Protein in the Vegan Diet

We all know how essential is protein in our diets, although it is important for our bodies, a study shows that we don't need huge quantities of it. Only one calorie out of every ten we take, it needs to come from protein.

How much protein do we need? RDA recommends that we take in 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram that we weight, or 0.36 grams of protein per pound that we weight.

If you decide to be a vegan, you should concentrate on eating foods like: beans, grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables. The fruits, sugars, fats and alcohol do not provide protein. You would be low in protein if you base your diet on this last group of foods.

Check out these sample menus for male and female vegans:

Table 1: Sample Menus Showing How Easy It Is To Meet Protein Needs
		Protein (grams)
Breakfast:	1 cup Oatmeal	6
	1 cup Soymilk	7
	1 Bagel	9
Lunch:	2 slices Whole Wheat Bread	5
	1 cup Vegetarian Baked Beans	12
Dinner:	5 oz firm Tofu	11
	1 cup cooked Broccoli	4
	1 cup cooked Brown Rice	5
	2 Tbsp Almonds	4
Snack:	2 Tbsp Peanut Butter	8
	6 Crackers	2
TOTAL		73 grams
Protein Recommendation for Male Vegan [based on 0.8-1 gram of protein per kilogram body weight for 70 kilogram (154 pound) male]		56-70 grams
Breakfast:	2 slices Whole Wheat Toast	5
	2 Tbsp Peanut Butter	8
Lunch:	6 oz. Soy Yogurt	6
	2 Tbsp Almonds	4
	1 Baked Potato	4
Dinner:	1 cup cooked Lentils	18
	1 cup cooked Bulgur	6
Snack:	1 cup Soymilk	7
TOTAL		58 grams
Protein Recommendation for Female Vegan [based on 0.8-1 gram of protein per kilogram body weight for 57.5 kilogram (126 pound) female]		46-58 grams
Additional food should be added to these menus to provide adequate calories and to meet requirements for nutrients besides protein.

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