Protein in the Vegetarian Diet

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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.Icon Only for blog endings June 2016 25x25

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