Products that can replace animal protein in your diet

Protein is one of the key protein elements in the structure of muscle mass in the human body. When ingested with food, it is broken down into amino acids. They are known to be responsible for the condition of the muscles, but not the protein itself directly. How to replace protein, which is so popular among athletes today, its harms and benefits are discussed further in the article.

How does protein work in the body?

As you know, protein itself is not capable of building muscle mass. However, the products of its breakdown, namely amino acids, are directly involved in this process. With heavy physical exertion, a mechanism is activated in the body that provokes the growth of muscle tissue.

Experienced trainers recommend consuming protein that is quickly broken down and absorbed. It can bring the fastest results in muscle building. How to replace protein? This can also be done with the help of medications.

Protein for Vegans and Vegetarians

It is generally accepted that meat, fish and eggs are the best sources of protein, so people who decide to give up animal foods are often interested in what can replace meat protein. With a sudden transition to vegetarianism or veganism, many gain weight, starting to consume foods containing large amounts of carbohydrates and fats - bread, pasta, nuts. Vegetarian women during pregnancy are at risk and should pay special attention to planning their daily menu. Protein is essential for the growth and development of the fetus.

On a note. The human body is capable of producing 11 of the 20 essential amino acids. The remaining 9 must come from food. Plant foods with a balanced diet can provide the body with all the necessary amino acids.

Daily protein requirement for the body

Experts have found that the body needs 15-20 g per 1 kg of body weight in order for the muscle growth process to be active. So, an athlete weighing 100 kg needs to consume 150-200 g of protein per day.

The quality of the protein must be the best. Since such protein is quickly and easily absorbed, it is well digested and broken down into the necessary amino acids.

Fish

Fish is another protein-rich food that is easy to prepare at home. Fish protein is in no way inferior in quality to meat protein.

Unlike meat, fish (especially fatty fish) is rich in healthy omega-3 unsaturated fats, it has virtually no cholesterol, a lot of iodine (in marine species), and is easier to digest and cook.

The disadvantages are that:

• when delivering it, storage conditions are more often violated , and often even in large supermarkets, analysis of labels reveals non-compliance with sales deadlines;
• scientists talk about the high level of contamination of fish and seafood with mercury and other chemical toxins, the content of parasites, antibiotics, etc.

As is the case with all natural products, the source of which is the muscles of once running animals, give preference to those types of fish that live in natural seas/rivers/oceans, rather than artificial farms, and also that feed on plant foods rather than other animals, since in this case the meat accumulates fewer toxins.

Fish is rich in high-quality protein, but during its delivery storage conditions are often violated

We recommend : The benefits and harms of fish for human health: the result of an analysis of more than 40 scientific studies

12 Tuna

Protein Amount: 30 g per 100 g serving

Tuna is a meaty fish rich in easily digestible and high-quality protein, as well as B vitamins and the powerful antioxidant selenium.

Tip : give preference to tuna caught in natural wild conditions

13 Halibut

Protein Amount: 27 g per 100 g serving

Of all white meats, halibut contains the most protein needed for muscle building. It has a very low percentage of fat, which makes it an ideal dietary source of protein. It is also high in vitamins B6 and B12, magnesium, potassium, niacin, phosphorus and selenium.

It is important to know:

Pacific halibut is considered to be environmentally superior to Atlantic halibut.

14 Red salmon

Protein Amount: 27 g per 100 g serving

Wild salmon not only tastes better, but it also contains 25% more protein than its farmed counterpart. It is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for health and weight loss.

Recommended : How effective are Omega-3s for weight loss? Scientific research

Advice:

When purchasing, choose fish whose skin is not damaged: it has better taste. Recently, numerous evidence indicates the high degree of contamination of farmed salmon species (in Norway), as well as the use of dyes to improve the presentation. When purchasing, if possible, find out where the catch comes from.

15 Tilapia

Protein Amount: 25 g per 100 g serving

Tilapia is a freshwater fish that is found primarily in rivers in tropical areas. Today it is sold in most fish markets.

It is a good source of protein and contains a relatively low percentage of saturated fat, carbohydrates and sodium, and does not accumulate heavy metals as it grows quickly and has a short lifespan. Among the microelements it contains are phosphorus, vitamins B12 and B3, selenium, and potassium.

Advice:

Beware of tilapia species from the Asian region.

16 Fish roe

Protein Amount: 24 g per 100 g serving

Fish caviar is a product rich in nutrients. It contains quite a lot of vitamins A, D and B4 (choline), as well as omega-3 fatty acids.

