Protein POWER - right?

A reader recently asked me to write a post about protein, especially ways to get enough protein when you're vegetarian or vegan. Since we just learned about this in class, I figured it might be good to start out with a quick summary of what protein actually does for you...

The Point of Protein
Before studying nutrition I thought that protein gave you energy. If I was particularly tired on a given day I would think back to how much protein I'd eaten that day or make sure that my next meal had some meat in it. However, protein as energy is actually the last thing that we want it to do. Protein's main jobs in the body are growth, maintenance, and repair, NOT energy. That would be carbohydrate's main job. So just keep that in mind as you're deciding whether or not you're getting enough protein; you do need it and it provides several very valuable functions, but if you look at a bowl of brown rice and a bowl of tofu, it's the rice that will give you the energy. Also good to keep in mind: protein plus fiber equals fullness, so if you're constantly hungry you might not be getting enough protein.

How much do I need?
Depending on your age, gender, and activity level, you should be getting around 46-56 grams of protein per day according to the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA). Bump that up a bit if you're particularly athletic (more on that in future posts).

Good Vegetarian Ways to Get Protein
Some people think that if they don't eat meat they won't get enough protein in their diet. However, chances are that if they typed their daily food intake into a calculation program but left out all of the meat, they'd still be getting enough. Try it! You don't have to eat meat substitutes or boatloads of soy to get enough protein. It's in a lot more foods than you might expect.

Here is the protein value for some non-meat foods that I have kicking around my kitchen - see how fast 46 grams can add up just by eating things like grains?

1 cup of fat free milk: 8 grams	1 oz reduced fat cheddar: 8 grams
1/2 cup of cooked brown rice: 3 grams	1/2 cup cooked spinach: 2 grams
1/2 cup of classic granola (no nuts): 6 grams	2 oz spaghetti: 7 grams
1/2 cup of cooked quinoa: 5 grams	1 wedge laughing cow cheese: 2 grams
1 cup Amy's Tuscan bean and rice soup: 5 grams	1 bagel: 10 grams
1 package of ramen noodles: 10 grams (I know, right?!)	1/2 cup white kidney beans: 6 grams
1 oz Primal Strips vegan jerky: 11 grams	1 Luna bar: 9 grams