How to Get Protein On a Vegetarian Diet

The biggest question, and oddly enough the biggest misconception, of vegetarian dieting relates to the idea of protein. The first question many vegetarians receive is how they get their daily protein. The biggest misconception is that vegetarians lack protein and the diet is, therefore, unhealthy. Though there are some vegetarians who are new to the lifestyle that may be deficient in protein, the vast majority of vegetarians are not. Here are a few of the sources for protein that you may not have thought about.

Soy

Soy has 10 grams of protein per serving, making it one of the higher protein enriched foods for vegetarians. Soy can be found in a variety of options including milk and tofu. Tofu is the more commonly seen form of soy in the vegetarian diet. It can be used as a meat substitute, in creams and soups, or as an additive in salads in the form of a cheese like crumble. The key to soy based products and tofu particularly is they take on the flavorings around them. This means if you want to use a marinade, the tofu will take on that flavor easily. 

Quron

Quron is something that you may or may not find easily at your local stores vegetarian section. Even when you see it, you may not know what it is exactly, especially if you are new to the vegetarian diet. Quron is a mycoprotein developed in labs. It is primarily used as a meat substitute and can be found in things like vegetarian hamburger or vegetarian sausage crumbles. There are two reasons this food is popular. The first is due to the meat substitution it creates and the second is the 13 grams of protein it packs in each serving. 

Setan

Setan is a food that was first created as a protein substitute for Buddhist monks. This food is made primarily from gluten which is not suitable for people with celiac disease. However, if you are free from this illness, then setan may be the ideal vegetarian go to protein. It far exceeds soy in grams of protein by serving by offering a full 21 grams. It can be used as a meat substitute in most meat based dishes. 

You can incorporate all of these sources or just a few to get the right amount of protein you need for a day. Keep in mind, the average amount of protein a male needs in a day is 56 grams. A female needs slightly less than that at 46 grams. 
