Vegetarianism Stack Exchange
Vegetarianism Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [protein]

Sources of protein, human protein requirements, and obtaining protein within specific diet patterns.

Protein is a macronutrient consisting of amino acid structures. Amino acids are molecules made up of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon and hydrogen, and are used for building most body tissues. Amino acids are needed for all kinds of growth and repair and the production of enzymes and hormones. Some amino acids are termed "essential" as they cannot be synthesised in the body and must be obtained from dietary sources.

In some cultures, meat and fish are considered the main or best source of protein, and it is sometimes assumed that vegetarian and vegan diets will lack sufficient protein, especially if they also exclude eggs and dairy products. Fortunately, plant-based foods can provide all the essential amino acids and it is not necessary to eat meat or fish to obtain sufficient protein. Nonetheless, many people interested in transitioning diets are concerned about obtaining sufficient protein to maintain good health.

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What are the highest protein sources for vegetarians/vegans?

One of the most frequent questions I am asked as a 30+ year vegetarian is, where do you get your protein? There seems to be a belief that the only source of protein is meat. What are the highest sources of protein for vegetarians and for vegans?
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Is "protein combining" necessary to be healthy on a vegan diet?

I've heard claims that in order to be healthy on a vegan diet, one must go out of their way to combine proteins from different food sources in order to get an adequate amount of each necessary amino acid. Is this really necessary, or is an…
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Is meat protein really "better" than protein from a vegan or vegetarian source?

In my area (Romania) vegetarianism is rather new and has a small number of proponents. While being a vegetarian, from time to time, I hear from some persons (including medical doctors) that one should necessarily eat meat because it has "higher…
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Are all types of lentils equally good sources of protein?

Lentils are mentioned often as a good source of protein. Are all types of lentils, like green, brown and red, equally good sources of protein, or are there significant differences?
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Why is green gram, also known as mung bean, not a popular protein source?

I have been going through protein sources for vegans here and in other forums in the internet. I don't see any of them listing green gram as on of items despite having around 25g protein in 100g substance. I am wondering if there is a particular…
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How can I determine how much protein I need in a vegan diet?

As I'm going vegan, I need to replace protein from meat with plant proteins. When I was eating meat, I didn't pay any attention to how much protein I ate. But in a vegan diet, I feel that I would have to look at it a bit more closely. I'm now…
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Can you achieve sufficient daily complete proteins as a vegan if you only eat grains, fruits, vegetables and other whole foods?

I.e. if you eat enough grains, pulses, fruits and vegetables, but not processed foods like tofu, seitan, mock meats, etc.
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What are the disadvantages of consuming more protein than necessary?

I think most veg*ns in countries where meat consumption is high, such as the UK where I live, are accustomed to being asked "Where do you get your protein?" but it's widely accepted that even vegan diets provide plenty of protein, though sources of…
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Which essential amino acids are the most likely to be deficient in a vegan diet?

Beside total proteins and the need for protein combining (see this question), here I ask a more specific question regarding single amino-acids: what are the most likely essential amino acids to be deficient in a vegan diet? Where to find them?
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Are there risks from eating too much nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast is a very high source of protein with about 50% of energy coming from protein content in the food. In addition to protein, nutritional yeast also provides a variety of vitamins and trace minerals, some of them in high…
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Cheapest vegan protein options

What are the foods with the best price per protein ratio in the UK? I feel that protein is the main obstacle to a vegan diet, and so I would like to learn about possible options from you experienced folk.
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How much protein does Aquafaba contain?

Aquafaba ("the cooking liquid of beans and other legumes like chickpeas") has intrigued me since I first heard about it. How much protein does it have?
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Are insects a feasible source of proteins for the new millennium?

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has recently focused on insects as a source of proteins for the increasing population (1). However this makes me doubt, being insects on the second level of the trophic chain. As far as I know vegan diet…
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How frequent and regular should protein intake be?

I have a varied, aiming for low-fat vegetarian diet where I eat sometimes vegetables with a bit of bread, sometimes meat industrial substitutes (I try to reduce them), sometimes pasta or rice, sometimes tofu, sometimes leguminous such as lentils,…
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Which plant-based milks have the highest protein content?

I normally buy soy milk because I prefer the taste and consistency, and also because it's a good source of protein. But I noticed that some other non-dairy milks such as coconut milk seem to have very little protein content. Does that make them a…
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