Vegetarian High Protein Quick Weight Loss Diet

It is possible to lose weight quickly through a vegetarian high-protein diet. However, simply eating vegetarian foods high in protein is not enough to lose weight (see Reference 1). Moreover, losing weight this way may be dangerous and only temporary (see Reference 1). Before planning a vegetarian high-protein diet, it is important to consider some key information.

The Facts

According to the Mayo Clinic, research has shown that, on average, people who switch to a vegetarian diet eat fewer calories and less fat than non-vegetarians (see Reference 1). Moreover, vegetarians have a lower body weight relative to their height than non-vegetarians (see Reference 1). Of course, simply becoming a vegetarian will not automatically result in weight loss. Moreover, the protein that you no longer get through eating meat must be replaced. Protein is critical to your health because your body uses it to create muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails and internal organs (see Reference 2). Moreover, protein is used to replace and form new tissue, transport oxygen and nutrients in your blood and cells, and make antibodies (see Reference 2).

Specific Foods

Many vegetarian foods are high in protein. These include tempeh (41g), soybeans (29g), lentils (18g), veggie burger (13g), tofu (11g), and chick peas (13g) (see Reference 3). Katherine Zeratsky, a nutritionist with the Mayo Clinic, suggests that vegetarians get their protein from foods low in fat and calories, such as dried beans, low-fat cheese, reduced-fat peanut butter and soy products, as opposed to foods like full-fat cheese and peanut butter (see Reference 1).

Warning

According to Monique Gilbert, health advocate, certified personal trainer, and author, high-protein diets can be extremely dangerous (see Reference 2). The American Heart Association states that 50 to 60g of protein is enough for most adults (see Reference 2). However, according to Gilbert, many people on high-protein diets consume as much as four times that amount.(see Reference 2). This excessive protein consumption can result in heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and kidney stones (see Reference 2).

Moreover, one of the reasons high-protein diets help you lose weight is that the amount of protein consumed raises levels of uric acid and urea in the blood (see Reference 2). This causes the body to eliminate this uric acid and urea by pumping lots of water into the kidneys and urinary tract (see Reference 2). In turn, this results in the loss of essential minerals from the body, including calcium (see Reference 2). Before beginning a high-protein vegetarian diet, consider consulting with a dietitian.