Vegetarianism and Protein

When I started collage I decided to become a vegetarian, for health reasons. It is a diet often recommended for diabetics, and other people who have problems processing sugar. Not only did I have problems with sugar, but I generally lacked a healthy balance of nutrients to support an active lifestyle too. I figured that by restricting my diet by removing meat it would force me to make better food choices, and it worked for me. I experienced an increase in energy, a decrease in lethargy, and all the feelings of weakness and grossness from poor sugar metabolism all went away.

I'm not recommending this diet for everyone. It is a very personal choice, and one has to do what is best for one's body.

The biggest concern regarding a vegetarian diet or reduced meat diet is protein intake. The ideal amount of protein intake depends on what one is trying to do. If one is trying to lose fat it should be 50 percent protein, 30 percent carbs, and 20 percent fat. If one is exercising a lot it should be 40 percent protein, 40 percent carbs, and 20 percent fat. And if one is just trying to maintain their weight the ratio should be 20 percent protein, 60 percent carbs, and 20 percent fat. An important fact to keep in mind is that most foods contribute to two or all for these three categories. One has relearn how to categorize food.

Protein is fairly easy to consume without eating meat, but the trouble lies in getting enough complete proteins. Which are needed for a well balanced diet. Very few foods make complete proteins by themselves: any meat, animal products (dairy and eggs-gelatin excluded), amaranth, aphanizomenon flos-aquae, buckwheat, hempseed, soybeans, quinoa, seafood, and apirulina. Foods can be combined to create complete proteins if one can't or doesn't want to get all of their protein from complete protein sources. Here is a list of good combinations: Legumes with Grains, Legumes with Nuts, Legumes with Seeds, Nuts/Seeds with Legumes, Grains with Dairy, Nuts/Seeds with Dairy, Legumes with Dairy, Dairy with Nuts/Seeds and Legumes. Some ways to combine these are rice and beans (grain and legume), and macaroni and cheese (grain and dairy), but the possibilities are endless!