Tunafish!

Ok so I'm on a new quest to eat a lot of lovely, filling, protein rich food; and today I discovered that 100g of tinned tuna fish has a phenomenal 25g of protein with only 105 calories. I've been a vegetarian for 7 years now but this is seriously making me consider turning pescatarian (I believe is the word) or at least maybe eating tuna.

Does anyone know of any really low calorie high protein foods like this that are vegetarian? I eat already eat quorn (which is about 13g per hundred of protein with 95 calories) but this is quite expensive so I don't want to eat anymore of it than I already do. Apart from this I eat nonfat yoghurt, skimmed milk, eggs and extra low fat soft cheese for protein.

I'm really conflicted on this issue, I'm hoping someone can convince me to stay veggie though!

First of all... you don't need as much protein as you think you do. Sometimes you just need iron and b12 if it's because you feel lowsy. Eat tofu! Soy protein! It's great ^_^ so is protein from nuts and needs and tons of other places. Tuna is overrated :P instead of looking for one thing that has tons of protein, just looks for a combination of several things with protein in them ^_^

I'm looking for things with higher protein because I feel that I have a large appetite, I started a thread about this on CC and was recommended to eat more protein, which I tried and it worked brilliantly. I don't feel lousy, just hungry! I don't know where I can buy tofu to be honest, I've never seen it in a shop. I am trying to get my protein from different places but I was just so impressed by how low calorie and high protein this food is. But then tuna has a lot of mercury in it so that's quite detrimental... oh it's too complicated! Health vs. moral dilemma. Any other suggestions of super low cal high protein foods?

Beans and edamame are great high protein foods. There are also veggie burgers and veggie dogs that are very high in protein. Spinach, peas, and other greens also have more protein then you would expect.

(From http://www.annecollins.com/protein-needs-diet .htm) "The US RDA for protein in our daily diet is high, to cover most person's needs. For example, the average requirement for dietary protein is 0.6 grams per kilogram [2.2 pounds] of ideal body weight, while the protein RDA is 0.8 grams per kilogram of ideal body weight. So the protein RDA has a wide built-in safety margin."

It also depends on why you are a vegetarian. If you only are interested in health benefits and are looking for a high protein source, then that's your call. As for the moral dilema, personally I don't eat fish because I don't want or need an animal or fish to have suffered been killed so that I can eat dinner, since there are so many alternatives. Of course that's only my preference and if you want to eat tuna, then by all means you should what you want to.

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm is a good resource for how many grams of protein are in some common foods.

Good luck! :)

it's easy to get enough protein without any animal products. i get about 50g per day, which according to multiple calculators is the right amount for my body weight, without even consuming dairy or egg products.

also, tuna is NOT a good source of protein if you take into account all the mercury going into your system.

Thanks for the  website, it was really helpful, I had no idea some of the foods listed were that rich in protein. I think I'll try and increase my protein with veggie sources, then if I feel I need more I'll come back to my dilemma. I don't eat meat for moral reasons but I have always said if I really needed to eat meat for health reasons then I would. However I don't think this is one of those occasions since there are plenty of ways of getting round it.

Original Post by ewwxroflzz:

it's easy to get enough protein without any animal products. i get about 50g per day, which according to multiple calculators is the right amount for my body weight, without even consuming dairy or egg products.

also, tuna is NOT a good source of protein if you take into account all the mercury going into your system.

 You took the words right out of my mouth!   Tuna fishing is also very brutal to the fish and some companies still manage to kill a lot of Dolphins in the process.  

Don't eat tuna, too much mercury.  I stopped eating it immediately when I found out that the mercury in tuna can give my unborn child autism.  I want my baby to be healthy.  If it can do that to a fetus, what can it do to me? 

But I do need lots of protein as well.  I get my protein mainly from beans and soy products.  But really, I wouldn't pay too much attention to the RDA.  What they suggest is way overboard.  There is an international one instead, can't remember the name, that is more realistic. 

But if you want more protein, eat more beans and soy.  Much more healthy.

Original Post by cesty8:

Don't eat tuna, too much mercury.  I stopped eating it immediately when I found out that the mercury in tuna can give my unborn child autism.  I want my baby to be healthy.  If it can do that to a fetus, what can it do to me? 

