Whether or not you're following a vegetarian diet, the percentage of your daily calories from protein should be similar to general dietary guidelines provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The type of protein you consume is important as well. To help ensure your body is getting sufficient amounts of high-quality protein, consume foods that contain all of the essential amino acids.
Types of Protein
Complete proteins contain all of the essential amino acids the human body requires to properly utilize and synthesize proteins. Complete proteins may be harder for vegetarians, especially vegans, to consume since they are mainly found in animal food products. Soy protein is the only plant-based food that provides a complete protein, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Incomplete plant-based proteins lack certain essential amino acids. When carefully planning a vegetarian diet, incomplete proteins must be paired with complementary proteins to help form complete proteins.
Vegetarian Protein Sources
Other plant-based protein foods include legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Eggs are a good source of complete protein for lacto-ovo vegetarians who consume eggs in addition to plant-based foods. Milk and other dairy products such as cheese and yogurt are excellent sources of complete proteins for lacto-vegetarians who consume dairy products in addition to plant-based foods. Pairing two plant-based foods such as red beans and rice or peanut butter and whole grain bread can form a complete protein.
General Guidelines
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 provide recommendations for percentages of daily calories that should come from protein. These recommendations apply to carefully planned vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. Based on these dietary guidelines, the recommended percentage of calories from protein is 5 to 20 percent for children ages 1 to 3; 10 to 30 percent for children ages 4 to 18; and 10 percent to 35 percent for adults ages 19 and up. Protein provides 4 calories per gram. Using a 2,000-calorie meal plan as an example, 15 percent of calories from protein would include 300 calories from protein, or 75 g of protein per day.
Sports Nutrition
Although protein requirements for athletes are slightly different than for sedentary individuals, general requirements are the same. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, a sports nutrition diet for athletes consists of 12 to 15 percent of daily calories from protein, 60 to 70 percent from carbohydrates and 20 to 30 percent of daily calories from fat. If you are an athlete following a vegetarian sports nutrition diet, it's especially important to consume mainly complete proteins.
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