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Thread: Vegetarian - How Much Protein Do I Need?

  1. #21
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    My point is that no protein isolates are available naturally, regardless of whether they of animal or vegetable origin. The closest would be hard cheese, which loses most of the whey and concentrates casein; even hard cheese does not contain casein isolate. All these protein powders are made - whether from rice or eggs - through a combination of chemical treatment and often very high heat and mechanical processing. It's these processes that I find worrisome, as they have strong potential for creating damaging changes within the protein molecules.

    There are not, as far as I know, health studies carried out on humans eating large quantities of protein isolates. Bodybuilders and athletes have been using these products for a goodly number of years, and it will be interesting to see how this plays out as negative effects may well be cumulative and only start showing up after long-term usage.

  2. #22
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    I would think it better to eat the real foods rather than stuff you can not pronounce or have no idea what it is. What those things are are processed food and therefore, not good for you. Whole foods, lots of veggies, fruits and whole grains do your body better than some form of protein shake.

  3. #23
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    Adults need 10%-15% of calories from protein. Children need higher amounts because they are forming new tissue at a higher rate, so if you see 10-35% then the higher levels are for young children and I’m assuming athletes who need to replace tissue faster than average people.

    Too much protein is bad for your kidneys. If you are eating dairy and eggs you don’t need to worry about counting, you’ll get plenty. I’ve been lacto ovo veg and sometimes vegan all my life. If you’re vegan you need to check how much protein you’re getting every so often at a minimum.

    It is BETTER to eat the real foods instead of powders and supplements. Lots of professionals have said that. However it’s better than none at all. If that’s your main source of protein you have to choose between protein and cancer from what I’m reading here. Find you some REAL protein!

    Egg whites are an excellent source of 0 fat protein. When I’m making scrambled eggs I use two eggs but take out one of the yolks. For me it’s the taste, I don’t like too much yolk. 1 egg yolk has: 16 cal, 0 g carbs, 0 g fat, and 4 g protein. The yolk has vitamins but also cholesterol. Tofu is a complete protein so soy milk, tempeh, tofu, miso and edamame, or fresh green soybeans are all complete. Quinoa is also complete.

    Incomplete proteins can still find each other within the same day, so for example if you eat beans at lunch, then rice for supper they will combine to make a complete protein.

  4. #24
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    I don't each much meat. Nor dairy either. I don't avoid them, just don't eat them much .. Recently I've decreased wheat also. Same reason. So, it's salads, oatmeal, beans, vegies, soups, whatever. I don't really monitor things, so if I make a ramen stir fry,and that's wheat or pasta and that's wheat, well, so be it. Same with bread. If I have it and use, that's fine. When I don't and want some kind of bread, it's corn tortillas. I don't buy processed meats or packaged foods. (except tuna, spaghetti sauce and some canned beans or tomatoes The bread and corn tortillas also). Two friends asked me "How do you get your protein?" I am always a bit boggled by question. Am I supposed to be concerned? And, really, changing from more meat (when my bf lived with me) to nearly none now that he's not here, and drastically reducing cheese intake for the same reason, I can't say I've noticed much of a difference in how I feel. I do eat eggs though. Sometimes I just want a protein pop and eggs are such a quick and easy way to satisfy that. However, I still don't "wonder" about my protein levels. Should I be?

  5. #25
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tiam View Post
    Two friends asked me "How do you get your protein?" I am always a bit boggled by question. Am I supposed to be concerned? And, really, changing from more meat (when my bf lived with me) to nearly none now that he's not here, and drastically reducing cheese intake for the same reason, I can't say I've noticed much of a difference in how I feel. I do eat eggs though. Sometimes I just want a protein pop and eggs are such a quick and easy way to satisfy that. However, I still don't "wonder" about my protein levels. Should I be?
    Most people don't know that you CAN get adequate protein not eating meat--it's just a belief people have that you HAVE to eat meat to get enough protein. However, there are plenty of non-animal protein sources--as you mentioned, you eat eggs (animal byproduct, not animal flesh), and that's a great source of protein. There are a lot of grains, like quinoa that are an excellent source of protein. Rice and beans are a complete protein (and beans have TONS of health benefits).

    Some people say they felt poorly on a vegetarian diet, so I suppose everyone is different, and I'm not about to judge. I've been 90% lacto-pesco-vegetarian for years. I feel great at 60--no meds, I keep up with all my young friends in my yoga classes. There are LOTS of very long-lived vegetarians out there.

