What's the worst that could happen if you don't get enough protein?

What's the worst that could happen if you don't get enough protein for a long period of time?  (I've been vegan for 4 months, and am staying vegan)

I get about 20-35 grams a day, and I know that's not enough. I doubt I'll get kwashiorkor, but I'll still be unhealthy.

Also, I'm starting to lose hair a bit more rapidly... is this related?

About 6 years ago I was eating vegetarian diet, but a pretty bad one, mostly breads, rices, and a very starchy veggies... wasn't too knowledgeable about nutrition and wasn't very experimental. After about two years I had horrible dark circles under my eyes, was losing a lot of hair, and my nails were very brittle. My doctor told me it was due to my diet. For me I decided to begin to eat meat again, I slowly started to eat some fish, then chicken, etc. 

The best way to get more protein into your diet, if you do wish to stay vegan is incorporate more foods like soy based products, tofu, Amy's has some great stuff, Yves veggie cusine, tofukey. Also grains like Quinoa is very high in protein. Do some reading, educate yourself. There are lot of options.

Hope that helps.  

beans and grains together=whole protein.  rice and beans.  quinoa/coucous salad with a legume in it.  egg substitute (i'm not vegan so i don't know if you can eat that on it's own...).  add some soy protein powder to things (i heard that adding the vanilla kind of oatmeal is really tasty) or use a ciuple scoops, a cup of water, a frozen fruit and you'Ve got a healthy protein shake.  you've got to experiment tho.  soy milk is also good (with cereal or on its own)

figure out what you like.  but find at least 4 sources you like.  i myself was veggie and had to stop for the same reason as the rpevious poster.  now i just eat meat 3 times a week (3 meals, not 3 days), i use a lot of soy/egg/legumes/dairy and i'm good.

There are 8 amino acids that the body does not produce.  Foods that have all 8 are known as complete proteins. 

Meat and dairy are known for being the most easily absorbed protein sources, however, you can get sufficient protein from other sources if you're careful, so you can stay vegan if you choose to.

Edamame is a complete protein source.  Rice and beans are known for being a complete protein together.  I think this is true of most grain and legume combinations although you'll probably want to verify this.

Do an internet search for vegan protein sources and you'll find a lot.

However, it's not necessary to always combine grains and legume sources in the same meal.  That used to be the theory, but it has been shown not to be necessary, as long as you combine within 24 hours to get a complete protein.  Tempeh is also a great source of soy and some say it's healthier than tofu because it's processed differently.  Lentils (my personal favorite) and beans obviously are good sources of protein, as is quinoa, which one of these posts also mentions.

I don't know why people act like its so hard to get protein as vegetarian/vegan...It's really easy. I range from 55 to even 100 g/day but I am vegetarian not vegan..as vegan, maybe explore soy burger products..some are vegan , I am aware of. Even some stuff at Taco Bell can be vegan (i.e. corn shells w/ bean filling.)

I'd suggest you look at your whole diet and not just the protein element.  Are you getting enough calories in total, for example?  It's very easy to undereat on a vegan diet since a lot of the foods are naturally low calorie.   Are you getting a good variety of wholefoods.... since a limited or repetitive diet or one that is made up of a lot of processed foods tends to be less healthy?   Getting enough iron and calcium is especially important  in a diet that doesn't include meat, fish, eggs or dairy products.   There are lots of resources you can find that will give you ideas on how to get a properly balanced vegan diet but it does take some thought, effort and planning to put it into practice.

Finally, if your hair is thinning and if you have any other medical symptoms then you might want to talk to your doctor and have a physical check-up.   Anaemia is a big risk.  You may need to take dietary supplements until such a time as you can improve your diet.

People in developed countries don't really get protein deficiencies.  The only way you will get it, assuming you're eating enough calories, is if you eat a lot of fruits and/or sugars.  Pretty much everything other than fruits/sugars has 10%+ percent of calories from protein.  Whole grains and nuts are a good source of proteins.

there is no way i get enough protien i wanted to read ore about what could happen, people were mostly just posing ideas on how to get more,  the ? was what could happen to you if you dont.  i am curious too.  i eat mostly fruit, veggies and bread,  egg weights for protien because even my nutritionalist said i should not count yogurts in my protiens

in that case: you get weak, dizzy, and more impressionable/easy to manipulate.  in short.  hence: try to get enough protein, no matter how you do it.

bobo1, I was thinking the same thing.

It's only in the last week-ish that I've noticed that I'm more impressionable. Also really dizzy for one day. My nails are very strong, and I don't have dark circles under my eyes, but my hair is falling out much more than I'd like to admit.

Our budget is really tight right now though, and we can't really afford special food like fake meat, protein bars, etc.

As others have pointed out as well, beans in general are super wallet-friendly and have lots of protein.

You can either buy cans or dried and soak them and cook them on your own.

They are great in salads, made into chili, smashed up in a burrito or made into dips and spreads. Edamame is also a delicious staple very high in protein, as smwhipple mentioned.

This website has some awesome (and cheap) recipes:

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-rec ipes/bean-recipes.php

If you know you are not getting enough protein--the essential building block for organs, muscles, tissues--and still choose to eat that diet, you are venturing into eating disorder territory. Why would you do that to yourself?

You won't die, but you'll feel foggy and tired and generally crappy. And you'll sure enjoy life a lot less because you'll be busy being rigid about your eating. 

Yes, hair loss is related to lack of protein. As are brittle nails, dry skin, fatigue, and muscle weakness.

But don't worry, it's not that hard to get more protein. As other people before have mentioned, beans and legumes are great sources (and can be super cheap!). Also, it would be a good idea to drink soymilk. It has around 7 grams of protein per cup.

Good luck :]

Original Post by trixieskips:

If you know you are not getting enough protein--the essential building block for organs, muscles, tissues--and still choose to eat that diet, you are venturing into eating disorder territory. Why would you do that to yourself?

You won't die, but you'll feel foggy and tired and generally crappy. And you'll sure enjoy life a lot less because you'll be busy being rigid about your eating. 

 

 I'm not in that bad of shape right now, and it's not that hard to get better.

And honestly, I would much rather be slightly afflicted than have hundreds more animals be tortured and die just on my account.

Your body will put its protein use into priority mode if it isn't getting enough.  First thing to get the shaft: hair and nails, and to some extent, skin.  Next: the muscles you use to move around.  Next: your vital organs--this is why anorexics can develop heart problems; their body is literally eating their heart. 

Following your ideals is important, but so is taking care of your body.  KNOW how much protein you are eating, and if you are very active, your protein needs may be more like 80-90 grams a day than 50 or 60.  If you're really serious about being a vegan, start to self-educate yourself about nutrition, or make an appointment with an actual nutritionist.  To be honest, the best way to represent your lifestyle is to show other people that you are healthy and thriving.  No one will be that impressed by an anemic, weak, overly thin vegan who lives off of white bread and french fries.

http://www.jivdaya.org/protein_and_a_health_s upporting_diet.htm

Sorry, I would write a long-winded post, but I don't have time.  This link explains everything, though.