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Meatless Non-Dairy Sources of Protein

Apr 25, 2011 | By Natalie Stein

After giving up meat, poultry or fish, many people turn to milk, cheese or yogurt as meatless sources of protein. However, if you are unable to consume dairy products because you are allergic to the proteins in milk or are lactose intolerant, which means you cannot digest the sugars in milk, you may be concerned about your protein intake. There are plenty of healthy alternatives you can choose to meet your needs.

Eggs

All animal proteins are high quality, and a large whole egg provides 6 g protein. Healthy adults on a 2,000-calorie diet should not have more than 300 mg cholesterol per day, according to MayoClinic.com, and a whole egg provides 213 mg. All the cholesterol is in the yolk, and the protein is in the whites. If you are following a meatless diet and do not eat dairy products, eggs may be a significant dietary source of vitamin B-12, according to MayoClinic.com.

Soy Products

Soy is a plant-based source of high-quality, or complete, protein with each of the amino acids you need to get from the diet, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Try soy-based meat substitutes, such as veggie burgers or sausages, soy milk, soy yogurt or tofu. Fortified foods, such as orange juice, cereals and soy products, can be valuable sources of calcium in your diet if you do not get calcium from naturally rich sources such as dairy products and fatty fish, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Legumes

Legumes, such as beans and lentils, are meatless non-dairy sources of protein and are low-fat and cholesterol-free sources of protein. Each cup of cooked lentils or most kinds of beans, such as navy, pinto, kidney, garbanzo, lima or black, provides about 13 to 18 g protein. The protein from legumes is not complete, but you can meet your needs for amino acids by eating them with other incomplete protein sources such as grains, nuts and vegetables.

Nuts and Peanuts

Nuts and peanuts provide about 4 to 6 g of incomplete protein per ounce; options include peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, peanut butter and walnuts. Nuts are heart-healthy meatless sources of protein and are cholesterol-free. They are heart-healthy choices because of their monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, vitamin E, cholesterol-lowering dietary fiber, phytosterols and potassium, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Eat them several times per week, as part of a balanced diet, for the most benefits. Although peanuts are biologically legumes, along with beans and lentils, they are more similar nutritionally to tree nuts.

References

Article reviewed by joyce sexton Last updated on: Apr 25, 2011

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