I am a 'flirt' and eat a little bit of fish and some dairy but i'm hoping to soon come off dairy all together. My family keeps expressing concerns that i'm not getting enough protein and so i'm curious how most of you go about getting 'enough' to help sustain your energy. I plan on re-reading the section re: proteins in Alicia's book but would love to know what substitutes and products you all swear by. Right now, I have Avia protein shake every mornign with almond milk and try get nuts and whole grains in my diet as much as possible. I do fee like the nuts are starting to upset my stomach so i'm looking for alternatives. I'm still new to all of this; I truly appreciate your advice.... thank you!

All foods contain protein. So, that's a start right there. Do you know the name for protein deficiency? Yeah, me neither - that's because it is rare. It starts with a 'k,' and that's about all I can tell you.

Unless you are a serious athlete, or have some type of condition, it is unlikely you need to be overly concerned with protein; as long as you eat a well-balanced, varied veggie diet, you should be all covered. I do not include a separate protein in every meal, and it is not usually necessary for most people. At least one meal a day, sometimes two, I will usually include some type of bean - I especially like lentils, sometimes tempeh, and very occasionally tofu.

I would definitely reread the section on protein in TKD. I would also suggest looking into how much protein is actually recommended daily for a female. I can't tell you that right off, but I do know that Americans generally consume well over the recommended amount.

Hazel is right. as long as you are eating a variety of different foods will you most likely not have to worry about it. I LOVE spicy hummus with homemade baked pita chips! just let concerned people know you've done your research and know what you are doing! and sometimes people dont believe you until they read it themselves! i have had to show my husband scientific stuff for him to believe me about somethings. a few times he's even learned what i've told him at school (he's a pharmacy student). so now he doesn't doubt that i know what i'm talking about! :)

Just remember, the strongest animals on the planet - elephants, bulls, etc. are clearly getting enough protein in their diets to be as strong as they are....and all they eat are plants.

Hi Lauren,

I really like Quinoa - a plant seed with complete protein.  Also, I like to add brocolli stems to my blend-up or juice.  Brocolli has lots of protein - as do beans.  I love beans on salads, as dips (hummus-like) or in soups.  I  even put kidney beens in my veggie pasta sauce.  Good luck!

There are so many protein-rich options with a vegan diet. I've heard the same concerns from my own family members regarding not getting sufficient enough protein, but I pretty much eat some form or other of protein at every meal without even putting much effort into it. As long as you are eating a varied diet you should be fine - the average person doesn't actually require all that much protein. My favorite veg protein choices are: nutritional yeast, quinoa, lentils, beans, tempeh and tofu.

What about TVP?  I use that in tacos and chili.....

I miss my quinoa,hummus,black beans and tempeh! :-( I'm doing raw foods,anyone else can give me wisdom on wether or not I should be concerned about protein deficiency? I have a ton of veggies in juices! I really like nutritional yeast too,especially with salsa and avocados.YUM