Easy Ways to Get Protein

Eating vegetarian meals doesn't have to mean missing out on filling, protein-rich foods. By having healthy combinations of grains and legumes, you can get the protein your body needs.

Most people know that meat, poultry, and fish are excellent sources of protein. If you’re considering no longer eating meat and possibly dairy products, you might worry that you won’t get enough protein in a typical vegetarian meal.

But there’s no need to be concerned, explains Andrea N. Giancoli, MPH, RD, a nutritionist in Los Angeles and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “Luckily for vegetarians,” Giancoli says, “protein is very easy to obtain with a balanced diet and good food choices.”

According to the U.S. Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board, the average adult needs about 0.36 grams of protein for every pound of body weight — that’s about 43 grams of protein daily for a 120-pound woman and about 58 grams for a 160-pound man. Consuming more protein than that is not necessarily better and eating lots of red, fatty meat can contribute to health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disorders, colon and liver cancer, and osteoporosis. Even athletes don’t need that much extra protein compared to people who are weekend warriors.

But when you’re cutting out traditional foods with protein, including milk and yogurt, you need to make up for it with protein alternatives.

Protein-Rich Foods: Know Your Options

Proteins are made up of compounds known as amino acids, Giancoli explains. Nine of these amino acids are considered essential. Animal foods contain all nine, which is why they are called complete proteins and are the traditional — and easy to get — protein source. Most plant foods are lacking in one or more of the essential amino acids, which is why they’re called incomplete proteins, she says.

Some dairy foods are complete proteins — eggs, milk, yogurt, and cheese. However, vegans and some vegetarians won’t eat dairy products because they come from animals. If you don’t eat dairy, you’ll need to get your protein from plant sources. “In the plant world, soy is considered a complete protein,” says Giancoli. “That’s why you hear about vegetarians eating a lot of soy products — tofu, edamame, soy milk, and others.”

If you’re allergic to soy or just don’t like the taste, you still have other options for making a healthy vegetarian meal. Most plant foods, including grains, nuts, and legumes (beans), contain some amount of essential amino acids. But because they are not complete, you should pair certain foods together to cover your bases and get all of the essential amino acids you need in one vegetarian dish.

“For example, grains such as rice typically lack the essential amino acids isoleucine and lysine, but contain methionine and tryptophan,” Giancoli says. “Beans contain isoleucine and lysine, but lack methionine and tryptophan. Therefore, together, they make a complete protein. This is also referred to as complementary proteins. Even better, they don’t have to be eaten at the same time.”

Classic vegetarian meal pairings that do add up to complete proteins are red beans and rice, corn tortillas and pinto beans, couscous and lentils, and hummus and whole wheat pita, recommends Giancoli.

Other plant foods that are high in protein and considered nearly complete proteins are hemp and the grain quinoa. Nuts and nut butters, such as from peanuts or almonds, are also excellent sources of protein.

Here’s how much protein you can get from other sources compared to meat:

3 ounces of meat (about the size of a regular deck of cards): approximately 21 to 26 grams protein

1 egg: 6 to 7 grams protein

1 cup milk: 7 to 8 grams

1 cup soy milk: 7 grams

1 cup firm tofu: 20 grams

1 cup brown rice: 4.5 grams

1 cup quinoa: 8 grams

1 cup kidney beans: 15 grams

1 ounce roasted almonds: 6 grams

Most vegetables and whole grains contain at least 1 gram of protein per serving.

Healthy Recipes for Eating Vegetarian

Even without meat or other animal products, you can prepare healthy recipes and still achieve your daily protein allowance. Remember that the key to getting enough protein in your vegetarian meals is variety.

Try these vegetarian recipes to meet your protein needs.

Vegetable Lasagna

Makes 6 servings

Nutritional Info (Per serving):

Calories: 271, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 520mg, Dietary Fiber: 4g, Total Fat: 2g, Carbs: 46g,

Sugars: 11g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Protein: 18g

Recipe Source: "ADA Cookbooks," American Diabetes Association

Ingredients

1 cup carrots, sliced

1 cup zucchini, sliced

1/2 cup peppers, red, bell, diced

1 cup spinach, chopped

1 cup cottage cheese, low-fat

1/2 cup cheese, ricotta, low-fat

2 egg substitute

1 teaspoon basil, fresh, minced

1 teaspoon oregano, fresh, minced

1 pepper, black ground

2 cups marinara sauce, low-fat, low-sodium

9 lasagna noodles, uncooked

Preparation

1. To prepare the vegetables, steam the carrots over boiling water for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and steam 2 more minutes. Add the red pepper and steam 2 more minutes. Add the spinach and steam 1 more minute. Remove the vegetables from the heat. Combine all remaining ingredients except the marinara sauce and lasagna noodles.

2. To assemble the lasagna, place a little sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish. Place 3 noodles on top of the sauce. Add a layer of vegetables and cover with a layer of the cheese mixture. Add some sauce. Repeat. Add the last layer of noodles and top with some sauce. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the lasagna for 40 minutes until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes prior to serving. Cut into squares and serve. (If you prefer to bake the lasagna immediately, cook the pasta before layering it.)

Quesadilla With Beans, Corn, and Green Chiles

Nutritional Info (Per serving):

Calories: 200, Saturated Fat: 3.7g, Sodium: 285mg, Dietary Fiber: 6g, Total Fat: 7g, Carbs: 23g,

Cholesterol: 20mg, Protein: 12g

Recipe Source: American Cancer Society

Ingredients

2 small tortillas, corn, (4-inch)

1/4 cup beans, pinto, drained, rinsed and patted dry*

1/4 cup cheese, cheddar, sharp, reduced-fat, shredded (or "Mexican-style" shredded cheese)

1 tablespoon corn, whole kernel, low sodium, drained and patted dry

1 tablespoon green chili peppers, bottled, drained, diced

Preparation

On a microwave-safe plate, top one tortilla with beans. Using the back of a fork, mash the beans into a chunky paste. Top with cheese, corn, chili peppers, and the remaining tortilla. Microwave on high for 1 minute, or until cheese melts.

*You can substitute black beans or other canned beans in this recipe for a slightly different flavor.

Once you taste these recipes, you’ll see that vegetarian cooking can be both filling and delicious.