Vegetarian's and high protein diets?

W

winsomehill

Cathlete
Are there any vegetarians out there who have tried or a currently on a high protein diet? I tried BFL, and found it so difficult. I ate cottage cheese about six times a day and I lasted about a week. it was just so difficult, for me anyway. I would like to know what other people's experiences have been.
Heather
 
I am a vegetarian but i do eat eggs. I eat alot of cottage cheese and alot of garderburger products. Also tofu.
The gardenburgers come in a variety of flavors so i will even chop them up and mix them in soups, omelettes, on pizzas, etc....
I know it is a matter of being creative. It's alot easier to be a carbohydrate addict on a vegetarian diet!!

I'm pretty sure if you wanted to go high protein you would be best to add some protein drinks to your diet. I never liked "drinking" a meal. I like to eat too much LOL
 
I've been a vegetarian for most of my life and so have always been looking for ways to sneak protein into my diet. Beans/lentils are great, but really only go so far, and although high in fiber can have uncomfortable side effects at first. Whenever I bake or make pizza crust I add soy flour because of its high protein content, just swap out about 1/4 of a cup for each cup of regular flour used. I also rely a lot on nuts and nut butters. I don't really like eggs and I have egg whites, but whenever I use eggs I go for those fortified with Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Eggland's Best usually. I do eat cottage cheese, but I mix it with fruit, I'm not on a low carb diet, but want more protein in my diet in order to build muscle. You might also try adding protein powders to things like yogurt, oatmeal, or a small smoothie (as a snack, not a meal, I also never wanted to drink my meals, I feel cheated and will just eat more later). Remember, as a vegetarian, you need to think in terms of not just total protein, but complete protein.
 
As a fairly new vegan just for the last 6 months....tell me as I am curious....how much protein do you think you need, and why???....:)...Carole
 
One of the best sources that I have found regarding the necessary amount of protein for vegan women is http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
They provide you with a formula for protein recommendation based on your weight, it also gives you a great list of various sources/amounts of protein in foods. It does not, however take into account activity level, but Rice University has a link to one which gives you a weight based formula in conjunction with activity level
http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/caryn/protein.html

Sedentary adult 0.4
Active adult 0.4-0.6
Growing athlete 0.6-0.9
Adult building muscle mass 0.6-0.9
taken from Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook For a 150 pound male triathlete, 0.6 for a total of 90 grams of protein per day. For a 115 pound female high school track runner, 0.7 for a total of 80.5 grams of protein per day.
The RDA for female vegans is approximately 50-63 grams per day.

There used to be a lot of emphasis on protein combining in order to get a complete protein (plant proteins can be combined to include all of the essential amino acids and form a complete protein. Examples of combined, complete plant proteins are rice and beans, milk and wheat cereal, and corn and beans), however, most sources will now tell you that so long as you eat adequate calories and a balanced diet you can ignore the idea of protein complementarity. Just make sure you are eating a variety of protein sources and you shouldn't have to worry.
I hope this helps, I know it's long, but it's worth it not to have to eat a bucket of cottage cheese everyday:+ Let me know if you have any other questions
 
I have read that the aamount of protein we need each day roughly translates as half of our body weights in protein grams. So, I weigh 128 pounds, so I need 64 grams of protein per day. Heaven alone knows if I ever achieve that much, as a vegetarian myself. I find it imposible to really calculate protin grams. I just try to have protein serving with every meal and at least one protein bar per day. My weight has stayed the same for the laast 6 years I think. I eat cheddar cheese (never cottage cheese, YUCK!), 2 eggs nearly every day, yoghurt, sardines, salmon, beans, lentils every day in soup, and then there are amounts of protein in the milk I drink and the bread I eat and the veggies and fruit. Who can add it all up?

Clare
 
I don't keep strict count of how much protein I have per day, but I do try to eat one food that has about 20 grams of protein in at each of my three main meals. Anything beyond that, I don't calculate, but I get at least 10 gm. throughout the day in my other foods, meals and snacks.

And Clare, though I agree with you on many things, I don't agree that people who eat fish and/or poultry should call themselves vegetarians (the fault of some dude in the '80's coming up with the terms "pesco-vegetarian" and "pollo-vegetarian" to refer to "almost-vegetarians." As much vegetarian as a "bovi-vegetarian," "porci-vegetarian" or even...don't accept his/her offer to "have you for dinner"..and "anthropovegetarian"!)
 
