It's actually difficult to become protein-deficient unless you quit eating all together!

As long as you eat enough calories to meet your daily energy needs, have a moderate amount of dietary fat, include vitamin B-12 and iron food sources, and have a reasonably varied diet, getting enough essential protein, even without meat, is generally not a problem.

Almost all unrefined foods contain some protein, and often quite a lot. Potatoes are 11% protein, oranges 8%, beans 26%, and tofu 34%.

Vegetarian foods highest in overall protein content include:

• legumes or pulses (dried beans and peas)
• soy products of various kinds (tofu, tempeh, meatless "meats")
• eggs and dairy products for those who consume them
• some nuts

It was once believed that vegetarians had to carefully combine plant protein sources in each meal in order to obtain all nine essential amino acids. However, the human body can store essential amino acids during the day and combine them as necessary, so in most cases it’s not necessary to do this consciously. If you have concerns about this, seek advice from a medical professional.

A recent study suggested that eating too much protein from red meat and dairy products increases the risk of dying from coronary heart disease. Participants in the study who ate the highest amount of vegetable protein sources such as beans, nuts, tofu, and peanut butter were found to be 30 percent less likely to die from heart disease. Fish and chicken were not linked to heart risks in the study.

Even if animal protein and vegetable protein have the same effects on your health, it’s probably what comes with the protein that makes it a more, or less, healthy choice.

Use the following table to help you make wise protein choices:

Examples of Common Foods Containing Protein	Protein (g)	Calories	Fat (g)	Carbs (g)
Animal protein foods:
Steak, Outside Skirt, lean, broiled, 3 oz	20g	217	15g	0
Chicken, leg, skinless, roasted, 3 oz	23g	162	7g	0
Milk, whole, 1 cup	8g	146	8g	11g
Milk, fat-free, skim, 1 cup	9g	91	1g	12g
Yogurt, regular, 6 oz	6g	104	6g	8g
Yogurt, low fat, 6 oz	9g	107	3g	12g
Cheddar cheese, 4 oz	28g	457	38g	2g
Cottage cheese, 4 oz	12g	96	4g	3g
Egg, hard-boiled, 1 large	6g	78	5g	1g
Ice cream, regular, 1/2 cup	4g	201	11g	24g
McDonald's Big Mac	25g	540	29g	45g
McDonald's Cheeseburger	15g	300	12g	33g
Burger King Whopper	28g	670	39g	51g
Pizza Hut, pan pizza, 12", pepperoni, two slices	24g	560	28g	54g
Plant protein foods:
Soy beans, cooked, ½ cup, 3 oz	14g	149	8g	9g
Lentils, cooked, ½ cup, 3½ oz	9g	115	0.4g	20g
Peanuts, dry roasted, 30 nuts, 1 oz	7g	166	14g	6g
Soy milk, average, 1 cup	11g	127	5g	12g
Tofu, raw, firm, ½ cup	20g	183	11g	5g
Tempeh, cooked, 3.5 oz	18g	196	11g	9g
Oatmeal, regular, cooked, 1 cup	6g	147	2g	25g
Cheerios, regular, 1 cup, 1 oz	3g	100	2g	20g
Bread, mixed grain, 2 slices	5g	131	2g	24g
Potato, russet, baked, 1 medium, with skin, 6.1 oz	4g	168	0	24g
Rice, white, 1 cup, cooked, 5.6 oz	4g	205	0	44g
Rice, brown, 1 cup, cooked, 6.9 oz	5g	216	2g	45g
Pasta, spaghetti, cooked, 1 cup, 5oz	8g	224	1g	44g
Vegetables, frozen, mixed, 2/3  cup	2g	50	0g	11g
Fruit, frozen, mixed, sweetened, 1 cup	4g	245	1g	61g
Beer, regular, 5%, can	2g	153	0	13g

Refer to the CalorieKing.com food database or The Calorie King Calorie, Fat and Carbohydrate Counter for more extensive listings.