How to Get Protein on a Vegetarian Die

If you're worried about getting enough protein on a vegetarian diet, you may be in for a surprise. Are you sitting down? The truth is, most Americans get way too much protein, and vegetarians can easily get more than enough protein in their diet as well. Many people still believe that protein is only available from meat and animal sources and we will all fall over dead without animal protein! Unless you're pregnant or an Olympic bodybuilder, you will likely get more than enough protein without even trying. Here are the best sources of protein for vegetarians.


1. Quinoa and other whole grains

  Whole grains are a great source of protein, but the queen of whole grains when it comes to protein content is quinoa. Unlike many sources of vegetarian protein, quinoa contains all of the essential amino acids, making it a "complete protein". Just one cup of cooked quinoa contains 18 grams of protein, as well as nine grams of fiber. Other whole grains, including whole grain bread, brown rice, barley are all healthy protein-rich foods for vegetarians and vegans as well.
Protein content: One cup of cooked quinoa provides about 18 grams of protein.
Why you should eat it: Whole grains are a bargain! Shop in bulk and you can stock up on whole grains for about $1.50 a pound.

2. Beans, Lentils and Legumes
All beans, lentils, and peas are an excellent vegetarian and vegan source of protein, so eat whichever one you like! Black beans, kidney beans, Indian dhal, vegetarian chili, split pea soup and chickpea hummus - pick one and watch the protein grams add up. Soy is a bean as well, but because soy and its derivatives are such a popular source of protein for vegetarians, it merits it's own entry below.
Protein content: One cup of canned kidney beans contains about 13.4 grams of protein.
Why you should eat it: Beans are one of the most common protein-rich foods for vegetarians. You can find beans in the grocery store or on the menu just about everywhere you may be.

3. Tofu and other soy products
Soy is such a flavor chameleon that you'll never get bored! You may have tried tofu and soy milk before, but what about edamame, soy ice cream, soy yogurt, soy nuts or soy cheese? TVP and tempeh are also protein-rich soy foods. As an added bonus, many brands of tofu and soymilk are fortified with other nutrients that vegetarians and vegans need, such as calcium, iron and vitamin B12. And yes, I did  just give you permission to eat soy ice cream to get your protein.
Protein content: A half-cup of tofu contains 10 grams, and soy milk contains 7 grams of protein per cup.
Why you should eat it: You can add a bit of tofu to just about anything you cook, including stir-fries, pasta sauces, soups and salads.
Sadd a bit of tofu to just about anything you cook, including stir-fries, pasta sauces, soups and salads.

Vegetarian Diets for Children: Right from the Now

      Eating habits are set in early childhood. Vegetarian diets give your child the chance to learn to enjoy a variety of wonderful, nutritious foods. They provide excellent nutrition for all stages of childhood, from birth through adolescence.

Infants

     The best food for newborns is breast-milk, and the longer your baby is breast-fed, the better. If your baby is not being breast-fed, soy formulas are a good alternative and are widely available. Do not use commercial soy milk. Babies have special needs and require a soy formula that is developed especially for those needs.

Infants do not need any nourishment other than breast milk or soy formula for the first several months of life. Breast-fed infants need about two hours a week of sun exposure to make vitamin D. Some infants, especially those who live in cloudy climates, may not make adequate amounts of vitamin D. In that case, vitamin D supplements may be necessary.

     Vegetarian women who are breast-feeding should also be certain to include good sources of vitamin B12 in their diets, as intake can affect levels in breast-milk. Foods fortified with cyanocobalamin, the active form of vitamin B12, can provide adequate amounts of this nutrient. A multivitamin may also be taken as directed by your doctor. Breast milk or infant formula should be used for at least the first year of your baby's life.

At about four to five months of age, or when your baby's weight has doubled, other foods can be added to the diet.

Benefits of Vegetarianism

         

         

 While many individuals focus on the physical benefits of vegetarianism, there are some other aspects of vegetarianism that should be considered if you are trying to decide if this lifestyle is right for you. The emotional or metaphysical benefits of vegetarianism can be as relevant as the physical benefits. However, the emotional benefits of vegetarianism is closely tied with the physical benefits. This is due to several key facts that many people aren’t aware of.

