It's a common misconception that a vegetarian diet leaves you vulnerable to protein deficiency. Protein deficiencies are associated more with malnutrition due to poverty than with vegetarian diets. It's important to maintain the appropriate levels of protein consumption, as protein deficiencies can cause liver damage, inflammation of the skin and anemia. Fortunately, a vegetarian diet can be just as rich in protein as one that includes meat.
Types of Vegetarian Diet
There are several degrees of vegetarianism. An ovo-vegetarian includes eggs and plant-based foods in the diet. A lacto-vegetarian eats dairy products and plant-based foods. A lacto-ovo vegetarian eats both eggs and dairy products, as well as plant-based foods. A vegetarian diet that includes dairy products or eggs can easily support your body's need for protein.
Vegans are the strictest of vegetarians. They consume no milk, dairy or other animal-based food sources. Some devout vegans even eschew honey, because it is derived from insects. Even vegans, however, can obtain plenty of protein when they make the right plant-based food choices.
Plants and Protein
The realm of plant-based foods offers a cornucopia of options for obtaining protein. Nuts, beans, peas and soy products are all rich sources of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Twenty amino acids are used by your body to create protein. Meats contain complete protein. Plant-based foods contain varying concentrations of different amino acids, or incomplete protein, that form complete protein when combined. Complementary proteins are foods that are incomplete proteins by themselves but, when combined, include all 20 amino acids.
Food Combining
Although it was once believed that you had to combine certain plant-based foods at each meal to derive complete proteins from them, this is now known to be a myth. According to the Centers for Disease Control, eating foods containing complementary amino acids during the same 24-hour period, rather than at the same meal, is sufficient for obtaining enough protein from a vegetarian diet.
Daily Protein Recommendations
Everyone requires approximately the same amount of daily protein for their gender and age group, regardless of whether they eat meat. Your protein needs grow as you do. A child's protein requirements grow from 13 g per day at age 1 to 34 g per day at age 13. Females 14 years and older require 46 g of protein daily. Boys 14 through 18 years require 52 g, and men need 56 g.
Determining Protein Content
If you're wondering how much vegetarian food you have to eat to obtain enough protein, you can use the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Nutrient Database to research the protein content of various foods. This online resource reveals the nutritional content of thousands of types of food, with details regarding protein content, as well as fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
References
- Vegetarian Resource Group: Most Frequently Asked Questions
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Nutrition for Everyone: Basics: Protein
- USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion; Vegetarians: 10 Tips for Following a Vegetarian Diet
- Cornell University: Effects of Protein Deficiency in Humans
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