[Closed] Diet advice - how to increasing protein intake for a veg & fish eater?

nuts, legumes, more fish

and start to eat 'eat beans, pulses, eggs or cheese etc'

wot he^ said.

We usually have eggs or fish at least every other day and go through lots of milk (~5litres between two of us last week) as well as eating loads of beans.

I've realised that my diet is probably very low in protein, and based mainly on carbs plus veg. I eat fish once or twice a week, but rarely eat beans, pulses, eggs or cheese etc.

Eat fish more than once or twice a week. Start to eat beans, pulses, eggs or cheese, etc.

MTFU and eat some steak.

are you pescetarian?

Soy is a complete protein, and there's more to it than tofu, for instance miso paste (try seafood miso soup).

This book is good for ideas...

[url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Japanese-Women-Dont-Get-Old/dp/0091907098 ]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Japanese-Women-Dont-Get-Old/dp/0091907098[/url]

*sidesteps the obvious*

protein shakes?

I don't eat meat either and am very conscious about getting enough protein. As mustard said, we eat fish, eggs, plenty of beans, cheese and nuts. I also eat good quality yoghurt too.

I doubt eating more protein would help increase power/speed though - IME, i perform better when i'm heavier and more importantly, eat more than i used to (i'm 5'3 and i usually weigh around 54kgs but went up to 58kg last year and set many new PBs). It took hard work on the bike and in the gym with weights to get there.

I'd steer clear of protein shakes having tried them before. I much prefer choc milk for recovery after a ride, a good mix of carbs and protein to be consumed within 15mins of finishing exercise.

From http://www.vegansociety.com/lifestyle/nutrition/protein.aspx

Main plant sources of protein include:
Pulses: peas beans lentils soya foods such as tofu and tempeh
Nuts and peanuts
Seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame, sunflower)
Cereals (such as oats, wheat, quinoa, buckwheat)
Cereal products such as bread and pasta contribute useful amounts of protein in typical UK diets

To ensure a healthy protein intake:
Include a reasonable variety of protein-containing foods in the diet
Remember that a balanced meal should include a protein element (rather than, for example, just carbohydrates and vegetables)
Consume enough calories overall for your needs

Thanks folks!

Time to go through the cookery books looking for recipes which have more pulses, beans etc. Also considering swapping white pasta / rice for whole grain. Will increase the amount of fish I eat, and maybe include some quorn once a week. Not too keen on eating too much cheese / eggs due to cholesterol levels.

Anyone got any favourite protein-rich veggie recipes, let me know 🙂

Not too keen on eating too much cheese / eggs due to cholesterol levels.

Tinned sardines - pretty much the highest g for g source of protein

Anyone got any favourite protein-rich veggie recipes, let me know

bean chilli; i sometimes buy dried beans at waitrose, or if i'm in asda canned beans. mexican beans + kidney beans + loads of other cans of beans and make a chilli with it. lovely.

chickpea curry.

fry off chopped potatoes, peppers & onion (+chorizo for meaties), mix with chopped toms. put some paprica in if no chizo. put in a oven proof dish & bake for 10 minutes ish. create a hollow in the top of the dish break an egg and bake again for 10 minutes ish. might be nice with olives in, might have this later.

[i]Tinned sardines - pretty much the highest g for g source of protein [/i]

Tuna has a fair ratio of protein to calories.
😉

Anyway.

DGoAB. Why not post the Chilli receipe I gave you ?.
You can put as many pulses and legumes along with meat.
In your chilli.
It keeps/freezes well too, so make a larger quantity and eat as and when.

Has it not been shown that the eggs/cholesterol argument isn't valid?

There was something on TV a week of so back where a woman was trying to dispell some of the myths like the eggs/cholesterol one, she ate something like the average weekly intake of egg for one person (4 eggs) every day for 2 weeeks and her cholesteroln wen't up 0.1 and her ratio of good to bad did not change.

There was stuff about milk as a recovery drink and brewing tea for longer to get more anti-oxidants out of it.

+1 sadines. loads of calcium too.

increase my muscle power, whilst also wanting to keep my weight low

I'll probably get proved wrong here, but, I'd say you'll have to compromise a little here. Shot term , don't worry too much about the weight whilst trying to increase your power .It will be easier to increase you power without restricting your weight.
Your muscle mass will become a little higher, but in the long run that will increase your metabolic rate slightly and your weight will come back down though burning off a little fat.

Quick, simple and tasty - home made baked beans;
soften an onion/shalotte chuck in tin of chopped toms and 1 or 2 tins beans (whatever you have lying around but butter work well) skoosh of tomatoe puree and just enough ketchup/honey/sugar to take the sharpness of the toms. Simmer gently, until nice and thick, and pile on some thick, buttered bread of your choice.

Sometimes it gets garlic in it, sometimes some chilli or paprica, sometimes whatever fresh herbs I have lying about needing used up.

p.s. I used to think the same about not eating too many eggs but it has been shown not to be a problem.

the problem with tinned sardines is that as soon as the lid comes off you realise you've just opened a tin of cat food by mistake.

Kev

[i]the problem with tinned sardines is that as soon as the lid comes off you realise you've just opened a tin of cat food by mistake.[/i]

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Do you really need more protein? Its far from clear IMO and many folk believe we eat far too much protein in the west.

Quinoa is a good source of protein.
Not particularly cheap though.

+1 for TJs comment - you probably don't need as much protein as you think

Has it not been shown that the eggs/cholesterol argument isn't valid?

I though the latest facts/figures were that eggs are 'good' cholesterol. whatever that means.

I've been eating 3 or 4 eggs a day for years - my cholesterol levels were comfortably within the 'healthy' range when I last had it measured a few months ago.

peas , beans, mushrooms , any quorn product are all good sources of protein .Quinoa is really good because its a grain and will give you sow-release energy as well as protein , kept the incas jumping about for centuries and you can use it in place of rice or pasta .

TandemJeremy - Member
Do you really need more protein? Its far from clear IMO and many folk believe we eat far too much protein in the west.

Hmm what are we supposed to eat then, I thought it's more established we have too much simple carbs and fat in our diet. Cut down on protein as well and we'll all end up thinner but only because there's not much left to eat...

Eggs are fine for cholesterol. +1 on substituting quinoa for rice as an easy protein boost.

I'm no expert but you do seem light for your height, if I was doing big miles I'd not be worried about adding a few lb, I understand it's pretty crucial for women exercising a lot.

Question-

if you think of yourself as a veggie how come you eat fish?

I'm much happier eating things grown to be killed for food than things that frolic about in the wild.

Thanks for the recipes and info about quinoa, will definately try replacing rice with this.

Scruff - don't really get into debates about judging who eats what, I consider that's usually up to the individual! But as you've asked, I eat fish as I have Sjorgen's Syndrome, which is not curable but fish oil has been found to be one of the few things that can make a difference (aside from drugs etc). And I try to make sure that I choose MSC approved fish.

Sue_W - most of the benefits of fish oil can also be found in flaxseed oil, which is where I got my Omega3 & vitamin E when veggie. Not sure if it would be relevant to Sjögren's Syndrome if you did want to go veggie. Ask your GP?