You Can’t Get Enough Protein If You’re Vegetarian – Really???

As someone who does not eat meat, I get this comment hurled at me weekly. It seems that for the most part, people still believe that meat plays an essential part in a healthy diet and struggle to break away from the old Irish ‘Meat, two Veg and Potato’ stereotype. Yes, it can be incorporated into a balanced diet, but it’s not essential, and in some cases it can even be beneficial cutting down on our beloved meat. According to the latest sources, about 5% of the population follow a Meat Free diet, so it’s something as Nutritionists we need to educate ourselves on.

So, in a world where Vegetarianism and Veganism is on the rise, it’s time we clear up any misconceptions.You CAN have a Protein rich diet if you are a Vegetarian.

Believe it or not, the average person needs just 0.75g-1g of Protein per Kilogram of bodyweight a day. So, if you weigh 75 kilos, that’s only around 56-75 grams. Below are some sources of Protein, and their serving size, that will make you think twice about dissing the Veggies next time.

• - plantbasedprotein
• - vegetarian
• - vegetarianism