If you are a vegan.....(some questions for you!)

[NewUser2022]

How do you get enough protein?

I am not a vegan and don't want to be, although I do eat vegetarian or vegan a couple of days a week, and was a full-blown vegetarian for a few years when I was a lot younger.

I've some lovely vegan cookbooks but what hits me is that unless you are eating lots of beans then it is actually very hard to get good quality protein (and also the protein from plants is very different to that of meat or fish.)

I appreciate that there are plants and grains that have protein but they tend to be very carb-heavy (yes, even complex and unrefined carbs.)

Genuinely, and I don' t want to cause a row, how do you eat healthily if you are a vegan?

most people think humans need more protein than they actually do. there is protein in most things, so if you eat a balanced (plant based) diet then you'd likely get enough protein. I've been mostly plant based (no meat, occasional cheese) for 4 or 5 years now, had one baby, breastfed him for 2 years and counting, and currently pregnant too, and have no health issues other than hypothyroidism. DH is plant based and cycles to a fairly high level, and his health has improved as less flare-ups of ulcerative colitis. He is very muscley too so obviously doesn't struggle with protein!

The film "Gamechangers" might help you. maybe also "forks over knives"

My understanding, having done a course in nutrition, is that it's roughly 1gm per kilo body weight. So for me, that would be around 50gms a day.

That's a hell of a lot of beans, lentils, mushrooms, rice, and cereals.

It's also nigh impossible to get 800- 1000mgs calcium per day and a lot of drs are very worried about early osteoporosis in vegans.

Agree with PP, most people think they need more protein than they actually do. A balanced plant based diet will give you more than enough. I don't know why omnivores have such an obsession over it.

The animals that humans eat - cows, pigs and chickens - they get their protein from plants. I'm just cutting out the 'middle man'!

What’s wrong with eating lots of beans, lentils and cereals?

Sample ideas:

Tofu veg stir fry
8g in 100g tofu (76 calories) (350mg calcium)
3g in 100g broccoli (31 calories) (47mg calcium)
5.4g in 100g peas (84 calories) (25mg calcium)
3g in 100g bean sprouts (30 calories) (32mg calcium)
8.7g in 30g Almonds (188 calories) (80mg calcium)
2.6g in 100g brown rice (111 calories) (10mg calcium)
2.1g in 100g black bean sauce (102 calories)(23mg calcium)
Total 622 calories, 32.8g protein, 567mg calcium

Lentil soup
12g in 50g red lentils (166 calories)(28mg calcium)
1.9g in 100g potatoes (87 calories) (12mg calcium)
1.9g in 100g kale (27 calories) (150mg calcium)
1.1g in 100g onion (40 calories) (23mg calcium)
120 calories in tbsp vegetable oil
16 calories in 200ml vegetable oil
Spices/ salt/ pepper
5g in slice seeded bread (70 calories) (23.1mg calcium)
Total 526 calories, 21.9g protein, 283mg calcium

Lunch and dinner of 54.7g protein and 850mg calcium and you still have breakfast. This is just one example there are lots of mix and match that can be done, but generally lots of green veg, decent amount of beans, lentils or tofu and some nuts and seeds will get you there.

That should be 200ml vegetable stock not oil.

there is also protein in vegetables and milks.

we eat tofu regularly which is good for calcium and drink/eat calcium fortified milk and yoghurt. also some seedy breads have calcium in.

Have you ever heard of anyone suffering from a protein deficiency? No. Humans need a lot less protein that the meat industry would have us believe. I mean, elephants, cows, etc... where do they get THEIR protein from? And they're massive!!!

if doctors are worried about vegans, surely they should be worried about dairy allergic and intolerant people too? and I think that in countries with low dairy intake, there are low incidences of osteoporosis. its higher in the western world, where dairy intake is higher.

I'm fairly sure you need 0.8g of protein per kilo of body weight - here is a source.

www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-per-day#the-basics

As for quality, animal protein is easier as it has all 9 essential amino acids already. It's perfectly feasible to get the right spread with plant protein too though.

The animals that humans eat - cows, pigs and chickens - they get their protein from plants. I'm just cutting out the 'middle man'!

I'm not sure that's quite how it works - for starters, doesn't a cow have 4 stomachs? Our digestive systems are different from other animals. Lions manage to get everything they need from only eating meat.

I am not able to eat lots of food due to having had a lot of my stomach removed. I have to take vets and minerals anyway. I would even if I was an omnivore and I literally cannot eat enough to get enough protein so I supplement with vegan protein powder. But this would be a problem regardless of what I ate.

It’s difficult but not impossible. Doctors are worried because most people don’t have the time/ability to do it properly and don’t properly change their diets. The fake meat has lots in now.

