A well-planned vegetarian diet will provide you with all the nutrition you need, including your daily protein requirement. There are a few different types of vegetarian diets and meeting your protein needs will depend on which diet you follow. Whether vegan, lacto-ovo or lacto, there are plenty of nutritious protein choices that can help you meet your nutritional needs. MayoClinic.com recommends consulting your doctor to determine which vegetarian diet is right for you.
Dairy Products
Lacto-vegetarian diets include all dairy products. If you are a lacto-vegetarian you can meet many of your protein needs from milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products. Choose dairy products that are low in fat and high in protein, such as Greek yogurt, and keep your portion size small to avoid high-calorie meals and weight gain. MyPyramid.gov recommends lacto-vegetarians blend a small amount of dairy products with beans, lentils and rice to keep fat and calorie count low.
Eggs
Lacto-Ovo, or ovo-vegetarians diets include eggs. With more than 6g of protein, an egg provides one of the highest quality proteins you can consume. The yolk of an egg provides you with essential fatty acids that help brain function, metabolism and leucine, the amino acids that provides energy to your muscles, according to the February 2009 Eureka Alert Report. Eggs are low in calories and easy to add to any meal. Try adding chopped boiled eggs to your salads, vegetables and brown rice to increase your protein intake.
Soy
Soy-based products are a good protein choice for any type of vegetarian diet, including vegans. Soy is a plant native to Asia that is a member of the pea family. Soy contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete dietary protein choice. Because soy is available in many forms, there are many ways to add it to your diet. The purest form of soy is the edamame bean, which you can steam and eat alone or add to salad, rice bowls or vegetable dishes. Tofu is soy that has been processed and is easily added to vegetable and rice dishes. There are also soy-based products, such as burgers and cheeses. When adding soy-based products to your diet, watch the calorie count, as many of these products are high in calories and fat.
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