Incorporating Protein Into a Vegetarian Diet

One of the most common misconceptions of a vegetarian diet is that it does not provide enough protein. Many people believe that the only way to maintain a diet with an adequate amount of protein is to eat meat or other animal products. Fortunately for vegetarians, this is not true at all. In fact, the average meat eating American actually consumes too much protein on a daily basis. Incorporating protein into a vegetarian diet is actually quite easy to do. While many whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts may not contain as much protein as meat and other animal products, a combination of them can provide more than enough protein for you, especially since the daily recommended amount of protein should be between 50-60 grams per day for the average adult.

Most whole grains contain a good amount of protein per serving. The average slice of whole wheat bread contains about 4 grams of protein, and most people eat them two at a time. One whole grain that contains a significant amount of protein is quinoa. In fact, it contains more protein than any other whole grain. Eating one cup of cooked quinoa will provide your body with 18 grams of protein. Since you can create so many good recipes with breads, pastas, and other whole grains, it should not be difficult to eat an adequate amount of them on a daily basis.

Vegetarian Dishes

Eating beans, lentils, and peas is another excellent way of incorporating protein into a vegetarian diet. These foods can be added to many recipes, which makes them easier to ingest. Just one cup of kidney beans contains over 13 grams of protein, and they taste great in vegetarian chili. Split pea soup is another great recipe that can be eaten to add protein to your diet. According to some recipes, one serving of it can provide up to 23 grams of protein. Since beans are such a great meat substitute, they are not difficult to add to a vegetarian diet.

Adding nuts, seeds, and nut butters to your diet is another great way of incorporating protein into a vegetarian diet. Since most of them are also high in fat, they should not be considered your main source of protein, but small amounts of them can help to increase your protein intake. They can be added to many recipes to enhance the flavor. Just 2 tablespoons of peanut butter contains 8 grams of protein.

When incorporating protein into a vegetarian diet, the key is to eat a combination of foods that contain protein. Too much of one thing can not only become boring, but it can also cause you to consume too many fats and carbohydrates. Though vegetables do not typically contain high levels of protein, they can be good for filling in any protein voids. Asparagus, sweet corn, watercress, okra, brussels sprouts, and spinach are some of the vegetables that contain higher amounts of protein. Fruits are also good vegetarian foods that contain protein, though not as much as whole grains or beans. Some fruits that are good sources of protein are peaches, pears, and avocados.

Incorporating Protein Into a Vegetarian Diet

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