Where Do You Get Your Protein?
After the initial shock wears off when I tell people I rarely eat meat, the first question I'm asked is where I get my protein. When I rattle off a list filled with nuts, vegetables, and grains, I usually get one or all of these responses:
1. Are you sure you're eating enough?
2. You know you shouldn't eat too much fill in the blank.
3. I could never give up meat.
Honestly, I want to say, "Look at me. I clearly eat enough. " And when has anyone ever overdosed on broccoli? But that is never conducive to the conversation, and my goal is to educate others about adapting a more plant-based diet. Even after I say my doctor is aware and supportive and that I worked with a dietitian, I'm still questioned if it is healthy for me. Since I can't just whip out my lab results showing that I can sustain this lifestyle and be healthy, I add a little emphasis on my numbers being great and how eating plants made them even better. I am nowhere near malnourished, and I get to eat more than just salads everyday.
Eating enough? Yup.
I am grateful I don't have a nut allergy because my plant-based diet is filled with them. So when I mention nuts as a great source of protein, I'm often met with nutrition advice on how fattening they are. I acknowledge they can be calorie-laden and have a high fat ratio for a serving. But there's the key - a serving. I religiously measure my unsalted, unroasted almonds or walnuts to 1/4 of a cup. If I have nuts in my morning oatmeal, I typically avoid them in a meal later that day and vice versa. The typical response is oh, I often just eat from the bag and eat too many. I am a strong advocate for eating what you want, but I believe moderation is the key to my lifestyle. When I got really sick and needed to determine what triggered my pain, I started tracking all my foods. The app I used also kept track of the calories, fat, iron, etc. Keeping a log of my foods really helped me become conscious of how much I ate and aware of my nutrient intake.
Eating too much? Nope.
I once said I could never give up meat either. This was long after I had stopped eating red meat, even at the direction of one doctor who said it would help my anemia. I routinely ate my baked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ground turkey, or wild caught salmon that I deemed to be much healthier alternatives. Then I watched one too many documentaries and decided I had to change how I ate. So I became a weekday vegetarian. I stumbled across this term and found this to be a great start. It was definitely harder than just meatless Monday initially but relatively simple to follow - meat only on the weekends. I noticed a change after a few months. Sometimes weeks went by before I even wanted meat. Reducing my consumption actually helped me pinpoint one source of my pain. I realized the pain decreased after a fast from meat, but it returned with a vengeance when I ate it again. No meat is greater than suffering in pain, so that sold me. While I still occasionally eat meat, I'm very particular about the type and source now.
So it is possible to live without meat? Of course.
There are multiple plant-based sources of protein including:
Quinoa: 7g per 1/4 cup
Lentils: 9g per 1/2 cup
Garbanzo beans (Chickpeas): 7.5g per 1/2 cup
Chia seeds: 3g per 1 tablespoon
Flaxseed: 3g per 2 tablespoon
Almonds: 6g per 1/4 cup
Changing my diet took dedication, but it was well worth it. The best advice I can give on transitioning to a plant-based diet is to make small changes. There's no requirement that you have to do it all overnight. I also encourage you to stay strong even when others around you don't have the same goals. Work with someone (e.g.- your doctor or someone who successfully made the change) to ensure that you are educated as you make lifestyle changes. Also, finding a supportive community, whether online or in your area, that can help you remain committed.
Just don't ask them if they get enough protein.