High-protein Vegetarian Foods List

Vegetarian diets do not lack sufficient protein, especially if vegetarians eat a variety of foods. The Vegetarian Society says women, unless they are pregnant or nursing, need about 45 g of protein per day and men need about 55 g. What they eat depends on the type of vegetarian diet they follow. The vegan's diet consists only of plant-based foods; lacto vegetarians eat foods of plant origin plus some dairy products; lacto-ovo vegetarians eat plant-based foods, plus dairy products and eggs. All balanced vegetarian diets contain all the foods necessary to reach an optimal daily-recommended protein requirement

Legumes

Legumes, also known as dried beans, are edible seeds enclosed in pods. This easy-to-grow, inexpensive protein source has been a mainstay of many diets throughout the world for thousands of years.

The Savvy Vegetarian's plant food protein chart shows that cooked lentils, mung beans, chick peas, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, black beans, pinto beans, fava beans and soy beans contain more than 12 g of protein per one cup serving. Foods such as miso and tempeh -- fermented soybeans -- and tofu, all made with legumes, are also high protein vegetarian options.

According to the Peanut Institute, the peanut is a legume, not a nut, and while peanuts are a popular source of protein, they are not particularly protein-rich when compared to other legumes.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds have been important sources of nutrition in many cultures for thousands of years. A nut is a fruit with a hard shell that encloses a kernel that is also called a nut. Some high-protein nuts and seeds are pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios and almonds, followed by cashews, chestnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts and pine nuts.

Eggs

For lacto-ovo vegetarians, eggs provide a protein- and nutrient-rich source of energy, as well as B vitamins and vitamin D. The quality of egg protein is so high that scientists use eggs as the standard for evaluating protein quality in other foods. In 2009, Donald K. Layman, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, published an article in "Nutrition Today," reviewing recent research on egg protein. According to PhysOrg.com, this research determined protein in eggs provides all essential amino acids necessary for maintaining human muscles. Eggs are especially beneficial if eaten for breakfast, and people do not need to eat a large quantity of eggs to meet their protein needs.

Seitan

In a Vegetarian Resource Group article "Seitan: the Vegetarian Wheat Meat," by registered dietitian, Jill Nussinow, M.S., describes seitan as being derived from the protein part of wheat. Historically, seitan, prepared from scratch using whole-wheat flour, has been a protein source in Asian cooking for hundreds of years. To create seitan, protein or gluten from wheat is simmered in a soy sauce flavored broth until it is firm enough to slice, sauté, stir-fry, dice for stews, soups or casseroles, or form into meat-like foods. People allergic or sensitive to wheat or wheat gluten should not eat seitan.

(reference 5
http://www.vrg.org/recipes/vjseitan.htm)