Protein Foods for the Vegetarian

Protein is an important food for the body. Its main functions include muscle building, tissue repair, and the effective hormonal and immune systems. Individuals with very active lifestyles need more protein in their diet. The main sources are milk, eggs, dairy products, fish, poultry and meat. There are proteins that the vegetarian cannot consume and most of the times they are left to wonder how they will meet their needs for proteins in the meals they eat daily. The answer is simple as all they need to do is incorporate the best proteins in their meal plan.

 

One of the best sources is the legumes that come in a range of seeds that are edible commonly referred to asdried beans. They are cheap and grow very easily.  These area good replacement of meatin the meat dishes though they can be eaten too as salads. There are over ten thousand varieties of legumes though we only consume about forty varieties that include lentils, chick peas and kidney beans among others.

Seeds and nuts are protein rich foods and have been a great source of nutrition for many centuries. They come in different forms such as shelled, halved, whole, and sliced roasted, raw or chopped. Anyone that wants to improve the health of their heart needs to eat at least a handful each day. Vegans never consume any dairy products though there are other vegetarians who do so. For these it’s important to go for products that are low in fat. This ensures that fat intake is kept in check as one gets their daily requirement of proteins.

One will need to try out a variety before they get one they really like. Read the labels to know the amount of calories and choose the ones with few preservatives or additives. Quinoa and Amaranth are a good source of proteins for a vegetarian that can be included in the diet. Soy foods are group of proteins that need to be added in the diet as there are not only rich in protein, but high in fiber too.

As much as proteins benefit the body, it should not be taken in very high amounts that exceed 35% of the total caloric intake. The proteins the vegetarians need in their diet can influence the health of the person. The amount consumed will vary with weight, height, gender and the level of activity. In addition, there are some nutrients that men will need in higher amounts than women and vice versa.

Even with the vegetarian diet we need to be aware that the protein sources from the plants are never complete and lack some of the amino acids and one need to eat other foods which will supplement what is missing. The soy protein is complete and has numerous advantages to the body. Blood cholesterol can be lowered with two servings of soy each day. Additionally, it can prevent a fatty liver or what is commonly known as hepatic steatosis. With all these food choices one has a variety of high protein foods to include in their diet with some having extra benefits.