High-Protein Diet for Vegetarians

People who adhere to a vegetarian diet abstain from eating meat altogether. Some do this for health reasons while others are motivated by ethical concerns. Most vegetarians are lacto-ovo vegetarians, meaning they do eat dairy products and eggs.

Benefits

• The American Dietetic Association considers a vegetarian diet healthful, and studies have confirmed that vegetarians are less at risk for certain types of diseases.

Protein Requirements

• Further studies have shown that vegetarians can easily meet their protein requirements by simply eating a variety of vegetables, especially leafy greens.

Sources of Protein

• Vegetarians have a number of high protein, non-animal based foods to choose from including soy, beans, tempeh and leafy green vegetables. Lacto-ovo vegetarians can turn to dairy and eggs for protein.

High-Protein Foods

• Soy is high in protein and low in fat and is a good source of calcium and iron. There are many soy products available, including tofu, meat substitutes, energy bars and shakes. Beans and legumes are a great source of protein and are high in fiber.

Considerations

• Though a high-protein vegetarian diet is attainable, vegetarians should seek to maintain a healthy balanced diet that includes a variety of foods.