Those following a vegetarian diet do have nutritional concerns; however protein is not typically one of them. Before going further I would like to clarify the difference in vegan and vegetarian. They are different.
A vegan lifestyle involves more than food. Animal products or anything derived from an animal are not used. This includes clothing or products made from an animal. A respect for all living things is practiced.
A vegetarian may only follow the diet of a vegan. This would be a pure vegetarian. Other vegetarian diets would be pescatarian (fish is included) or lacto-ovo (eggs and dairy are included).
Following a vegetarian diet isn’t simply a matter of not eating meat. A well balanced diet will include all non-animal food groups in order to obtain the necessary amino acids as the building blocks of protein. Protein is available in many foods not just animal products.
It is not necessary to eat a combination of foods containing amino acids at the same meal. A variety of plant foods eaten throughout the day allows for protein needs to be met.
Protein can be obtained from beans, peas, nuts, seeds and tofu. Grains, such as rice, teff, millet, wheat, quinoa, and corn along with others, also provide protein.
How much protein for a vegetarian? Using a person’s healthy body weight simply divide by 2.2. This will give a weight in kilograms (kg). Multiply this number by 0.9 and you will see the recommended amount of protein intake for you for one day.
Examples of how much protein is in commonly eaten foods:
½ cup of cooked beans, peas or lentils average 8 grams of protein
¼ cup nuts average 5 grams of protein
¼ cup seeds average 7 grams of protein
½ cup grains average 3.5 grams of protein
½ cup cooked veggies average 1.5 grams of protein
Including foods from the above groups will allow for meeting the recommended amount of protein in a vegetarian diet.
Grace graduated in 1993 from UT Southwestern Medical Center Allied Health Sciences School with a Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Nutrition. A few years later she concentrated her efforts in diabetes and became a certified diabetes care and education specialist. During her career she has worked as a registered dietitian nutritionist in long-term care, renal dialysis, home health, and diabetes outpatient care. Currently self-employed, she specializes in wellness and diabetes. Grace is a member of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists. Grace now writes nutrition content for websites using her education, current research, and 29 years of experience.