Protein is an important part of a balanced diet. Vegetarians looking for a high-protein diet usually find that they do not have many options. While 3 oz. of tuna has 22 g of protein, 1/2 cup of tofu has only 9 g. With statistics like this, many people think it is nearly impossible to have a vegetarian diet that is high in protein, but that is not true.
Vegetarian Myth
Most people -- 97.5 percent-- only need 0.8 g of protein per kilogram -- 2.2 lbs.-- of their body weight to fulfill their daily protein requirement. This is not a high requirement and may be fulfilled quite easily, even on a vegetarian diet. Many vegetarian foods are rich in protein. Proteins from vegetarian sources are considered healthy, and it may not be necessary to include animal foods in your diet to fulfill your protein needs.
Foods
The variety of protein-rich vegetarian cuisine is rather extensive. If you are looking for a high-protein vegetarian diet, consider adding to your diet foods such as cottage cheese, almond butter, chickpeas, muesli, edamame, miso, tempeh, quinoa, spirulina and seitan. Legumes, nuts and seeds, dairy products and soy products are other vegetarian options that are high in protein.
Benefits
In 2009, the New York Times ran a feature that compared vegetarian diets and non-vegetarian diets. In the article Dr. Katherine R. Tuttle, medical and scientific director of the Providence Medical Research Center at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Washington, states that vegetarian diets that are high in protein may be healthier than animal-based, non-vegetarian diets that are high in protein.
Non-vegetarian Diet
The findings in a study by the Harvard School of Public Health may support the notion that high-protein vegetarian diets are healthier than high-protein meat diets. The study states that a steak may give 38 g worth of protein but will also bring along 44 g of fat -- 6 g of which are saturated -- while a cup of cooked lentils will offer 18 g of protein and less than 1 g of fat. The study states that even though meat products may offer more protein than vegetarian options, a vegetarian diet may be preferable because it is lower in fat, but you can still get plenty of protein from it if you consume protein rich vegetarian foods. Consult your doctor before starting any new diet plan.
References
- Center For Young Women's Health: Protein
- The Doctor Will See You Now: How Much Protein Do You Need?, Robert M. Russell, M.D., and Carmen Castanada Sceppa, M.D., Ph.D
- Saavy Vegetarian: Easy Recipes, Simple Cooking, Healthy Eating, Green Living -- How To Get Enough Protein in Your Veggie Diet
- Nutra Legacy: 10 Most Unusual Foods in High Protein Vegetarian Diet
- Women Fitness: Top 10 Protein Options in a Vegetarian Diet
- New York Times: Adding a Big Dash of 'Health' to Low-Carbohydrate Diets; Roni Caryn Rabin
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