Many vegetarians are concerned about getting enough protein. Learn how to get enough protein in a vegetarian diet in this free video. Expert: Jean Smith Bio: Jean Smith as been a vegetarian for her whole life. Filmmaker: julio costilla

How to Be Vegetarian : Vegetarian Protein Sources is from groovy vegetarian

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Ask Dr. Lang: answers to questions about leg cramps, vegetarian protein sources, and hair loss.: An article from: Men’s Health Advisor is from groovy vegetarian

While it comes to the sources of protein, many think that only non-veg food products like meat, fish and egg are the rich in protein. But unlike to that, vegetables also provide adequate quota of protein to the body. The only problem with Vegetarian Protein Source is that you can’t get the required amount in only one product, you need to eat a combination of foods to get the complete protein. Below are some of the high vegetarian protein source products those need to be included in one’s diet for providing the required quota of protein to the body.

Lentil and other whole Grains: Most of the whole grain items include considerable amount of protein that can be easily utilized by the body. Barley, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, rye, wheat germ, wheat, hard red, wild rice, lentil are some of the richest sources of protein easily available everywhere.

Beans and Legumes: All types of beans peas are excellent vegetarian sources of protein. Be it black beans, kidney beans, Garbanzo beans, Lima beans, Navy beans, Soybeans or split peas, you can have sufficient amount of protein in all these items.

Tofu and Other Soy Products: Different and delicious soy products like tempeh, soy milk, tofu, edamame, soy yogurt, soy cheese, soy nuts, soy ‘hot dog’s are not only sumptuous but also rich in protein.

Nuts and Seeds: A variety of nuts and seeds such as peanuts, cashew, walnuts, almonds, seasame seeds, sunflower seeds also work as good Vegetarian Protein Source. Most of the nuts and seeds also contain fats, so, most of the people may not want to include them in their regular diet plan. But they work great as a post-workout or occasional snack.

Vegetarian Protein Sources – Many to Choose From is from groovy vegetarian

A reader wrote in:
Do you know if whole grain oat cereals are the same, better, or worse than just plain oat bran?

To answer this question and get to the bottom of whole grains, I went straight to a prestigious medical source — the Mayo Clinic. The Mayo Clinic has a whole page dedicated to just how great whole grains are and why you should add more to your diet.

image via tvol on flickr

First a definition — whole grains are any grains that haven’t had their brand or germ removed by milling. Sometimes bran or the germ are sold alone, but these do not provide the complete benefits of whole grains.

While all grains are low in fat, good sources of complex carbohydrates, and full of vitamins and minerals, refined grains cut out the nutrient-rich bran and germ. The bran contains extra fiber, essential to digestive health and the germ contains selenium, potassium, magnesium, and other vital vitamins and minerals.

Even if you know how good they are for you, it can be confusing to identify whole grains.

Sources of Whole Grains

Did you know white rice is not a whole grain? But wild riceis!

Couscous, corn flakes, enriched pasta, grits, white rice, and white bread are among the popular foods that use refined grains — avoid these. Brown rice, wild rice, whole wheat (or rice) pasta, bulgur, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, popcorn, and whole wheat bread all contain whole grains — pick these instead.

Eat lots of whole grains — it’s an easy way to improve your diet and your health!  And try to buy organic grains to avoid unhealthy pesticides and herbicides.

(A special thanks to the Mayo Clinic for its excellent and informative page on whole grains!)

Whole Grains — What's the Big Deal? is from groovy vegetarian

In order to get a rough idea of how to approach getting the right amount of protein, look first at your body weight. The Recommended Dietary Allowance is 0.37 gram of protein per pound of body weight, and rises to about 0.50 gram per pound if you are moderately active.

Using this formula if you weigh…

• 130 lb, you need 65 grams of protein a day
• 140 lb, you need 70 grams of protein a day
• 150 lb, you need 75 grams of protein a day
• 160 lb, you need 80 grams of protein a day
• 170 lb, you need 85 grams of protein a day
• 180 lb, you need 90 grams of protein a day
• 190 lb, you need 95 grams of protein a day
• 200 lb, you need 100 grams of protein a day
• 210 lb, you need 105 grams of protein a day

…And so on. As you can see the protein requirements are pretty high, especially if you weigh more.  So now one should consider how to get their necessary allotment.

Some foods such as hard cheeses, nuts, and eggs are typically thought of as protein-rich, but really aren’t as rich in protein as some. While these can be good secondary sources, try these instead:

1. Cottage Cheese 29g/ serving, serving size: 1 cup (pros: calcium, cons: lactose intolerance)
2. Ricotta Cheese 28g/ serving, serving size: 1 cup (pros: calcium, cons: lactose intolerance)
3. Seitan 26g/ serving, serving size: 1/2 cup (pros: low calorie, cons: high in sodium)
4. Soybeans 26g/ serving, serving size: 1 cup (pros: lignans, cons: goitrogens, may interfere with thyroid)
5. Lentils 18g/ serving, serving size: 1 cup (pros: high in minerals, cons: may cause gas)
6. Tempeh 16g/ serving, serving size: 1 cup (pros: fiber, minerals, B vitamins, heart-healthy soy cons: goitrogens)
7. Split Peas 16g/ serving, serving size: 1 cup (pros: B vitamins, cons: may cause gas)
8. Navy Beans 16g/ serving, serving size: 1 cup (pros: B vitamins, fiber, cons: has purines, which can cause kidney stones)

(Thanks Vegetarian Times for this list! (PDF))

A final topic of interest is how good is vegetarian protein versus meat-based protein. Up until the 90′s soy protein was thought to be inferior to meat protein. Then it was found that the rats that the early protein research was done on needed more sulfur-containing amino acids than humans, skewing the score.

Once the score was adjusted, both meat and soybeans scores about a 0.92 protein efficiency ratio (PER) on average (1.0 or higher is considered ideal). Eggs, while containing less protein are more efficient with a PER of 1.12, frequently stated as 1.0. Milk and whey also earn 1.0 or highers scores, and soy protein isolate also scores a 1.0. So in effect, soy is a better protein than meat, according to modern nutritional research.

READER QUESTION

What are some of your fave sources of protein? And where do you go for research on the topic? Do you even think about it, is it at all a concern? Share below.

EDITOR”S NOTE: I’m more concerned about getting enough fiber and iron, than i am with protein. But all are important nutrients. As is calcium, potassium, anti-oxidants, vitamins, etc.

Can We Talk…About Vegetarian Protein? is from groovy vegetarian

Soy products are one of the richest vegetarian protein source. Tofu, tempeh, soy milk are very useful to your health. They can work as alternatives to non-veg food products for the vegans. Cereals and grains like rye, rice, pasta, millet, oatmeal, wheat germ, wheat, buckwheat etc. can also do wonder in providing protein amount to the body. Nuts like almonds, walnuts, filberts, hemp seeds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and cashews are also protein-filled foods. Among protein-rich vegetables, yucca, brussel sprouts, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, green peas, green pepper, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, turnip greens, watercress are worth mentioning. Seaweeds such as Seaweed spirulina and kelp are also among rich vegetarian protein source.

Vegans should not worry about getting enough protein as long as above mentioned vegetables and products are available for consumption. If you eat a reasonably varied diet and include protein products to your daily platter you can keep yourself away from protein deficiency problems like kwashiorkor.

When you have an infection you should always go for a good amount of protein because it helps you create antibodies that your immune system needs to counterattack disease. At time of injuries also, you need more proteins thus helping your body in blood clotting.

Vegetarian Protein Sources: Know Them, Eat Them is from groovy vegetarian