Proteins for vegetarians and a balance diet as a non-meat eater

When I first stopped eating meat the main goal and focus was not to eat meat,  duh. It may sound simple, but in reality when you have been conditioned to eat meat your entire life; it’s easier said then done. So, because of that I wasn’t paying attention to what I was actually eating and if I was getting a proper diet. A balance and healthy diet should include a mix of foods, vitamins, and minerals. This is what I was missing, like eating the correct amount of proteins for vegetarians.

“In life everything is about balance and so is our diet. We need to feed our bodies with a variety of colors, foods, vitamins, and minerals”.

Eating too much carbs

So, in giving up meat I subsidized with a lot of cards and started panicking because I was gaining so much weight. I would eat vegetarian pastas when we ate out or rice. When I cooked at home it was the same because I’ll just eat the sides. My husbands would get on my case because I was always tired and complaining I was super bloated. He told me I wasn’t eating right and I knew it was the truth.

I wasn’t taking supplements nor making sure I ate a certain amount of proteins or anything. I was just eating white cards and veggies while feeling like crap.

Making the change

I finally decided recently to take the time to research how much proteins for vegetarians is needed daily. I looked up which vegetables have the most proteins and created a list. I also wanted to know for my family so that they too can make a better change. First, I did the math:

• Adults: 0.37g/lb
• Teens (11-13 years): 0.455g/lb
• Adults to build muscle: 0.5-0.7g/lb

What you do it multiply your weight by the grams and it will give you your daily proteins amount. I don’t keep up to the exact number, but it gives me a better idea of what I need and my family needs. It also helps me figure out what to cook and what we should eat to be healthier.

High proteins for vegetarians in vegetables and seeds

This is not the most complete list nor the only vegetables and seeds with high proteins. This is a list based on what my family and I eat. If you don’t like these foods research the internet for vegetables and seeds that work better for your diet and your taste.

Here is my list of high proteins vegetable and seeds:

• Chia Seeds: 2.5g/tbl.
• Hemp Seeds: 3.3g/tbl
• Quinoa: 4g/1/4cup
• Ezekiel Bread: 4g/slice
• Hummus: 1.g/tbl
• Spinach: 5g/cup (cooked)
• Sun-dried Tomatoes: 6g/cup
• Peas: 8g/cup
• Beans: 7-10g/1/2cup
• Lentils: 18g/cup
• Peanut Butter: 7g/2tbl
• Almonds: 6g/oz
• Cashews: 5g/oz

In life everything is about balance and so is our diet. We need to feed our bodies with a variety of colors, foods, vitamins, and minerals. It is honestly hard, but I do beleive it’s worth trying. I think that when we cut meat out we have a hard time figuring out proteins for vegetarians. Has balance in your food been hard for you?