People tend to think of meats when they think about sources of protein, but protein can actually be found in a variety of foods. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is important for vegetarians to consume five daily servings of protein-rich foods. Vegetarians should consume various forms of protein throughout the day to obtain essential amino acids.
Basics
The intake of protein helps with muscle building and energy. Proteins a person consumes are digested and broken down by the body to form amino acids that are then used to replace the proteins found in cells, tissues and organs throughout the body, according to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention.
Considerations
When determining sources of protein for vegetarian diets, it may be important to understand the differences between complete proteins and incomplete proteins. The CDC reports that complete proteins are protein sources that contain all of the essential amino acids, and incomplete protein sources contain lower rates of one or more of the essential amino acids. Sources of complete proteins are found in animal-based products, and incomplete proteins can be found in a variety of plant-based products.
Amount
There are recommendations on the amounts of protein a person should consume each day. According to the CDC, 10 to 35 percent of daily calories should be obtained from protein. Women should eat about 46g of protein each day, and men should eat 56g daily. The rates of protein for child and adolescents vary by age group.
Type
Sources of animal-based proteins for vegetarians can come from eggs, milk and vegetarian cheeses. Vegetarians can also gain protein from plant-based foods such as beans, nuts, soy products, peanut butter, whole-grain pastas and some vegetables, such as spinach. Soy products to look for include soy milk, soy yogurt, soy cheese, soy meats, tofu and tempeh. There are many substitution meat products that can be found in grocery stores. Meats protects that generally have a vegetarian substitute include ground beef, chicken, turkey, hot dogs, burgers, sausage, bacon and ham.
Practical Application
To include vegetarian food sources in a daily routine will mean building meals around these protein sources. MyPyramid.gov recommends that the majority of meals be based around low-fat sources of proteins, such as beans and lentils, avoiding often-used high-fat protein sources, such as cheese. Also, taking recipes in which meat is generally used and substituting the meat with a vegetarian meat alternative can ensure that the intake of protein is maintained in a vegetarian diet and the person still gets to eat the meals she enjoys.
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