Both red and black caviar are a good natural source of protein: a teaspoon (16 g) contains approximately 4 g of protein.

How to replace protein, how to distribute it correctly

After you have calculated the required daily dose of protein, you need to create a proper nutrition plan for yourself. The diet must contain foods rich in essential protein.

Then, as experienced nutritionists recommend, the required amount of protein should be evenly distributed among all meals per day. Typically, each meal contains about 30-40 g of protein products. You should also consider that the most important snacks will be 2 hours before your workout and as soon as possible after it.

Of course, protein sold in sports nutrition stores is absorbed much faster, given the degree of purification and processing. However, having learned how to replace protein, you can, with some effort and patience, build muscle mass without consuming a store-bought product.

Rules for switching to a meat-free diet

Vegetarianism has several branches in the food system:

1. Raw food diet is the most radical branch. Raw foodists prefer fruits and vegetables without heat treatment.
2. Veganism is eating only plant foods.
3. Ovo-vegetarianism - eggs are allowed.
4. Lactovegetarianism – you can add dairy products to your diet.
5. Ovolacto-vegetarianism - the menu contains dairy products and eggs.

Pescetarians (fish eaters) are people who are more likely to switch to a plant-based diet, but are not yet vegetarians.

Choosing a nutrition system is a responsible step for a person. If the decision has already been made, then before changing the diet you need to:

1. Get examined, take tests, see specialists. Refusal from meat-eating is possible only in cases where the tests are normal.
2. Make a gradual transition, don’t rush to extremes. People are switching to vegetarianism too suddenly. For the body, such a turn will be a shock.
3. You need to move away from animal food in small steps. First, exclude red meat from the menu, then fish, milk, eggs.

After each stage, 2 weeks should pass. Monitor your health. If there is the slightest deviation, consult a doctor.

Combine foods so that your body receives complete protein, for example, buckwheat with mushrooms, avocado with corn, cabbage with lemon.

The mistake of those with a sweet tooth is a weakness for fast food and semi-finished products, the manufacturers of which often use ingredients containing animal fats. Replace sugar with honey.

Proper heat treatment of products is necessary. Novice vegetarians sometimes overuse frying when preparing dishes. For example, it is useful to eat boiled potatoes, and the appetizing crust contains substances that can destroy protein.

Foods that contain protein (protein)

As many people know, protein is mostly found in animal products. It can be chicken eggs, meat, fish, cottage cheese and many others. However, plant foods also contain protein. It, according to experts, has less energy value than protein of animal origin.

Is it possible to replace protein with such products? Yes, you can. If you have time, getting a beautiful body is not a task of several months.

When protein enters the body, it is broken down into essential and non-essential amino acids. The difference between them is that the body begins to synthesize those that are replaceable in case of absence on its own from internal sources.

The most popular foods that contain protein are the following:

• eggs;
• fermented milk whey;
• cottage cheese;
• hard cheese;
• pink salmon;
• Wheat groats;
• oats;
• peas;
• soy;
• corn;

Using this list, you can choose the most suitable products for yourself and create the right diet. This will help answer the question of what can replace protein.

Is it possible to eat only plant protein?

Many people find a vegan diet to be poor. This diet excludes the consumption of animal products.

Whether meat can be replaced with vegetables has not been finally decided. The opinions of representatives of medicine and nutritionists are divided.

The structure of the body is too complex to fully understand. Computers made by the human mind sometimes act in ways that surprise their creators. And the result of many years of nature’s evolutionary work to create the body and psyche is a mystery in many respects.

Proponents of vegetarianism believe that the body is able to synthesize all the necessary amino acids, since the necessary components are contained in plant foods. They cite the health of world and Olympic champions who follow meat-free diets.

There is no need for people to raise and kill hundreds of millions of animals in cruel conditions. Or starving the population of third world countries in order to grow feed for industrial livestock farming. Arable land and agricultural technologies can be successfully applied directly to the production of plant food.

Vegans are often found to be calcium deficient. Lactovegetarians are less likely to encounter this problem, since calcium is contained in large quantities in milk. Zinc found in plant foods is more difficult to absorb than in fish or meat. Fish is the main supplier of phosphorus to the body.

Objectively, some fruits, vegetables and cereals are similar in composition and nutritional value to meat products and can replace them. You can include more plant foods that contain iron in your diet. The combination of vegetable protein with vitamin C increases its amount in the body.

Ovolacto-vegetarians replace fish with dairy products. Vegans, who follow a purely plant-based diet, include foods high in calcium in their diet.