          First, emotional well-being is closely tied to physical well-being. It is difficult to be emotionally content if your body does not feel good. Constant aches and pains an quickly turn good emotional health into poor emotional health. A good vegetarian diet can allow the body to feel healthy, which in turn gives the foundation necessary for good emotional well-being. A good diet is only the start of good emotional well-being, however. It is important that you keep the proper perspective when you change to a vegetarian lifestyle.

          Being a vegetarian often givens the benefit of self-satisfaction over doing something productive to protect animals. Many people are stimulated by doing good deeds, and the knowledge of protecting at least a few animals from cruelty is an important thing for many vegetarians. Vegetarians also feel satisfaction whenever their lifestyle draws someone else into becoming a vegetarian. However, it is important to realize while spreading the word of vegetarianism is important, pushing the point can cause far more harm than good. While many vegetarians want to protect animals, pushing your views onto others when it is unwanted can do more harm to the efforts than good. Telling someone that you’re a vegetarian is often enough to make another person aware of it: If they are not interested in becoming a vegetarian, do not push your views onto them. This can trigger an anti-vegetarian movement, which can cause emotional distress to you as well as prevent potential vegetarians from wanting to associate with vegetarians. The key to spreading the word about vegetarianism is moderation. Having moderate views can allow you to open discussion and debate about vegetarianism without offending your friends, family or coworkers.

Qustion about Vegetarian

Do vegetarians get enough protein?

The notion that eliminating all meat, eggs, and dairy products from the diet (100% vegetarian, or vegan) might result in a protein deficiency remains one of the most common and unfounded beliefs about vegetarianism. Adequate protein intake is easily achieved by consuming a variety of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. According the American Dietetic Association, complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same time. (Back in the 1970s, it was thought that such "food mixing" was necessary.) For those vegetarians who choose to consume high levels of protein, soy products such as meat analogs provide a low-fat alternative to animal flesh. Even professional athletes do not need meat, eggs, or dairy products.

How do dairy-free vegetarians get adequate calcium?

Many legumes, vegetables, and soy products contain significant amounts of calcium (see thePosition of the American Dietetic Association on Vegetarian Diets). However, calcium intake among vegans is generally lower than that of lacto-vegetarians. According to the American Dietetic Association and other nutritional authorities, vegans may have lower calcium needs than nonvegetarians since diets lower in total protein have a calcium-sparing effect. In fact, according to the most comprehensive study ever undertaken concerning the relationship between diet and disease (the Cornell-Oxford-China Diet and Health Project), those Chinese who consume little or no dairy products appear to be at a much lower risk for osteoporosis than we do in the West, where hip fractures are approximately five times more common even though dairy products are consumed in abundance.

Without meat, eggs, and dairy, are there any tasty meals left?

Unlike most of the world, the Western diet is laden with animal products. In America, animal products typically are consumed at every meal. Vegetarians and vegans usually broaden their tastes to encompass other cuisines which are not so heavily biased toward meat and dairy products. Indian, Mediterranean, Chinese, and Thai cuisines offer an enormous variety of vegetarian entrees. Vegan Italian, Mexican, and Japanese entrees are becoming more widely available in U.S. restaurants as well. For those who still love American cuisine, easy substitutes for almost all animal products already exist in abundance, from meat-free burgers, hot dogs, and deli slices to rich, dairy-free desserts. With just a little exploration, delicious vegetarian meals are easy to come by, whether or not you like to cook for yourself.

Should vegetarians take vitamin supplements?

A well balanced, 100% vegetarian diet can provide adequate levels of all nutrients, with the possible exception of vitamin B12. This vitamin is not produced by plants or animals, but rather by microorganisms present in soil, meat, and dairy products. Traces of B12 may be found on root vegetables, and Asian foods such as miso and tempeh may contain significant amounts, but these are not reliable sources. Vegans should be sure to include a good source of vitamin B12. Fortified staples include many breakfast cereals, meat substitute products, some brands of soy milk, and other vegetarian foods. Check the label for cyanocobalamin ormethylcobalamin, the best absorbed forms of B12. Vitamin B12 is also found in almost all standard multivitamin tablets.

