April 28, 2024: Going Vegetarian For A Day
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When you’re focused on building muscle, you probably think you can’t possibly get enough protein on a vegetarian diet. But, there’s protein in a lot of surprising food sources, and it’s not as hard as it’s made out to be. Also, if you read “Vegetarian for a Day” and were like “not a chance,” hear me out. It’s just one day! This week, we’re going to talk about some ways that you can try out a vegetarian lifestyle.
As with most lifestyles, vegetarians who consume well-balanced meals reap the most benefis. But, also with most diets, if you’re not compensating for the nutrients you’re missing with meat you’re risking being low on protein, Vitamin D, calcium, and B12. The biggest mistake vegetarians make when first transitioning is increasing their carb and sugar intakes. Vegetarians need to make sure that when giving up meat, they’re replacing the nutrients in it properly to maximize the health benefits.
Here are some of the best meat replacements to make sure you’re optimizing your day (or longer!) as a vegetarian:
Seitan – Wheat meat, the chicken of vegetarianism, is not a well-known food for those outside of the vegetarian world, but one cup is worth 72g of protein! It’s made using the protein from wheat, so while it’s not gluten-free friendly, it is a protein powerhouse. It’s simple to use and can work in a variety of dishes from tacos to fried rice.
Hemp Seeds – A cup of hemp seeds doesn’t just contain 49g of protein - it also contains all 9 essential amino acids and has 6 times more Omega-3s than tuna. Hemp seeds are easy to add to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, or over avocado toast.
Tempeh – Like tofu, tempeh is a soy-based product, but fermented. One cup of tempeh has 31g of protein and more fiber than tofu. Like seitan, it’s a versatile meat replacement in anything from “beef” and broccoli to BBQ.
Buckwheat – Buckwheat is a fruit seed ground into a flour and can be utilized as a rice or pasta replacement in bread or any baked goods. A cup of buckwheat has more protein than a 4oz steak, with 23g of protein and it’s a great addition if you’re gluten free also.
Nuts and Nut Butters – With 21g and 65g of protein per one cup, nuts and nut butter are good fat, vitamin and mineral, and protein staples for a vegetarian diet. Nuts are a must-have snack and can be added to salads for a crunchy, nutrient boost. Nut butters are perfect to add to smoothies, oatmeal, toast, or used for a delicious dipping sauce. Make sure you stick with nut butters that are created with just nuts and no added sugar or oils.
Beans – Beans, beans they’re good for your heart, the more you eat, well, they’re full of fiber so you know the rest. But a cup of beans has 16g of protein, and with so many options like black, pinto, garbanzo, and cannellini, you can add them to virtually any meal.
Vegetarians with a well-balanced diet take in more fiber, folic acid, vitamins C and E, magnesium, unsaturated fats, and countless phytochemicals, which leads to lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and lower risk of heart disease. With the addition of any of these protein suggestions plus countless others: Greek yogurt, lentils, tofu, eggs, etc., you won’t miss the meat and your body will be able to rebuild those tears to the muscles to create the stong, toned body you’re looking for.
Next Sunday, we’ll talk about some healthy gift ideas for Mother’s Day.
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I hope you have a wonderful week,
Kelly
My weekly GYSTS email give you one actionable thing to do for the week that will make you life a little easier. As "they" say, "Fail to plan; plan to fail." Get these emails (and more!) delivered right to your inbox by clicking HERE.