    If you are feeling fine, and your blood & vitamin levels are fine, why worry about it?? The next time someone asks, how do you get your protein tell them, from grains like quinoa, brown rice and oats; plants like avocado, beets and peas; legumes like beans and chickpeas; nuts and seeds; and eggs.

    Then show them this slide show about vegan super athletes:

    http://www.treehugger.com/slideshows...dont-eat-meat/
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
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  6. #26
    bunnys
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    I am a vegan (7 years) and was a veg (2 years before that.)

    I've never worried about how much protein I get and I have never been healthier in my life. I feel terrific. I look terrific. And I have NO ailments. I mean NONE. And I'm pushing 50.

    I think if you eat nuts and beans and soy daily, you'll be fine. I've been on a soy milk kick for the past month and now drink over a gallon a week. I never was that into soy milk before.

    If you're a plain old veg you'll be eating eggs and dairy too and of course there's a lot of protein in those foods but also a lot of saturated fat and cholesterol (especially in cheese) so watch it.

    I totally agree with Suzanne on the soy isolate issue. They are not naturally occurring and in the processing the soy is exposed to very high temperatures which causes some sort of chemical makeup change that has been found to cause cancer in lab animals. I read about this a bunch a few years ago when I was looking to use soy powder in smoothies and just decided to stay away from it. But it isn't necessary to get your protein needs met.

    Oh yeah. Peanut butter.

  7. #27
    bunnys
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    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post

    Some people say they felt poorly on a vegetarian diet,
    People feel poorly on poor diets, vegetarian or otherwise.

    Potato chips and pop tarts (uniced) and coke are vegan. If you eat that crap all day long, you'll be vegan but you'll feel like crap. If you add Dominos pizza to the mix you'll be vegetarian and you'll still feel like crap.

    I have never known a vegan or vegetarian who wasn't a teenager (and eating a crap diet) who said they didn't feel better being veg. I'm sure there is the rare example of someone who has something weird going on physically but I think this is the exception rather than the rule.

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
    Most people don't know that you CAN get adequate protein not eating meat--it's just a belief people have that you HAVE to eat meat to get enough protein. However, there are plenty of non-animal protein sources--as you mentioned, you eat eggs (animal byproduct, not animal flesh), and that's a great source of protein. There are a lot of grains, like quinoa that are an excellent source of protein. Rice and beans are a complete protein (and beans have TONS of health benefits).

    Some people say they felt poorly on a vegetarian diet, so I suppose everyone is different, and I'm not about to judge. I've been 90% lacto-pesco-vegetarian for years. I feel great at 60--no meds, I keep up with all my young friends in my yoga classes. There are LOTS of very long-lived vegetarians out there.

    If you are feeling fine, and your blood & vitamin levels are fine, why worry about it?? The next time someone asks, how do you get your protein tell them, from grains like quinoa, brown rice and oats; plants like avocado, beets and peas; legumes like beans and chickpeas; nuts and seeds; and eggs.

    Then show them this slide show about vegan super athletes:

    http://www.treehugger.com/slideshows...dont-eat-meat/

    I always feel compelled, when anyone says it, that combining legumes and grains to "complete" protein is completely unnecessary. It's one of those old myths that still hang about.

    BTW, I must confess, I've never had quinoa.

    Today, I had chicken. But because I felt like it. Maybe that's my body craving a bit more protein and answering it. But it's a rare thing that I buy it. But then for dinner, black beans are on the stove. And some brown rice. Not because I think I'm completing anything, but because that sounds good to me. I can't say that I've had a health improvement since going veg in the last few months. I'm still plagued by the same high blood pressure, rising cholesterol, and joint pain. But I know I feel better in other ways. Just lighter and not as tired or heavy feeling.

  9. #29
    heydude
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    bunnys, can you repeat what you said? the double negatives are confusing me?

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by ButterflyBreath View Post
    Adults need 10%-15% of calories from protein. , so if you see 10-35% then the higher levels are for young children and I’m assuming athletes who need to replace tissue faster than average people.
    When you are talking about a normal daily diet of around 1500 - 2000 calories a day, then getting 10 - 35% of protein each day isn't too hard. But many athletes eat much more calories a day - sometimes upwards of 5,000 calories a day (I eat over 3,000 calories a day most days) - and to get the right amount of protein for that level is very very hard to do. Just think of the volume of protein based foods needed to satisfy even a 25% amount of protein - especially if you are vegan or even vegeterian. So that's why many athletes use protein powders. A few scoops in a protein smoothie and you've met alot of you protein needs for the day without having to scarf down huge quantities of food.

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