Vegetarian protein

Out of interest what do you think your protein requirements are?

Unless you are weight training your protein needs are probably not as high as many places will tell you they are. Diets fads come and go, remember the high fibre diet, then the low fat one, then low carbs / no sugars? Now there's a lot of instagramers talking about weights and super high protein. This is a useful read/ listen https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/extra-protein-making-fatter-tim-27845801

Also, use your lean weight or ideal weight when working out your protein needs... you don't need to 'feed' your fat cells with protein, only your muscles can use it, the excess is just stored as more fat!

Huel black is 20g protein per 200Kcal of powder, I use this as a top up/snack if I feel I need extra protein (while trying to cut calories). I also take an iron supplement most days (used to have v heavy periods) and B12. Also Vit D in the winter.

Yeah to be honest I wouldn’t want to get 60 grams of protein from a smoothie. I think that’s what you have to do when you’re a veggie though - bulk up the protein side with protein powder.

I'm vegetarian and regularly eat 100 - 150g of protein a day. There is tons of protein in quark yogurts such as Skyr for example, beans and pulses, tofu etc etc it really depends on what your diet is like but it is definitely doable. I have been doing protein smoothies lately which can have 60g of protein in it just from powder and yogurt.

You really don’t need to eat meat to get adequate protein (if you don’t want to)

I easily hit my protein consistently and I am mostly vegan!
my partner is vegetarian and also has more than the minimal recommended level of protein intake.

tofu, nuts, eggs, seeds like pumpkin chia hemp, lentils, any beans/legumes, milk such as soy (or dairy if you drink it) nut butters, quinoa, giant cous cous, seitan /tempeh, oats, nutritional yeast (‘nooch’), yogurts, all great sources of veggie protein and on my weekly shopping list

if you are having these problems it may be that you have something else going on or that you would benefit from adding protein into your meals in ways such as nutritional yeast on pastas, chia seeds on top of yoghurt etc, any kind of rice and beans would be an amazing complete protein source. it all adds up quickly!

Lots of cottage cheese, Greek yoghurt and eggs, beans etc.

I aim for 80/90 grams a day which is between 1.2 - 1.5g/kg some yoghurt has got 20grams for quite little calories so I eat a lot of that and cottage cheese as snack. I tend to pick chickpea / lentil pasta too over the normal wheat, same calorie but higher protein. It’s hard, especially on a low calorie diet but doable if you eat the same stuff day in

I'd actually find a reliable source for how to calculate protein requirements for your age, sex, weight, activity levels and then look at if you meet those requirements. Rather than worry about it without any definitive evidence that it's an issue.

Is there a reason why you feel you need to eat more protein if you've managed fine as a vegetarian for 35 years?

I have also been vegetarian for well over 30 years. I don't worry about protein (or indeed carbs or fats) - I just eat food.

What problems do you feel your protein intake has caused you?

I have eggs for breakfast but that is still not enough. 2 eggs is around 14 grams of protein. I can’t face any more eggs than 2! I also eat Greek yogurt and cottage cheese and lots of nuts. Yet still get lots of my protein from meat.

Are you overweight or large framed? Just asking because that can make a difference.

You can supplement with protein powder. Not always recommended. I do think it's hard without eating a lot of eggs, cottage cheese, lentils and pulses.

Today I had poached eggs on toast, sometimes I'll have peanut butter. A bean stew for lunch with wholegrain rice. We are having dahl for tea with a chickpea and potato stew.

I'm not veggie but often eat vegetarian food. I have to think about my iron too so will sometimes need a supplement.

But I do eat lamb, fish and chicken because I like them, they provide nutrients and protein.

I have no idea how vegetarians hit protein targets to be honest.

I aim for 100g a day (I’m around 60kg). I would not hit that without meat. I know tofu has protein and nuts etc but it’s not the same amount and hard to get enough.

I use Mindful Chef and choose 2 meat and one veggie dish a week. The veggie dish always has about half the protein of a meat dish. Even with tofu.

I am also prone to anemia and exercise lots so veggie is off the table for me. I’ve accepted that good quality meat is healthy and necessary for me personally.