Getting Protein on a Vegan or Vegetarian Diet

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Build muscle without touching an animal product.

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If you are doing any amount of resistance training, you should definitely keep an eye on your protein intake. Without sufficient protein, it will take a lot longer to build muscle and get that “tone” look you are going for. But if you are a vegan or vegetarian, it can be extra challenging to get enough of this essential macronutrient. Here are few suggestions I usually offer to my vegetarian and vegan clients.

Tofu is a staple of most vegan diets, and it fortunately contains a lot of protein. Tofu comes in a bunch of different textures, including silken, firm, and extra firm. For an extra shot of protein, stick with eating extra firm. It has the highest amount of protein per gram.

Nuts also give you a good protein kick and can be mixed with dried fruit for a healthy and filling snack. Ideally, you shouldn’t eat the heavily salted & roasted nuts you usually find in small packages. This process takes away a lot of the nutritional value and adds a bunch of unnecessary additives. In my opinion, the “king” of the healthy nuts is unprocessed almonds. They have twenty-one grams of protein per serving and tons of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.

Seeds are another great vegetarian protein source. Most varieties give you the protein you need plus a lot of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which can be particularly hard to get with a vegan diet. One of the healthier varieties is the sunflower seed, which has twenty-three grams of protein per serving.

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I have lots of clients who want to get fit but have to work around certain obstacles related to how they can eat or move. Sometimes they are lactose intolerant, have a bum knee, or have chosen to cut meat out of their diet. What I’ve discovered is that every obstacle is minor if the client really wants to lose that weight. Really, healthy eating is a challenge for everyone - vegans and vegetarians just have to be a bit more creative.

Eggs-actly!

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Be LESS critical of eggs and include MORE of them in your diet. In the past, eggs were given a bad rap because they contain cholesterol, and researchers have found that high cholesterol leads to heart disease.

However, in 2000, the American Heart Association's dietary guidelines changed slightly. They now focus on limiting foods high in saturated fat and keeping cholesterol intake under 300 mg a day. Given this, it is completely OK for an otherwise healthy individual to consume eggs in moderation.

TRUE: An egg is a good source of nutrients. For about 15 cents, you get 6 grams of protein, some healthful unsaturated fats and a smattering of vitamins and minerals. Eggs are also a good source of choline, which has been linked with preserving memory, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against vision loss.

TRUE: Eggs have a lot of cholesterol. The average large egg contains 212 milligrams of cholesterol. As foods go, that's quite a bit, rivaled only by single servings of liver, shrimp and duck meat.

FALSE: All of that cholesterol goes straight to your bloodstream and then into your arteries. Not so. In the average person, only a small amount of the cholesterol in food passes directly into the blood.

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This does not mean that you have permission to eat three eggs smothered in butter and cheddar cheese every day of the week. You still have to be reasonable about what you're having, and as always, use common sense.

If you enjoy eggs, eating one a day should be OK, especially if you compensate in other ways:


* Weed out other bad actors. Cutting back even further on saturated and trans fats will have noticeable and positive effects on your cholesterol.

* Skip around. If a single egg looks too lonely on your plate, or a one-egg vegetable omelet doesn't fill you up, have two eggs one day and none the next.

* Keep tabs. Have your cholesterol checked in two or three months to see if it has changed.

Source: Orlando Sentinel

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All of an egg's cholesterol is in the yolk. When I make scrambled eggs or omelets, I use one whole egg and just egg whites for the remainder. Most grocery stores carry pourable egg whites or yolk-free egg substitutes, and I've come to rely on them. In fact, I usually have an egg white omelet every day before work.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Protein Is Essential

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Eat MORE protein. Muscle tissue is about 15 to 20 percent protein, so if you're working out and want to maintain all the great muscle you’re building, you need to make sure that you're getting enough protein.

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The American Dietetic Association recommends 1.6 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for athletes who regularly do resistance training, so a person weighting about 150 pounds would need to eat 110 grams of protein each day.

Lean sources of protein include:
- grilled skinless chicken
- fish
- beans
- lean cuts of beef—top sirloin or top round
- nuts (protein-rich but also high in calories, so watch how much you eat)
- tofu
- cheese
- eggs, milk & yogurt
- bread & some cereal

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When I first read the ADA's recommendation above, my first thought was that I'm not an athlete. However, I am "athletic," and I do resistance training quite often. Don't allow yourself to be intimidated by labels because you are what you DO.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.

Go Ahead – Get Nutty!

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Eat MORE nuts. People who eat a handful of peanuts or mixed nuts daily are more likely to keep weight off than others who don’t include the high-fat snacks. This theory was proven in a study at Harvard University.

When you think of how many nuts make up a daily serving, think of the little bag that you get on an airplane, not the big bag that comes in a vending machine. It’s fine to get a bag out of the vending machine, but only eat ½ of it. Save the other half for the next day.

If maintaining weight loss is not a good enough reason for you to “get nutty,” how about this: According to the FDA, “Scientific research suggests that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

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I already know what you’re thinking…Aren’t nuts high in fat? Yes, most nuts are relatively high in fat, but most of that fat is unsaturated as opposed to the saturated fat in junk food.

Looking at the type of fat you consume is just as important as paying attention to how much fat you take in. Both kinds of fat will make you…well…fat, but unsaturated fats (like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated) can reduce the levels of bad cholesterol in our bodies. Saturated fats have the opposite effect.

If you’re looking for new ways to go nutty, here are some tips from NutHealth.org:
Go Meatless – nuts are a great source of protein. Toss some into stir-fries, salads and pasta.
Top with Nuts – Sprinkle chopped nuts on top of a bowl of soup, veggie dish or your favorite casserole.
Start Your Day With Nuts – Experiment with different tree nuts in your favorite muffin or pancake recipe. Sprinkle nuts on top of yogurt or oatmeal.
Nuts Are Great With Cheese – Add your favorite nuts to cheese and cracker platters to serve as an appetizer or a special dessert.

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I seriously could eat nuts all day long because they just taste so yummy to me. I always try to restrain myself, but I’m going to have to think twice about it because my friend Theresa eats peanuts ALL THE TIME, and she has an awesome body. Maybe I should follow in her footsteps...


This is her pic from MySpace…Hope she won’t mind that I put it up here!

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.