Dehydrated Vegetable Protein

You need protein. So what do you do if you have had your fill of egg whites, tuna and chicken breast? You turn to dehydrated vegetable protein, of course. You may even have already enjoyed textured vegetable protein, or TVP, in meat substitutes such as vegetable burgers and vegetarian versions of beef, poultry and sausage. Other dehydrated vegetable proteins include those from finely pulverized nuts and legumes, which are used in protein powders.

TVP

Mother Nature defines TVP as a dehydrated meat alternative derived from the processing of soy flour proteins. As chunks or granules, flavored or unflavored, TVP always needs rehydrating, but because it keeps well when dry -- up to six months -- it is best not to rehydrate it until soon before use, because once hydrated it lasts only five days. Mother Nature mentions that many preparations of TVP incorporate salt, spices or other ingredients, so you should always read the package's ingredient list for specific information. TVP has 15 g protein per ounce, higher than tuna's 7 g per oz, or fat-free ricotta cheese's 2.5 g. TVP also provides 80 calories, 5 g carbohydrate, 0.3 g fat, 6 g fiber and 10 mg iron.

Vegetable Protein Powder

If you are allergic to soy or just not that big a fan of it, other dehydrated vegetable proteins can combine for the full array of amino acids. Protein from dehydrated peas, corn and potatoes is found in several commercially available powders that also contain protein from grains such as barley and oats. A representative sample of 100% Soy-Free Vegetable Protein from Vitamin Shoppe contains 22 g protein per ounce -- higher even than TVP's protein content -- 100 calories, 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g fat, 1 g fiber and approximately 1 g iron.

Recipes with TVP

A vegetarian chili from No Meat Athlete shows how TVP protein can become the standard "meat" for vegetarian versions of popular entrees. In this case, TVP co-stars with black beans and cheese, and so does not provide the only protein. A protein "cocktail" from Veg Web does a stand-up job at imitating a fruit soup, with a foundation of ground-style TVP and soy yogurt.

Uses for Vegetable Protein Powder

As supplements, vegetable-based protein powders have a variety of applications. Stirred into flavored yogurt or ice cream, sprinkled on top of cereal, incorporated into baked-goods recipes, added to soups or simply reconstituted with water and honey to form a protein-rich spread for bread or toast, these powders pack a whole lot of protein into very little space.

Protein-Related Cautions

Meat eaters benefit from including vegetable-sourced proteins in their diet, one reason being animal protein tends to work the kidneys very hard, according to Soy Connection. However, soy itself, though a wholly plant-based source of complete protein, mimics the female sex hormone estrogen and has raised some concern about soy's cumulative effects on thyroid function and breast cancer, as reported by Thyroid Info. Mother Nature laments that TVP has minimal phytoestrogen qualities -- but perhaps that is in TVP's favor. Health Recipes cautions that most of us eat far too much protein anyway, and that high-protein diets accelerate aging. There's no harm in at least considering these notions while exploring TVP's benefits.