Important Non-Meat Sources Of Protein For VegetariansAlthough most vegetarians consume a considerable amount of protein, they often do not absorb as much as they would on a nonvegetarian diet. This is because plant proteins are considerably less digestible than animal proteins, which contain amino acid chains that are closer or identical to human amino acid chains. Consuming animal proteins might yield close to a 1:1 absorption ratio, while consuming plant proteins, such as wheat, might only yield 50% of the amino acids needed to build a "complete protein" or a protein that can readily be assimilated into the human body. In order for vegetarians to absorb a healthy amount of protein, they must consume a variety of plant proteins to form complete amino chains. By eating vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, fruits, and whole grains, vegetarians can increase the amount of complete proteins they create by combining a number of varieties of amino acid chains. Vegetarians must also consume more foods that contain proteins because plant proteins are generally harder to digest. While a nutritional label may suggest that pasta has 5 grams of protein per serving; you may only be able to digest 2-3 grams of that protein, which means you must complement the pasta with other sources of protein. In addition to natural sources of protein, vegetarians should also seek foods that are "protein-fortified"-- or artificially-infused with protein. For example, many supermarkets offer a variety "protein-fortified" pasta and bread. I have seen pasta that contains as much as 12 grams of protein per serving. Soy milk is also a good source of protein for vegetarians. Studies on isolated soy protein show that it can be absorbed nearly as well as animal proteins, yielding close to a 1:1 protein absorption ratio. For non-vegan vegetarians, yogurt, milk, and eggs (which contain complete proteins) are all excellent sources of protein. As a vegetarian you have a number of options to boost your protein intake - and you should consider taking advantage of all of them. You should diversify your food selections, drink more soy products, and eat "protein-fortified" breads and pasta. vegetarian - Google News vegetarian - Google News Meatless Fun at Vegetarian Food Fair - blogTO blogTO Meatless Fun at Vegetarian Food Fair blogTO, Canada - 13 hours ago The Toronto Vegetarian Food Fair is taking place this weekend at the Harbourfront Centre. The largest vegetarian festival of its kind, you can find an array ... The Best Three Days of the Year - The Vegetarian Food Fair Turns 24 Taste T.O. all 2 news articles Vegetarian Shoes and Bags Offers Free Shoes for A Year Sweepstakes - Free Pre... Vegetarian Shoes and Bags Offers Free Shoes for A Year Sweepstakes Free Press Release Center (press release), Canada - 23 hours ago Vegetarian Shoes and Bags, a California online boutique featuring 100% cruelty-free footwear and accessories, has announced a sweepstakes today featuring ... She'd like to go green ? as in eating vegetarian - OCRegister She'd like to go green ? as in eating vegetarian OCRegister, CA - 20 hours ago For the next two weeks I'll be a vegetarian and see what happens. An octo-lacto vegetarian, that is. Still eating dairy and eggs. ... PETA's Sexy Lettuce Ladies Distribute Vegetarian Sandwiches at ... - PETA (pr... PETA's Sexy Lettuce Ladies Distribute Vegetarian Sandwiches at ... PETA (press release), VA - Sep 5, 2008 PETA points out that vegetarians are an average of 10 percent leaner than meat-eaters. Meat, dairy products, and eggs--all of which are packed with ... Nude PETA Beauties Shower on Street Corner to Expose Meat's ... PETA (press release) all 2 news articles Vegetarian cafe to close - Waikato Times Vegetarian cafe to close Waikato Times, New Zealand - Sep 5, 2008 By NIKKI PRESTON - Waikato Times | Saturday, 06 September 2008 Hamilton's only vegetarian restaurant is shutting its doors tomorrow and will be replaced by ... Newsfeed display by CaRP
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