New vegetarians often worry if they\u2019re getting enough protein. Most people associate protein with meat, dairy, and other animal products. Their knowledge of plant-based protein starts and ends with beans!<\/p>\n
While beans are a good source of plant-based protein, it\u2019s totally possible to get enough protein as a vegetarian without eating beans. But, first, let\u2019s find out how much protein your body\u00a0really<\/em>\u00a0needs.<\/p>\n How much protein do you need?<\/strong><\/p>\n On average, the body needs 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. However, depending on your age, activity level, muscle mass, and fitness goals, you could get away with consuming 1.5 to 2 times that amount.<\/p>\n Only about 12 to 20 percent of your daily calories should come from protein. Your body doesn\u2019t store protein, so there\u2019s no point consuming more than you need; access calories = weight gain.<\/p>\n Protein- Rich Vegetarian Foods<\/strong><\/p>\n Split Peas & Lentils<\/strong><\/p>\n Split peas and lentils are GREAT sources of protein and easy to cook.<\/p>\n A cup of cooked lentils has 19 grams of protein, and split peas 17 grams. Better still, you can use them in many different meals, including soups and salads.<\/p>\n Quinoa\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n What\u2019s the big deal about quinoa? Well, it\u2019s another excellent source of plant-based protein. It contains all nine essential amino acids and is very high in the amino acid lysine, which is usually lacking in plants. One cup of cooked quinoa gives you nine grams of protein!<\/p>\n It\u2019s also so easy to cook. Just add boiling water to a bowl with quinoa and wait until it\u2019s cooked. Then add seasoning and enjoy your meal.<\/p>\n Tempeh<\/strong><\/p>\n Tempeh is made from fermented soy. It\u2019s high in protein and is cholesterol-free. A 3.5-ounce or 100 gram serving of tempeh gives you 20 grams of protein.<\/p>\n Tempeh can be steamed, saut\u00e9ed, or baked. When cooked, it\u2019s dry, firm, and chewy with a nutty flavor.<\/p>\n Seeds and Nuts\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Seeds and nuts are easily portable, protein-packed, and tasty. You have a wide range to choose from, including flax, chia, hemp, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds, pistachios, and walnuts.<\/p>\n Just two tablespoons of Chia seeds contain 6 grams of protein. Similarly, pumpkin seeds contain 5.3 grams of protein per ounce.<\/p>\n On the other hand, almonds contain 6 grams of protein per ounce, while peanuts contain 7 grams of protein per ounce.<\/p>\n The only downside is that seeds and nuts are high in fat and calories, so monitor your intake if you\u2019re trying to manage or lose weight.<\/p>\n Nutritional Yeast<\/strong><\/p>\n Nutritional yeast is a great source of protein because, like quinoa, it contains all nine essential amino acids. Four tablespoons of nutritional yeast contain 8 grams of protein. It\u2019s also high in B vitamins and trace minerals.<\/p>\n But its cheesy flavor is why it\u2019s so popular. You can sprinkle it on food or stir it into soups, just like grated cheese.<\/p>\n Getting enough protein on a vegetarian diet is pretty easy. As long as you are open to eating more peas and lentils, and trying new foods like quinoa, tempeh, and nutritional yeast, you\u2019ll be just fine. You don\u2019t even have to eat beans if you don\u2019t want to!<\/p>\n Photo by Nick Bratanek<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" New vegetarians often worry if they\u2019re getting enough protein. Most people associate protein with meat, dairy, and other animal products. Their knowledge of plant-based protein starts and ends with beans! While beans are a good source of plant-based protein, it\u2019s totally possible to get enough protein as a vegetarian without eating beans. But, first, let\u2019s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4221,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[58,1077,1191],"aware":[1754,1753],"class_list":["post-6363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","tag-nutrition","tag-protein","tag-vegetarianism","aware-activity","aware-wellness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n