I want to become vegetarian but how do I get protein?

Anyone who’s looking to go veggie always asks, but if I’m not eating meat how do I get protein? Never fear, there are so many foods that provide protein an they’re really simple to incorporate in every meal.

Here’s a few options;

• Nuts
• Seeds
• Beans
• Lentils
• Quinoa
• Soy and tofu
• Eggs
• Yoghurt
• Cheese

If you’re going vegan or have a dairy intolerance then obviously those products are not the ones for you, but if you’re strictly vegetarian, providing you like the majority of these things or can grow to like them you’re all good. The vegetarian food world is your oyster.

In the UK, it’s advised that, based on the Reference Nutrient Intake, a person should be eating 0.75g of protein for every kilogram they weigh.** On average, that’s 55g for men and 45g for women. This is just a guide for an average person doing average stuff and will very much depend on your lifestyle and fitness goals. For instance someone who’s extremely active may need more and those less active may need less.

But sticking with the average let’s see how quick we can use those veggie protein sources to rack up our protein intake for the day.

Breakfast – Let’s say you have a good old hearty bowl of porridge and you use one cup of milk, that’s 8g of protein add in 30grams of chia seeds, there’s another 4.9g of protein.
Total: almost 15g in just one meal.

Lunch – Add one cup of cooked quinoa to a delicious summer salad (whilst it’s still warm at least), that’s another 8g
Total: we’re already at 20.9 grams for the day

Dinner – 100g of lentils contains 9 grams of protein, so for dinner you could have soup, a casserole or a curry with 100grams of lentils which gives you your protein and helps to bulk it out and keep you full.
Total: 29.9 grams

By the time you add in some snacks, maybe a handful of nuts or a glass of milk before bed, you’ve hit your quota and without really having to think about. Easier than you thought right?

So if for whatever reason you’re thinking about going vegetarian and you’re worrying about your protein intake, don’t sweat it, it’s much easier than you think.

**According to BBC