But I do need lots of protein as well.  I get my protein mainly from beans and soy products.  But really, I wouldn't pay too much attention to the RDA.  What they suggest is way overboard.  There is an international one instead, can't remember the name, that is more realistic. 

But if you want more protein, eat more beans and soy.  Much more healthy.

 I think it's the World Health Organization?  They recommend an adult female to have 29 grams of protein per day.  I think the US RDA is something like 44 (not sure)

Yes, that is it.  I read in an article that RDA requirement are near impossible to keep up with, and even the RDA admits that.  Those levels are set for those with problems absorbing neutrients, which isn't most people. 

The WHO currently recommends .8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.  There is an enormous pdf report available online with a lot of info about protein requirements.  This recommendation is supposed to account for everybody's different needs, including children, pregnant women and the elderly.

I have read a number of "diet programs" advocating weight loss with REALLY high levels of protein.  I tried this for a while with vegan protein shakes as an experiment but abandoned it (very rapidly) in favour of CC.  I am losing weight fine using the tools and community support here.  The promotional stuff that people like Tom Venuto (high protein diet guy) sell pretty much states you can't do it his way and be veg/vegan unless you live off vegan protein powder .  So I decided on CC cos there was no competition (welfare of animals v high protein diet program - the animals win every time).  Sorry if that is a bit blunt for this site and I expect to come in for criticism but - hey ho!!

I decided that 23 years as veg and 2 years as vegan was more important to me than getting crazy about protein that my body didn't need.

 

Hi, just thought I would put my two cents in.  I have been vegetarian for nine years now.  One of those years was spent as a Vegan, recieving weekly B12 shots, and the past four years I am now pescatarian.  I stoped being Vegan becuase I didnt have the time or money to eat properly and became sick.  I started eating fish partly because I love it, and partly for the same reasons you are considering. 

I dont worry about mercury levels as the majority of fish I eat is caught by my father and boyfriend in our clean pacific ocean right outside.  but I DO feel great after a fish meal.  Not just the protein but all the good omegas too.  My 18month old daughter is pescatarian also, she was vego til 12 months after which I started to feed her fish - she now downs twice as much fish as we do when given the opportunity!  growing bodies and hard working bodies stongly benefit from high protein sources.

It IS possible to get your protein needs without eating fish, but its much more complicated.  YOu have to combine your grains in order to get a full protein source.  Fish for me is so much quicker and simpler and a direct protein hit!

Personally I dont llike eating meat because the idea of eating bloody flesh groses me out, and I am against the idea of farming for our consumption.  so by eating freshlly caught fish I somehow morally get around this.?!  Sometimes however I find myself looking at my boyfriends steak or sausages and just craving it like mad, but I would never eat it!  Its just my bodys way of telling me I need more protein, so I will go eat an egg, or fish.

how much do you like fish and think strongly about what are your reasons for being vegetarian.

Sorry, this isn't against you, but I always laugh when people say their craving is their body's way of telling them they need something.  When I think of all the fast food restaurants we have in this country - Super Size Me, etc. and I imagine somebody driving by McDonald's craving a Big Mac - oh that must mean my body is telling me I need 4000 fat grams!  Let me pull in! 

Oh!  That chocolate cake looks soooo good!  My body must need it!  LOL!

That is probably one of the reasons why the majority of people in this country are overweight and wildly unhealthy...

 

The body can crave things because it is lacking a certin something that it needs. I do not eat red meat. And quite frequently I crave a hamburger (and yes, that means mostly fast food places). When this happens I know that my iron level is low since red meat is a very good source of iron. 

I have also heard this of many pregnant women who crave really random things- like laundry detergent and dirt. This is because their body needs a certin thing that is in those products.

So perhaps you don't crave things when your body is in need- but I know I do!

what a coincidence - read my "Happy Early Earth Day" post - I postd a link to a guide on fish, mercury and the like (and sadly, even wild fish have really high levels of PCB's and the like - some Inuit tribes that live off the land/sea are advised not to breastfeed their children because the fish and whales they catch are so high in harmful toxins!)

Nuts are some of the best protein you can get. Specifically, tree nuts (as opposed to ground nuts like peanuts). Soy is awesome and available in lots of forms (from sweet to savory!).

