Verified answer

Many people here have given you great sources of protein and other essential vitamins and minerals.. But I wish to respond to KITTEN ....taking one very POOR nutritional course........ as a person who is vegan for 25 years now (was vegetarian 10 years prior to going vegan) raised 2 very healthy vegan sons and just had my annual blood tests ..which are all perfect ..ok my point is she claims that you need ..Vitamin B12, zinc, iron, Omega 3 and Omega 6 ..which can only be derived from animals ..true you need them, FALSE you only get them from animals...... ..omega 3 is found in flaxseed, walnuts,linseed,rapeseed, canola oil and omega 6 (fatty acids) can be found in sunflower, safflower, corn, cottonseed, and soybean oils in the form of linoleiflaxc acid (LA) and in oils of evening primrose, black currant, borage, and fungal oils in its gamma linolenic acid (GLA ) and (LA) . It is true however that to balance your omega 3 and omega6 you really should use extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and avocados..

..in addition it is well known to nutritionists that Americans as a rule get far too much of both which is harmful to the human body ...the symptom for lack of these omega's is Deficiencies which can lead to reduced growth, a scaly rash called dermatitis, infertility, and lack of ability to fight infection and heal wounds ... I do not know any vegetarians or vegans who have any of these symptoms .. infact the opposite is usally true..IRON is found in beans , and dark leafy vegetables as well as broccolli ...ZINC is found in grains, legumes, and nuts.

... B12 is found in soil(dirt) ..as a society we have overbleached , oversanitzed and used pesticides destroying the natural B12 ..but if you eat organic vegetables mung beans, bean sprouts, peas , peanuts.. and especially root vegetables as turnips, sweet potatoes , and carrots .. ..in addition most sea vegetables as kelp, alaria (wakambe), and Lava (nori) ..you also get it from whole wheat ... please eat only organics of these.... you will get sufficient B12 since your body requires very little B12 and stores it well ...... lack of B12 leads to anemia ..and you would know it.. (plus you can take a B12 vegan supplement if you are worried.....wonder where that VEGAN B12 comes from ..? (if it is only found in meat) and I also I want to say that even nutritionists will disagree on some of these issues ...but the proof is vegetarians are known to live longer and healthier and this is fact after years of studies. ...so to adress protein ...this is quoted as I could not say it better ....Protein

It is very easy for a vegan diet to meet the recommendations for protein as long as calorie intake is adequate. Strict protein planning or combining is not necessary. The key is to eat a varied diet.

Almost all foods except for alcohol, sugar, and fats are good sources of protein. Vegan sources include: potatoes, whole wheat bread, rice, broccoli, spinach, almonds, peas, chickpeas, peanut butter, tofu, soy milk, lentils, kale...

For example, if part of a day's menu included the following foods, you would meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for an adult male: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup soy milk, 2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 bagel, 2 Tablespoons peanut butter, 1 cup vegetarian baked beans, 5 ounces tofu, 2 Tablespoons of almonds, 1 cup broccoli, and 1 cup brown rice.

.I wanted to set the record straight ..thanks ..

beans and nuts are generally good sources. and there are lots of great veggie meat substitutes out there. you might want to start with a veggie burger like gardenburger or boca burgers. the prime grillers are great. I'm not a vegetarian either, but live with and cook for one. soy provides protein also, and you can consider continuing with dairy even if you give up meat. dark, leafy veggies are great too. flavor, flavor, flavor is the key to making it interesting and doable for the carnivore at heart! i cook with peanut oil and lots of onion, garlic and other spices to keep it yummy without the meat.

PROTEIN IN LEGUMES: Garbanzo beans, Kidney beans, Lentils, Lima beans, Navy beans, Soybeans, Split peas

PROTEIN IN GRAINS: Barley, Brown rice, Buckwheat, Millet, Oatmeal, Rye, Wheat germ, Wheat, hard red, Wild rice

VEGETABLE PROTEIN: Artichokes, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Green peas, Green pepper, Kale, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard green, Onions, Potatoes, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnip greens, Watercress, Yams, Zucchini

PROTEIN IN FRUITS: Apple, Banana, Cantaloupe, Grape, Grapefruit, Honeydew melon, Orange, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Strawberry, Tangerine, Watermelon

PROTEIN IN NUTS AND SEEDS: Almonds, Cashews, Filberts, Hemp Seeds, Peanuts, Pumpkin seeds, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, Walnuts (black)

Dried soy is very flexible to use in many recipes and has a satisfying texture.I find it a little bit bitter so I add a very small a mount of honey or sugar and it counteracts this very well.It will take on the taste of whatever you mix in with it.and even if you're not veggie it's great to have on hand for emergencies as it does not require refrigeration .

Soy, dried beans, peanut butter, eggs, cheese. Look in the freezer case for 6 burger patties in a pack. No meat. Just soy protein. Try tofu. Do not eat it plain, but cook it in vegetables & sauces. It aborbs whateverr flavor it's cooked in. It as so good simmered in cherry pie filling! Read labels for protein content..

If you are thinking about becoming a vegetarian, you should very actively educate yourself on vegetarian nutrition first. Vegetarians get plenty of protein from beans, nuts, spinach, broccoli, tofu, soymilk, etc. Buy some books and check out these websites:

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/

http://www.vegsoc.org/health/

http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/

http://www.goveg.com/vegetarian101.asp

Don't equate meat to protein. Protein is present in every living organism, viruses, bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. There are no alternatives to protein, but you can get protein by eating anything.

The only way to get complete protein as a vegetarian is to eat soy products. The rest are missing a couple of essential amino acids. If you supplement your diet with soy, you will be fine. Be careful though if you are taking any estrogen responsive medications as soy contains natural estrogen.

I am taking a Nutrition class in college. The more I learn, the more I realize how dangerous and damaging a veg diet is to the human body. Vitamin B12, zinc, iron, Omega 3 and Omega 6 can only be gained from animal flesh products, at least in the only form that the body can metabolize. As we studied the role of each vitamin and mineral in the body, it became clear that many of these work in a partnership with others. So if you have a deficiency of just one, it sets up a chain reaction that ultimately results in serious health problems.

I must add that I, too, considered being a vegetarian at one time. My sister is...but after learning what I have learned, well...there's no way I would do that to my body. Good Luck and hope I could help.

peanut butter

cheese

eggs