The big issue in the western world is not lack of protein but lack of fibre. Very poor fibre levels hence high bowel cancer rates. We tend to overdo it on protein generally. I agree calcium is more of a concern.

I do think that humans can get enough protein from plants by the way, if they eat the right stuff.

But the 'cow and elephants get all their protein from just eating plants so, as a human, I can easily do this too' is a bit of a crap argument.

@Omicrone

The animals that humans eat - cows, pigs and chickens - they get their protein from plants. I'm just cutting out the 'middle man'!

I'm not sure that's quite how it works - for starters, doesn't a cow have 4 stomachs? Our digestive systems are different from other animals. Lions manage to get everything they need from only eating meat.

No probably not - I am certainly no expert on animals' digestive systems 😂

When I was calorie counting I looked at my macros out of interest and always hit above 50g protein without even trying.
Breakfast includes brown bread and peanut butter
Lunch always includes beans, tofu or some other pulse. Either in the form of a soup, bean burger or salad.
Dinner usually includes similar.
I like vegan protein sources. I love tofu and eat it pretty much every day. I like veggie sausages and bean burgers. I enjoy lentil soups, curries, hearty stews with beans etc. - that's my kind of food. Eating enough protein as a vegan isn't a problem if you like that kind of food. And if you don't, mock meats are a good solution.

It is a great question though, op. I dont think a vegan has ever been asked before how they get their protein.

@FallonCarringtonWannabe

It is a great question though, op. I dont think a vegan has ever been asked before how they get their protein.

@FallonCarringtonWannabe 🤣

@FallonCarringtonWannabe

It is a great question though, op. I dont think a vegan has ever been asked before how they get their protein.

Are you always so unpleasant @FallonCarringtonWannabe when someone asks a genuine question?

You may have come across the question before but it wasn't me asking it.

@kikisparks

What’s wrong with eating lots of beans, lentils and cereals?

Sample ideas:

Tofu veg stir fry
8g in 100g tofu (76 calories) (350mg calcium)
3g in 100g broccoli (31 calories) (47mg calcium)
5.4g in 100g peas (84 calories) (25mg calcium)
3g in 100g bean sprouts (30 calories) (32mg calcium)
8.7g in 30g Almonds (188 calories) (80mg calcium)
2.6g in 100g brown rice (111 calories) (10mg calcium)
2.1g in 100g black bean sauce (102 calories)(23mg calcium)
Total 622 calories, 32.8g protein, 567mg calcium

Lentil soup
12g in 50g red lentils (166 calories)(28mg calcium)
1.9g in 100g potatoes (87 calories) (12mg calcium)
1.9g in 100g kale (27 calories) (150mg calcium)
1.1g in 100g onion (40 calories) (23mg calcium)
120 calories in tbsp vegetable oil
16 calories in 200ml vegetable oil
Spices/ salt/ pepper
5g in slice seeded bread (70 calories) (23.1mg calcium)
Total 526 calories, 21.9g protein, 283mg calcium

Lunch and dinner of 54.7g protein and 850mg calcium and you still have breakfast. This is just one example there are lots of mix and match that can be done, but generally lots of green veg, decent amount of beans, lentils or tofu and some nuts and seeds will get you there.

I simply couldn't eat that amount of pulses etc.

I poo 3 x a day on the fibre intake I have already which is anything from 5-8 portions a day incl all fruit and veg. Too many beans basically do my guts in. Pain and diarrhea.

They are also massive portions. No one (well, me) would eat 100mgs black bean sauce. I use a tablespoon in stir fry. Likewise 100gms bean sprouts. And 100gms kale.

It's easy to list all of these foods but in reality I eat nothing like those quantities.

The only time I ate tofu I was violently sick all night.

@NewUser2022

My understanding, having done a course in nutrition, is that it's roughly 1gm per kilo body weight. So for me, that would be around 50gms a day.

That's a hell of a lot of beans, lentils, mushrooms, rice, and cereals.

It's also nigh impossible to get 800- 1000mgs calcium per day and a lot of drs are very worried about early osteoporosis in vegans.

As far as meat goes I'd say eating very little would make the most sense as most primates eat mainly plant based. Dairy however makes no sense at all. How is it possible that as mammals we cannot meet out nutritional needs without continuing consuming milk after weening off .And not our mothers milk either...some other species.No other animal does this.

@kikisparks
Vegans being asked where they get their protein from is a huge cliché
Good for you for having a tiny bird appetite and sorry for your sensitive bowels. Since nobody is asking you to go vegan or eat as many pulses as we do I'm not sure why you needed to share that. If you don't want to be vegan what's the point of this thread exactly?

If you’re not a vegan and don’t want to be one, why do you care?

If you're sick on tofu and find beans stress your system then you could well have a legume allergy. It's very common. My DC both have it and it makes going vegan impossible.