Best Vegetarian Protein Sources & How Much You Need

When following a vegetarian diet, it's important to meet your body's daily protein and essential amino acid requirements. Fortunately, with careful planning, vegetarian meal plans are sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of adults, pregnant women, and even children, notes the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Protein Requirements for Vegetarians

The protein requirements of vegetarians are the same as non-vegetarian protein guidelines. The recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for protein are as follows.

Who Needs Extra Protein?

Athletes and people recovering from surgery, illness, severe burns, and other injuries often have protein needs higher than RDAs suggest. A 2014 issue of Today's Dietitian reports athletes often need 0.5 to 0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily, which is 65 to 117 grams per day for a 130-pound athlete. People who are critically ill have protein needs similar to those of athletes but should check with their doctor or dietitian to be sure.

Protein-Rich Vegetarian Foods

Many meatless foods are rich in protein, so getting plenty of this nutrient in your diet as a vegetarian generally isn't a problem. The following foods are excellent sources of protein:

Complete Proteins for Vegetarians

Complete protein foods (those containing all essential amino acids) appropriate for vegetarians include:

• Eggs
• Dairy foods
• Soy-based foods

However, you don't have to always eat complete protein foods to get all the essential amino acids your body needs if you consume a variety of incomplete proteins throughout the day.

Incomplete Protein Pairings

There are several ways to pair incomplete proteins to form complete proteins, according to Iowa State University. It's important to note you don't have to consume certain amounts of incomplete proteins at specific times to get the essential amino acid combinations your body needs. MedlinePlus notes you don't have to eat incomplete protein pairings all at once, but rather get a good balance of protein foods throughout the course of the day.

Choose one portion of each food being paired. For example, combine 1/2 cup of rice with 1/4 cup of beans, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter with one slice of whole-grain bread, one veggie burger with a whole-grain bun, 1/2 cup of oatmeal with 1.5 tablespoons of nuts, or 2 tablespoons of hummus with one small whole-grain tortilla.

Grains Plus Legumes

Combining grains and legumes provides a complete source of protein. Examples of such pairings include:

• Rice and beans
• Veggie burger on whole-grain bun
• Bean burrito
• Lentil or split pea soup with whole-grain crackers
• Hummus on pita bread

Grains Plus Nuts/Seeds

Grains plus nuts and/or seeds also pairs to make a complete protein. Combinations may include:

• Nut butter on whole grain bread
• Trail mix made with nuts and seeds plus whole-grain ready-to-eat breakfast cereal
• Rice or couscous with almonds, peanuts, or cashews

Legumes Plus Nuts/Seeds

You can also combine nuts and/or seeds with legumes, such as:

• Salad with dried beans or peas plus nuts or seeds
• Rice with peas or beans plus nuts or seeds

Bottom Line

While getting plenty of protein is important when following a vegetarian diet, it's generally not a problem because numerous vegetarian protein-rich foods are available to choose from.