The main issue that arises when switching from animal foods to plant foods is the lack of animal protein in the body. But it is believed that the correct selection of plant products compensates for the shortcomings, despite the fact that plant protein differs from animal protein.

Opponents of vegetarianism believe that it is impossible to replace meat in the diet. Meat is the main supplier of animal protein. This product helps restore strength after illness and strengthens the immune system.

In addition to proteins, fats and carbohydrates, it contains sugar, iron, magnesium, iodine, potassium, zinc, vitamins E, A, B. Eating meat helps strengthen the muscular system, is good for bones, and normalizes the functioning of the nervous system and brain. It helps strengthen the immune system.

"Aminosol"

When using Aminosol, the human body is saturated not only with protein, but also with many vitamins, trace elements, minerals and sugars.

The amino acids contained in this drug, as a rule, can be immediately absorbed by the body and quickly absorbed.

Indications for taking Aminosol:

• protein deficiency in the body;
• large blood loss;
• renal protein loss;
• intestinal loss of proteins.

Like many other drugs, this one has some contraindications. Eg:

• disturbances in liver function;
• heart disease;
• increased level of potassium in the blood.

High Protein Natural Foods Chart

For the convenience of planning a daily diet based on natural products, we provide the approximate protein content in various ready-made dishes and products (the full table of nutritional value of products can be found here).

A detailed description of the benefits of individual product groups is provided below.

"B AMIN N"

This effective drug, according to athletes, consists of a mixture of proteins that break down into amino acids, as well as electrolytes. Their ratio is calculated in such a way that vitamin N completely covers the daily protein requirement for the human body.

The drug contains all essential and non-essential amino acids. It also supplies the body with electrolytes in the form of potassium, magnesium, and calcium. All useful substances in “B AMIN N” are selected by analogy with a chicken egg.

The drug can reduce the risk of thrombophlebitis. The following categories of persons are prohibited from taking this drug:

• people with kidney failure;
• with liver dysfunction.

As a side effect from taking it, nausea is sometimes possible. In the comments, users write that if the dose recommended in the instructions is exceeded, in addition to nausea, vomiting is possible.

We've figured out how you can replace protein at home and what medications you can take as protein substitutes. We hope that the recommendations from the article will be useful to you. However, we should not forget that taking the required amount of protein during training is only part of the success. Much depends on nutrition. Therefore, carefully review your diet. Eliminate all kinds of chips, cola, mayonnaise, hamburgers and french fries. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, dairy and dairy products. And only as a supplement, take drugs with protein or introduce foods rich in such protein into your diet. Then your efforts will definitely not be in vain, and a healthy body will delight you with successful training.

Protein substitute products

As you know, if you take standard food, trying to satisfy your daily amino acid needs with its help, you can, along with the necessary substances, significantly exceed the calorie content and ruin your figure if you do it incorrectly. The most annoying thing is that the absorption of protein will be defective and slow; the body will spend energy on absorbing other substances.

The best option for supplemental nutrition is liquid cocktails prepared from a mixture of several high-protein components.

Let's look at how you can replace a protein shake from ready-made mixtures. To do this, we highlight the category of foods that are most rich in protein:

• Eggs
• Dairy products - whey, cheese, cottage cheese, kefir, ice cream, milk
• Cereals

You can also add fruits, vegetables, nuts, chocolate to cocktails, depending on your wishes and needs. The presence and dosage of a particular component primarily depends on the training program and diet of the athlete.

The main thing is to comply with the daily caloric intake and nutrients. In particular, you should get at least 2 g of protein per kg of your own weight, while its single serving is 20-30 grams.

It is necessary to use homemade protein based on fast proteins (they contain milk, whey, eggs) in the morning, before and after training, on slow ones (cottage cheese, cheese) - before bed, complex ones can be drunk during the day, in the intervals between regular meals.

How to replace eggs for greasing baked goods

As diligent housewives, many people think that baked goods should always be brushed with egg. That's what the recipe says. And they don’t realize at all that most store-bought baked goods are not coated with eggs at all.

To grease homemade baked goods, eggs can be replaced:

• Vegetable oil/butter (melt);
• Diluted pasteurized/boiled milk;
• Sugar syrup;
• Liquid honey;
• Syrup on tea leaves.

A mixture of sour cream, butter and flour. Melt the butter, add sour cream and flour and stir everything well so that there are no lumps.

No sour cream. The following mixture is suitable: water + flour + butter. You can add a little sugar (works better for a dry mixture, it will be like sprinkles).