photo credit: WordRidden
Protein is very popularly associated with meat and dairy products. That is why many immediately think that vegans do not get sufficient protein. And they could never be so wrong on this theory. On the other hand, the need for protein varies depending on your age, gender, size, growth, health, body type and physical activity.
It would also be affected when women are pregnant and lactating. For instance, men aging 40 years old and of about 160 pounds in weight would generally require 56 grams of protein. A 40 year old women weight 140 pounds would only need 46 grams of protein daily though.
Myths and Facts on Protein
No one is exempted from the need to take in sufficient amounts of protein. After all, protein is a big part of the building blocks of your body. Your skin, blood, cartilage, bones and muscles need protein. Even the production of hormones and enzymes need protein too.
To get the essential amino acids that your body needs you need protein. Otherwise your body would just be starved from the essential nutrients. The good news is it’s not true that vegetarians cannot get sufficient protein and amino acids.
There are many sources of amino acids in plants. And it’s not true that proteins from meat and dairy products are more superior to them. That is why consuming legumes, nuts & seeds, grains, vegetables and fruits several times a day would help make vegetarians get a balanced and a complete diet.
Fruits and vegetables will also help a lot in getting sufficient amounts of protein. Avocado and potato are also great sources of protein. What’s even great about getting protein from plants is it does not contain toxic residues and fats.
Take note though that too much protein is not good either. It can increase the risk of heart diseases and cancer. It can also lead to osteoporosis, bad digestion and kidney stress. You also run into the risk of diabetes and obesity.
How to Incorporate Protein into Your Diet
To ensure that you include sufficient protein into your diet, your meals should be well planned from morning till night. For instance, you can have a half of grapefruit, a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond, a cup of enriched and unsweetened hemp milk or soy milk and 2 slices of 100% whole wheat bread for breakfast. For lunch, you can have a small whole wheat tortilla, a tablespoon hummus, two cups of green salad and a serving of barley and bean veggie soup.
At snack time a handful of unsalted cashew nuts and three dried soaked or cooked calmyrna figs would be sufficient. Then you can enjoy dinner time with two slices of artisan sour dough bread. Partner it with a teaspoon of garlic butter made from veggie spread and garlic powder. You can add a serving of pasta, veggies and tofu with a tablespoon of soy parmesan cheese. And then have half a cup of raw veggies and about one fourth cup of soy sour cream spinach dip as well.
This sample menu only proves that vegetarian can have sufficient supply of protein and a complete diet too. And best of all, it shows that you can also enjoy your meals even if you are a vegan or vegetarian.