Also, here's a good post on protein-rich foods! http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/8339 .html

Original Post by mmmjetta:

The body can crave things because it is lacking a certin something that it needs. I do not eat red meat. And quite frequently I crave a hamburger (and yes, that means mostly fast food places). When this happens I know that my iron level is low since red meat is a very good source of iron. 

I have also heard this of many pregnant women who crave really random things- like laundry detergent and dirt. This is because their body needs a certin thing that is in those products.

So perhaps you don't crave things when your body is in need- but I know I do!

The only craving I have ever heard of that is true is the craving like you described for dirt or laundry detergent or other non-food substances (also ice), means you need iron or zinc. This usually occurs in pregnant women and it's known as pica.  Ironically, these cravings actually do more harm than good.  So much for the body "knowing" what it needs:

http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/nutritioninpreg n/a/aa011100a.htm

"When a person eats non-food substances it can interfere with the absorption of the nutrients in their food, or the person can quit eating regular foods in favor of the craved item. "Ironically, eating non-food substances like clay can actually lead to anemia by displacing iron-rich foods and interfering with iron absorption," offers Rick Hall, Nutrition Guide."

However, most cravings result from restricting your diet and/or emotional needs.  I'm sure you think it's your body telling you need something, but most likely that is not the case.   Per your example, there are much better sources of iron out there than a greasy fast food hamburger... how about an vitamin supplement?  Or even liver, which is a far better source than ground round.  However, you crave the burger and not other, better sources of iron because you drove by there and it sounded good to you... that's all - nothing to do with iron, other than a way to justify to yourself why you "need" something that is bad for you (or, since you don't eat meat, possibly because you are restricting your diet).  Besides, as noted above, an iron deficiency results in craving of NON-food items, not hamburgers.

More info:

http://www.annecollins.com/weight-loss/food-c ravings.htm

http://blog.wellsphere.com/2008/02/food_cravi ngswhat_do_they_mean.html

 

Just an aside because it totally caught me off guard...I have never heard of anyone craving laundry detergent...does that really happen? Maybe the iron in dirt thing I can see a little more, but what's in laundry detergent that your body would even think to crave?

Nothing, brighteyes.  I don't think the mechanism or reason for the craving is known.  But one thing is clear:  it's not what's IN the non-food item that you are craving; it is just the fact that you are craving a non-food item indicates the deficiency.  The obvious example of this is an intense ice craving.  Ice doesn't really have any nutritional value (over that of water) and certainly contains no vitamins or minerals to speak of.  Yet people with an iron deficiency may crave ice, even though ice will not alleviate their deficiency.  Not to mention, the average person would be unaware of what is even in laundry detergent, dirt, soap, or other non-food items, so they would have no way of knowing that eating it would satisfy their body's supposed need.

oh come on!!!

If you are in touch with your body, eating when hungry stopping when full and have the ability to LISTEN to it then yes, of course you will get cravings for what you need!

Im not talking about Pica here, and im not talking about people out of touch with their bodies driving into Maccas to get their next round of bigmacs but when I crave meat, its instantly fixed if I eat something with a lot of protein in it.  Sometimes, shock horror I crave something like CAKE- usually when I have been eating very little fat or calories for a while, so I eat some avocado or nuts and feel better.

When I was pregnant I ate three grapefruits a day.  I hear this massive citrus craving is extremely common in pregnant women who all of a sudden have a higher need of vitamin c.

Try closing your eyes and imagining if you could eat ANYTHING out there, what would it be.  If your in touch with your body and hunger I bet it would reflect what you need.

just try listening.

im a pescatarian myself but i normally only eat fish maybe once a month. there are more veg protein sources out there as the other posts have said. but for an obscure one i actually came across this soy drink called ultra meal, 15 grams per serving. it tastes very very good, they have a chocolate one & a mocha one that i really like. i wouldn't normally go for that stuff but its real handy when im rushing off to the gym from work. but you can even make your own protein drinks from soaked almonds (or any other seeds & nuts). its really tasty but you have to prepare it before and you get so little for all the work but at least you know you are getting a good clean source of protein. but if you must eat fish, eat sustainable deep sea fish no more than twice a week (so they say)