Protein!

[tiredhadenough]

People bang on about getting enough protein and since becoming a vegetarian I am actually worried if I'm not getting enough.

Some days are fine as I cook with lentils and beans etc but some days I'm not so sure.

Is there anything easy to slip into my diet. I did wonder about eating meat once a week but the thought makes me want to be sick

If you are vegetarian rather than vegan then eggs, cheese, other dairy products. Things like Greek yogurt are high in protein. Also whole grains contain protein. Tempeh, tofu, nuts and seeds.

A portion of peas have 5g of protein and they are very easy to add to a meal.
Spirulina (I don’t like it myself) is good for adding to smoothies.
You don’t need to eat meat once a week.

Protein shakes? I’m not vegetarian but I have a protein shake for breakfast each morning which fills me up

I'm vegan and I add pea protein powder to veggie smoothies. I also eat nuts, beans and lentils. I can't eat tofu though.

Thank you! I really don't want to eat meat. Despite the ethical dilemma it really turns my stomach now.

I had been reducing meat content to a couple of times a week but for the past year I've not eaten any. I do not miss it at all!

I'm a bit scared of these but may be something to look in to. I think it doesn't help that you have to buy huge tubs of the stuff!

I think you'll be fine if you're still eating dairy and eggs.

I eat mostly plant based and log all my food on Nutracheck as im trying to lose a few pounds. There are days when I don't hit my protein, I find it tough.

A few things I've found that help-

• eating wholemeal bread and pasta
• adding flaxseed or chia seeds to my porridge
• eating A LOT of tofu 😂

Also I made a Dal the other day and it only had 7g of protein in! I thought it would be packed as it's made from lentils.

Scared of a protein shake? They are not going to mug you! Vegetarian ones are available.

tofu, red lentils (dahl etc), nut butter of any kind - stir into porridge, eat on toast etc.

I would log everything you eat before adding in protein shakes or anything else. The average person in the uk eats double the recommended intake of protein and too much is bad for your kidneys.

As others have said, if you are vegetarian rather than vegan it is a lot easier to get enough protein, I'm vegetarian and have geeek yoghurt with fruit and seeds with a spoonful of honey for breakfast every morning.

For lunch in winter time I usually have homemade vegetable soup which often (not always) includes some beans or pulses with whole meal toast. Summer lunch might be crackers, cheese & chutney or a salad with walnuts & beetroot.

Evening meal varies quite a bit but if I am preparing something meaty for the rest of the family I might do something with an egg for myself as B vitamins quite difficult to get in a vegetarian diet.

I'm vegetarian and I don't worry at all about protein intake. Some days I use tofu/beans/lentils/eggs and others I just have a vegetable based meal. Most people in western countries are eating much protein rather than too little.

I make granola with oats, nuts, seeds and with Greek yogurt has about 10g protein based on my quick calculations.

Have a look on the tesco website for example, you'll find lots of granola bars, drinks, bars etc fortified with protein. Buy a small amount to see if you like them. I drink a protein breakfast drink in the morning and have a protein fibre one bar in the afternoon.

If you got to Myprotein.com and type in samples, you can buy individual samples of different kinds. I drink the whey protein shakes because they fill me up but you can buy clear whey which is more like squash but still has 20g protein per serving. They’re quite refreshing and lots of different flavours.

Eggs? Nuts?

A high protein yogurt contains 20g protein that a veggie chill con carne (or similar) and you will be getting enough protein.

Mumsnet is obsessed with protein - however the UK is not awash with people suffering from protein deficiency, even vegetarians.

If anything you need to think about B12 and iron.

I've been vegetarian for nearly half a century, and have never once worried about protein. Eat a varied diet and you'll be fine.

🤣🤣 silly isn't it I know! I think it's because I don't know what's in the powder 🤷🏼‍♀️.

@Guardiansofthegalaxi thanks, I'll take a look

I think maybe I'm feeling rundown at the moment and just wondered if there was a link. Probably overthinking on my part!

I'm vegetarian and don't have eggs or milk really. I've had bariatric surgery so need to focus on protein. The powder shakes are horrible. You can maybe get away with adding flavourless powder to food like soup or curry. But don't do the shakes. There's tons of ready made shakes in the supermarket though. Try those first.

What are you eating except pulses? Tofu, quorn or similar meat replacement are good.

I also eat load of protein yoghurts. But watch out for things like this not actually being vegetarian.

If you're feeling run down it's likely that you are deficient in trace minerals or vitamins Our bodies are very sensitive to imbalances even slight ones. If you consume pulses with cereal based products you will be getting all the protein you need. It would be very hard to be deficient in that.

I forgot to mention earlier, nutritional yeast is fantastic for protein. 50g per 100g. You can add it to so many things - I always sprinkle it on pasta, soup, beans... it's also lovely mixed into mashed potato.

I'm vegan, and I get my protein advice here - check out the transcript button and all the associated 5 minute videos on protein:

nutritionfacts.org/video/the-great-protein-fiasco/