan protein sources -- not just one). That'll only add about 100-150 calories but like 20-25 grams of protein.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,721 Member
    edited January 2021
    General recommendation for protein intake is 0.8 grams per 1kg of weight. So ... calculate your protein level that way and see if it's lower than MFP estimates (MFP has a default way they break down your macros which you can change manually if you want). You might be getting enough actually.

    If additional protein is all you want without adding in a bunch of calories (i.e. your diet right now already has you at your desired level of calories) then you should try a protein powder (vegan one -- but make sure it has all the essential amino acids required....usually it will need to have a mixture of different types of vegan protein sources -- not just one). That'll only add about 100-150 calories but like 20-25 grams of protein.

    0.8g/kg is indeed a mainstream recommendation.

    It's also lower than many of us here feel is optimal (me for one), based on more recent research suggesting that people who are losing weight can benefit from more protein than the base recommendation for an average weight-stable person, as can someone who's active with exercise (especially strength exercise), or aging (say, over 60 - perhaps double the 0.8g/kg level.

    This article, and its footnoted studies, will explain some of that thinking:

    https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/

    Counter to what some vegan *advocacy* sites recommend, many more mainstream sources feel that - if anything - those of us who get much of our protein from plant sources are better served by getting *more* protein grams than mainstream levels recommended for omnivores, as a bet-hedge for adequate, balanced proportions of the essential amino acids. A sound source of vegan nutrition advice is https://veganhealth.org/.

    @Hayder2020 , it's hard to comment on your protein needs, minimum or optimal, without knowing your height, weight, weight goal, age or activity level. Generally, the Xg/Kg or Xg/Lb recommendations can be calculated based on your healthy goal weight, which may give you a materially different result than basing it on current weight, if you have a fair amount of weight to lose.

    Truth in advertising: I'm not vegan. I've been vegetarian for 46+ years, and a substantial fraction of my protein intake is from plant sources, but not all.

    ETA the link I meant to contribute when I first came to the thread (🙄 jeesh):

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also

    Scroll past the mostly meaty/fishy foods near the top of the linked spreadsheet, and you'll start seeing plant sources. Many are not as EAA (essential amino acid) complete, but can still be helpful if varied/combined over time.

    A useful strategy IMO for increasing protein for us veg*ans is to try to get at least a bit of protein from most things we eat, as there are grains with more protein than others, veggies with more protein, even fruits with protein. The "one big protein per meal" idea that omnivores often use to organize meals is worth continuing, but adding bits of protein around the edges will add up over the course of a day.
  • Hayder2020
    Hayder2020 Posts: 2 Member
    I'm 77 Kg (0.8 *77= 61.6) but why MFP suggest me 102 or more protein intake!!
    MFP is really overestimate...
    Thanks for all your replay.
  • elmusho1989
    elmusho1989 Posts: 321 Member
    I'm veggie but I think quorn do some vegan products. They help our my protein and taste good. Just make sure they agree with you I think some people can be allergic to the ingredients.