Sugar-free Pineapple and Blueberry Bake

An all-natural, sugar-free easy, healthy and whole foods recipe for baked fruit, including baked pineapple and blueberries. With no added sugar, this is a perfect sugar-free dessert for vegetarians and vegans on a sugar-free or low-sugar diet. Enjoy!

Scroll down for more easy sugar-free dessert recipes to try.

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped fresh pineapple

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

2 tbsp almond butter

2 tbsp cashew butter

1 banana, peeled

1/4 cup apple juice concentrate

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In an 8" x 8" pan, toss together the pineapple and blueberries. Set aside.

In a small bowl, blend the nut butters, banana, juice, and spices together using a handheld blender. Mix the nut butter mixture into the fruit.

Bake the fruit bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Serve!

Aurelie also says, "You can use 1/4 cup of either almond or cashew butter in place of a combination of both. Tahini can be used in the case of nut allergies."

Makes four servings.

How to go Vegetarian

          So you’ve decided to go vegetarian or become vegan. But now what? If you're trying to figure out what your next step should be, these quick tips will help you make the transition to become vegetarian.But don't take my word for it! Dozens of readers have responded with their tips for how to become vegetarian and reasons to go vegetarian.

          Transform dishes that you already know and enjoy. For example, omit meatballs from your favorite spaghetti recipe, or replace with a vegetarian substitute, such as GimmeLean. Chances are, much of what you already eat could easily be made vegetarian.

If you want to become vegetarian, you'll want to explore new foods! One of my favorite things to do is to try one new product every time I go to the grocery store. As a result, I eat a much more varied diet since becoming vegan than I ever did before. Although most large grocery stores stock soy milk and veggie burgers, try browsing in your local health food stores to see what new foods you can find. Make it fun and exciting to become vegetarian!

Try it twice. If you hated a particular food the first time, such as veggie burgers, try it again later, using a different product brand or prepared differently or with different seasonings and spices. Not all products are the same, and you may prefer one product or style of preparation. For example, if you microwaved your veggie burger the first time, try grilling it next time.

Browse health food stores. There's always something new to try, and the staff can help you find what you're looking for or give advice on which products are best.

Give yourself a break! Don’t throw in the towel if you can’t resist that burger. Just take a breath and resolve to do better at the next meal. Another idea is to allow yourself one day a week to eat meat. If you're finding it difficult to stick to a vegetarian diet, you’re much more likely to pass something up, knowing you can indulge on Saturday or Sunday. Giving yourself a break in the short term rather than giving up will help you become vegetarian in the long run.

On Being a Vegetarian

          

        

The words ‘Vegan’ and ‘Vegetarian’ are often misunderstood. There is a lot involved in being a vegan or vegetarian. Before you take the plunge, it is important that you understand the differences between these two types of diets and why you might want to consider becoming either one of them.

          A vegan is someone who will not eat food that has been produced using any sort of animal product. Vegans will often avoid using any material that has come from an animal, although these individuals are much rarer as leathers are often prized and used in fashion and furniture. Vegetarians will not eat meat or fish, but they may include milk or other dairy products to their diet. If you are new to the concept of becoming a vegetarian or vegan, I strongly recommend starting with being a regular vegetarian. This diet is easier to accommodate and can let you adjust your habits before you go all the way to being a vegan.

          There are many reasons why someone decides to become a vegan or vegetarian. However, before we go into that, it is important to know about the two different types of vegetarians. There are medical and choice vegetarians.

Medical vegetarians are a category of individuals who have to eat non-meat and non-dairy products because they are allergic to the class of proteins found in these foods or have health conditions that are aggravated by the consumption of meat. These are non-ethically based vegetarians.

Choice vegetarians are very common and sometimes referred to as ethics-based vegetarians. These are individuals who have taken a very close look at the world around them and their health and made the decision to change their lives for the better. In some cases, medical and choice vegetarians overlap, but this is not always the case.