To think a lot of recent nutrition advice seems to overlook protein?

I've always paid attention to and listened to my cravings so I'm glad that you have mentioned it and recognise it too. I don't tend to eat a lot of red meat but during my period and when I'm on a more intense strength training cycle I absolutely crave steak and liver which does make sense. I also tend to find I function better (mentally and physically) on a diet based on slightly higher healthy fat intake.

I grew up in a faliy that was quite health conscious an knew a lot about nutrition. However, I love red meat, the local butcher said it is unusual to see a woman come in and literally start salivating while chosing meat. One of my first memories is of being given treat by the butcher while sitting on his counter as a baby.

I just loathe fish though and when I cook it for my DH and children, I wear gloves. Everything about it makes me feel sick.

Otherwise I love salad, and fruit. Raw stuff and brown rice.

Sadly I married someone who loves cooked veggies, potatoes and fish.🤔

A single tin of tuna is around 25g protein for a 145g tin. It is VERY good as a source, but 25g of protein a day is insufficient. Although I weight lift so try and eat at least 80g clean protein per day mixed between meat, eggs, fish and veg.

Protein bars are a joke

Just have a hard boiled egg

I've never heard protein described as "efficient" 😳Please can you say what do you mean by that?

I think you probably mean one of two things - or both!

1. By weight or by volume, vegetable sources of protein have less protein in them than meat. 100g Chicken has ~30g protein, whereas 100g lentils have ~10g. The vegetarian sources tend to have more carbohydrates in them.

2. By amino acids, meat protein tends to contain more of the essential and non-essential amino acids that we need. Vegetable sources tend to be incomplete. The old school example used to be that if you were vegan, baked beans gave you some protein, but baked beans on wholemeal toast gave you a more complete range of amino acids.

It seems to have gone out of fashion to talk about amino acids so much.

Perhaps you mean the body doesn't absorb them as well? I'm not aware of that. I'm aware of vit D and iron not being so bioavailable in plant based sources (which are some of the reasons why I think my body tends to really want red meat just before I bleed).

As somebody who really likes beans and lentils, and would really like to be vegetarian if only her body didn't really seem to need red meat now and again, I try to remember how high in carbs beans and lentils are, and use them as both a protein and a carb source in my meals.

A musing from me on cravings - I don't fully trust my body on cravings, I really do seem to lack an off switch for the chocolate and cheese ones! But I do think some things I do crave based on need. I once got offered some almonds by a friend and promptly went on an almond obsession for a few weeks - nuts, nut butter, marzipan... I presume I must have needed the vitamin E. I purchased a largeish tub of almond butter and when I reached almost the bottom of it a week or two later, the obsession had gone and I haven't had it since. I do believe that was my body trying to fulfil a specific need.

Whilst I’m not veg or vegan, it is quite possible to eat a high protein diet without eating meat. From what I understand you just have to combine some plant based sources together if they’re not complete proteins, although there are lots of sources that are. As for the amount, just find what works for you. I find protein and fats keep me fuller for longer.
For example if I eat porridge for
breakfast I’m hungry and hour later, but something like Greek yogurt or eggs mean I’m fine until lunch. Whatever works for the individual.

@AlpineAnja You know protein isn't just in meat right

Thank you I was trying to get my head around this post

I disagree that protein makes you feel fuller. I've tried higher protein/lower carb and it nearly had me chewing my hands off with hunger. Horrible, I felt really sluggish and unable to concentrate on anything.

I suppose it depends who you mix with. My friends and I all just eat sensible, balanced diets and don’t get drawn into that.

I think the toxicity has been around for decades. I remember my nan, mum, aunt and all their friends constantly dieting and it was only about being thin, not a thought for nutrition, which I’d argue is more toxic than much of what we’re seeing now. A lot of us here were raised by parents who grew up with that so it’s no wonder that so many people were not shown how to eat properly. The rise of SM has given those people a place to talk, and cash in but the toxicity is not new, it just has a wider platform with SM.

At least it seems to be aimed at being healthy now, even if it gets obsessive and muddled. Even before the internet, there were plenty of faddy diets and they seemed to focus on just getting women to be thin or thinner. No mention of getting enough nutrients, just how to lose weight, even if it was living off cabbage soup.

No I am not talking about cutting carbs. I am talking about eating them!

I have only put on weight twice in my life. Both times was when I wasn’t eating carbs.

Carbs are essential in weight loss imo and no one talks about it.

I think that there’s still a lot of emphasis on protein and not much on fibre.
The daily recommended amount of fibre for an adult is 25-30g. Apparently the majority of adults in this country get around 12g.
I try to get a sufficient amount of both.

Plant proteins are perfectly acceptable as long as you have grains in your diet as well. Beans on toast, to take an obvious example, are a complete protein.

We don't need more protein, we need healthier and more sustainable sources of protein. Add in fibre, and pulses are pretty much a dream solution. They also improve the soil.

(I really love pulses)

I think for a long long time there has been too much emphasis put on protein, but really we need to be putting this energy into fibre consumption.

You asked whether people think the nutrients in a whole foods plant based diet are enough for the above groups without supplementation? People are going to tell you what they eat and if they felt ok whilst eating it due to you asking that question. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I get frequent mocking for being vegetarian from meat eaters who happily eat McDonalds and Dominos crap weekly if not more often.
It’s almost funny.

I was vegetarian from birth to age 16. From 16 onwards I’ve been vegan so about 30 years.

The only thing I’ve ever supplemented is B12.

I have never struggled to get enough protein. When I first went vegan, I made sure I was getting enough of everything, but now I’m so used to it that I don’t think about it. I eat lots of beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, fruit, veg.

I took part in a study back in my home country about vegan diets and nutrition and all my levels were good. I also have an annual health check when I go back home which includes things like omega 3 and I’ve always been fine.

There does seem to be a protein obsession at the moment. I think if you eat enough of a good variety of foods, you’re fine.

A lot of people seem to eat a lot of crap which is the biggest issue. It’s difficult to understand many people who do that when we know the potential consequences.

Influencers again, and marketing.

The obvious things are obvious, adequate (not tons of) vitamins, iron, protein, carbs, fibre, water. Few need an influencer to tell them this.

I’ve been veggie since my early teens, whilst I like cheese and consume yogurts/kefir plus the odd egg, most of my proteins are plant based, as in pulses, nuts and seeds, tofu, tempeh, combined with wholewheat cereals.

in my youth I practised a sport at a high level, never noticed a lack of energy compared to omnivores.

i’ve never lacked iron - in pregnancy it was the meat eaters who consumed little veg who had very low levels, one even ended up in hospital. My levels were fine.

i’ve recently been weight training and bulked up fairly easily, despite no change in my diet. My hair is still thick and my nails strong, so clearly no deficiency there and I’m on the cusp of 60.

So in conclusion you don’t need meat to meet your protein and iron needs, you just need to eat well, a little bit of everything and avoid processed shite. So many people latch on to fads without looking at the rest of their diet. And it’s usually the people with poor diets who feel the need to criticise vegetarians and vegans.