Getting Protein as a Vegan

     Vegans hear it all the time- "Where do you get your protein?", "Are you getting enough protein?" "How do you get protein when you don't eat meat?".... These questions are mostly asked out of concern, probaly from someone who truly cares about your welfare. Which is wonderful, we should all care about the health of our loved ones, but when it comes to vegan protein, there really is nothing to worry about!

     First, let's talk about protein. What is it? What do we use it for and how much do we need?

     Proteins are molecules made up of amino acids. They are important for many reasons like: Helping your hair grow and stay healthy, they make up part of our DNA, keep our bones strong, and helping us stay as healthy as possible!
     So you can see that it is important to get protein in your diet, but how much? The recommended amount of protein for adults is 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men. Depending on a person's level of activity, they might need more than that.
    What happens if you get too much protein, or too little? If you are low in protein you might have brittle hair and nails, fatigue, constipation, skin rashes, and muscle weakness. Over abundance of protein migh cause weight gain, stomach irritation, dehydration, and kidney problems. Like everything, protein needs to be comsumed in moderation. Not too much, but not too little either!

     Most people get their protein from animal products like meat, fish and eggs. However, this tends to lead to an over dose of protein. A 6 oz steak as about 42 grams of protein, a chicken breast has around 30 grams, tuna has 40 grams per 6 oz, one egg has 6 grams and one cup of milk has around 8 grams. By the time you have eggs and milk for breakfast, chicken or tuna for lunch and a steak or hamburger for dinner, you've gotten way more protein than you need!

Vegans don't eat any animal products, so how do we get our protein? Or how does someone who wants to limit their meat intake get enough protein to stay healthy? Its actually very simple!

1. Nut Butters- 8 grams of protein per 2 TBS
2. Oatmeal- 6 grams per cup
3.Beans- 15 grams per 180 gram serving
4. Nuts and Seeds- 6 grams per handful
5. Spinach- 5 grams per 180 gram serving
6. Cauliflower and Broccoli- 5 grams per 180 gram serving
7. Quinoa- 8 grams per cup
8. Peas- 8 grams per cup
9. Tofu- 25 grams per serving
10. Nutritional Yeast- 12 grams per 3 TBS

     There are also things like Vegan Protein Powders, Portein Bars and Cookies, and other more processed foods that contain added protein. If you are interested in finding a vegan option, make sure that it doesn't contain Whey Protein or just Whey. This is a product made from milk.

     Those are just 10 of the thousands of options we have for non-meat sources of protein. Think about it for a minute. If you had oatmeal with peanut butter for breakfast, a quinoa and bean salad for lunch, a handful of nuts for a snack, and roasted cauliflower and broccoli with some tofu and spinach for dinner thats more than enough protein for an adult man! ( the total comes into around 78 grams of protein). See how easy that was? You don't have to try hard at all to get in enough protein to keep your body fit and healthy!


     I challenge you to try it for yourself and see how easy it really is to get in protein and not comsume so many(if any) animal products! It can be a fun and healthy challenge to change the way you look at protein forever!

I hope this post has been helpful to you! I hope to be in the kitchen this week and create some more recipe post for you, so be on the look out for those!

Please share this post with your friends and family and over social media to help the whole world become a healthier place!

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I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

Portion Control and Making a Balanced Plate

 It is a no-brainer than too much of unhealthy food isn't good for you, but too much of healthy food can act in the same way! Practicing portion control and learning how to balance your plate is important to achieving your goals as well as maintaining a healthy body!

Portion Control
 Let's start with portion control. This is something that should be practiced every time you go to eat anything! The only thing that portion control doesn't really apply to is water, which you can't really have too much of anyways!

I found a great picture on this website, The Skinny Confidential  , That explains portion control really well!

Your portion size for rice, pastas, fruits and veggies is the size of your fist. So, next time you are serving up some rice, pasta or fruit and veg, check your portion size by simply making a fist!

Next on the list is meat, fish and poultry. This should be measured by the size of your palm.

Nuts, raisins, and other dried fruits should be measured by handfuls. One handful equals one serving. This is a great tip, because most people( including myself!) tend to over eat on these types of foods!

Chips, popped corn, pretzels and other snacks of the like, are measured by handfuls as well. Two handfuls equals one serving!

Peanut Butter, nut butters, and hard cheeses are measured by the size of your thumb. This is another great tip because it is so easy to over eat these foods!

Finally, cooking oils, Mayo, butter and sugars should be measured by the tip of your thumb. As you can tell, these are foods that you shouldn't consume a whole lot of!

What I love about these portion control tips is that they are all portable! You have your hands with you always, so you have to excuse not to use them to portion your food correctly!

Making a Balanced Plate
Balancing out your plate is just as important as portion control. Having the right balance of carbs, proteins, sugars and so on will help you stay healthy and achieve your goals!
OneMedical as a great picture, showing a balanced plate!

Let's start with the biggest portion of the plate. 1/2 of your plate should be filled with leafy greens and a variety of veggies and/or fruit. Try and chose something new or different every meal to keep your body and mind guessing! Here are a few quick suggestions!
Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, Sugar Snap Peas, Broccoli, Kale, Spinach, Lettuce, Squash, Radishes, or a blend of several veggies!  They can be eaten raw, steamed, sautéed, or grilled! I like to eat these first, so I fill up on veggies and fruit so I am less likely to over eat!

Next comes the grains! You should fill no more than 1/4 of your plate with grains or legumes.  They should be rich in fiber to help you feel full longer. Here are a few suggestions!
Brown Rice, Quinoa, Kidney Beans, Whole Wheat Bread, Black or Navy Beans, or Lentils!

Protein time! Like the grains, only 1/4 of your plate should be filled with your protein. Use your portion control skills to chose a palm sized piece of meat, fish or poultry!
Fish, Lean,grass-fed meat, and eggs are good choices and for the vegetarians out there, Beans and Rice, Edamame or Tempeh are good choices as well!

As well as having your plate 1/2 fruit or veg, 1/4 whole grains and 1/4 protein, you should also include a portion controlled amount of healthy fats like oils, nuts, or avocados. You can sauté your veggies with an oil like Olive Oil or Coconut Oil, add nuts to your salad or rice, and avocados are, in my opinion, good on everything!
 Have fun with it, and mix it up! Don't just have the same thing every day, because you'll get bored and you will be less likely to stick with it! Another great tip is to try something new every week! Go to the grocery store or Farmer's Market and pick out something you've never tried before! This will help you expand your palate!

I hope these tips will help you portion and balance your food! If you enjoyed this post, please share these tips with your friends and family to spread the love of healthy living!

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Stay tuned for more healthy post every Monday and Friday!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana