How A Vegetarian Eats Protein

One concern for those choosing a vegetarian diet is how to get the proper nutrients, including protein. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that an average person consume approximately 5 oz. of food from the meat and bean category to get enough protein. A variety of options can supply vegetarians with enough protein.

Beans

Beans, or legumes, and lentils provide many of the essential amino acids needed to maintain health. Choose from a diverse assortment of options: lentils, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, soy beans and garbanzo beans are just a few. Beans can be incorporated into main dishes as a stew, for example, or in side dishes such as bean salads. Soy beans are used to make tofu and other meat alternatives.

Whole Grains

Grains are low-fat, high-energy sources of protein. Choose whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat and bulgar. Whole grains can be eaten in breads, pastas, cereals and salads.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts are available in a number of forms: raw, roasted and as a butter. Nuts are good eaten as a snack, in breads and cereals and in sandwiches as nut butter. The USDA recommends choosing sunflower seeds, almonds and hazelnuts for their high vitamin E content. Due to the high fat and calorie content of nuts, you should combined them with other low-fat protein sources.

Dairy and Eggs

Protein can be obtained from dairy products such as cheese, yogurt and milk as well as from eggs. Include dairy and eggs in sandwiches, side dishes and main dishes. When choosing dairy and eggs as protein sources, remember the potential to consume too many calories and too much fat.

Faux Meats

Faux meats may be made from any combination of the protein sources. They are designed to replace meat and add variety to vegetarian diets. Vegetarian meat substitutes come in the form of sandwich slices, sausage links, bacon strips and loafs.