Carole,
I was a vegan for a few years a long time ago, I hope it's going alright for you. I have been a vegetarian ever since I was 11 and I'm 31 now, so it's not new for me or anything. I eat dairy, but not eggs, no fish or poultry or gelatin. I tried the Body For Life diet thing, and I found it so difficult. Beans are considered a carb not a protein on his diet. Seitan also a carb, which makes since but it's just one more thing off limits. The diet has you eat a protein with every carb, so lots of protein. I found it really challenging, and did not last long. In general, I try to stick to the 40 carb 30 protein 30 fat ratio. I keep track of it on the www.fitday.com site. I use this ratio, because it was suggested to me as a way to help build muscle. I do drink shakes, I use the spirutein with silk vanilla soy milk, and I think they're yummy. But, I take breaks and change things around. I found after a while of having shakes every day my body's digestion just slowed down a bit. So, I feel better if I have variation. I've also heard that for the same reason we switch our workouts around to avoid plato's switching our diet around is good too. How are you doing on your vegan diet?
Heather
 
Thanks saia11 for the info and the sites! I know I didn't start this thread but I do appreciate all the responses to my question...:)

Heather....my Vegan diet is going very well. I do on occasion have whey protein powder but other than that I am totally Vegan. The reason I asked the question is because I used to be on the Zone diet and thought you needed to eat at least your body weight in protein, of course I don't believe that anymore. I got good results doing the Zone as far as muscle definition, but I got great results when I switched to Vegan as far as definition and even fat loss. I read "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman and thats what got me started on the Vegan route. I used Fitday.com and usually had about 60-80 grams of protein daily...most coming from my food which is how I wanted it. It was so ingrained in my head from the Zone that you needed more protein not taking into consideration the possible danger to your body by eating too much protein! I do of course think differently now. I also don't worry about how much protein anymore!!I am a true believer with my own experience that my weight gain came from animal protein therefore animal fat. I know all our bodies react differently to different diets and exercise so it seems to be all about finding what works for you!

I have gotten alot of helpful tips from the Vegans and Vegetarians on this board. I have also gotten many recipes and info from www.vegsource.com . Thanks for asking...:)...Carole
 
Seitan also a carb, which makes since but it's just one
>more thing off limits.

Seitan a carb? It's about 70% protein, so that makes no sense whatsoever (it is from wheat flour, but the gluten or protein-containing part of the wheat).
 
Kathryn...I haven't tried Seitan yet but plan to and I have found a few recipes. Do you have any recipes that you have tried and like?...:)...Carole
 
Considering I eat fish less than once per month, and usually when invited out to dinner at restaurants by others, my definition of myself as vegetarian works extremely well, as it has done so for the last 24 years. People become vegetarian for many different reasons. As far as I am concerned, sacrificing land (which can feed the many) to fatten cattle in the Amazon (which feeds only the few for 99 cents per shot a hamburger) is a pretty compelling reason.

Clare
 
I have a recipe for seitan bourgignon that I like. I'll get back to you when I find it!

I also like to just sauté some onions and red bell peppers in mirin (japanese cooking wine) or cooking sherry with a bit of olive oil, then add slices of seitan once the onion is soft. I throw in whatever spices I feel like that day (thyme works well), sometimes just pepper. I usually eat this as is, but you could use it as a wrap filling.

I also have chopped up seitan and thrown it in chili recipes.

YOu can also use it as a beef substitute in regular stroganof recipes or beef bourgignon recipes.

I also use it with those Green Giant veggie mixes and sauces that you just add meat to (though they've done away with some of those, and/or added meat already, and some have animal products in the sauces. I think some of the chinese meal mixes are still vegan.)
 
veg*e*tar*i*an
1. a person who does not eat or does not believe in eating meat, fish, fowl, or, in some cases, any food derived from animals. - adj
2. of or pertaining to vegetarianism or vegetarians.
3. consisting solely of vegetables.
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
 
Thanks Kathryn for all the ideas! I do have some mirin. I also bought some seitan today and one of the recipes I found was a stroganoff one...I really am having a great time with all these new vegan things to try...:)...Carole
 
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