On Protein

Apparently the number one comment people get when they start a vegetarian diet is "Where will you get your protein?" I guess nobody was paying attention in health class when they covered nutrition. Many other foods contain protein, and the USDA in their Dietary Guidelines lists Beans, Tofu, Nuts and Seeds as alternative forms of protein.

Here is today's lunch:

Flatout wrap with Avocado, Italian Tofurky, Spinach and Cheese	22 g.
2 Arnold's Sandwich Thins, one with Avocado and one with a little Almond Butter	20 g.
Total:	42 g.

So you see, there I have more than 46% of my USDA recommended daily intake of protein. As a comparison, let's take a look at something I might have eaten a few years ago:

McDonalds Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Large Fries and a Coke:

54 g.

Wow, that's not a big difference. Plus, the McD's meal comes with 1590 calories, 67 grams of fat, two grams of sodium, and a whopping 102 grams (that's 7.5 tablespoons) of sugar, but only 10g of fiber.

Most people probably consume too much protein. Overconsumption of protein can adversely affect kidney function, may lead to diabetes, and may lead to kidney stones. Too much protein can cause your body to crowd out carbohydrates, causing you to use protein for fuel, a very metabolism-inefficient process.

The standard way to calculate how much protein you need is to take your body weight and multiply by 0.37. For instance, a woman who weighs 120 pounds only needs 44 grams of protein - as much as I've eaten in just one meal.

In short, protein isn't a problem.