As we, well now just I, move into month four of pescetarianism, I want to share some of the info that I have discovered about protein. As many others who have decided to remove meats from their diets may also know, one of the first questions that people may ask is where you are going to get protein in your diet. When eliminating a main aspect of a 'balanced' diet, of course, there are replacements that need to be made. Meat is a very large ingredient in the American diet and fortunately there are tons of alternatives to obtaining protein..... and more than just beans, too!
First, here is a great intro article that has some good suggestions on various foods that you probably already have in your cupboard. On Moving Toward Vegetarianism: Getting the Protein You Need
Next, this post has an awesome list of everyday foods such as beans, dairy, fish, and grains (it also includes poultry, but you can skip that part if you would like) and their respective calorie, protein, carbohydrate and fat levels. High Protein Foods List with Protein Content
Finally, this post gives you a quick look into what may happen should you be ingesting too much protein from animals. Protein Poisoning. One of the best quotes from this article is "...diets are meant to be triangles." So true!
None of these references are too overbearing so they are worth a quick glace to gain some valuable information about what options you have for non-animal based proteins in your diet. These are also in no way complete and there is tons more information out there. The same diets aren't always good for everyone, so always be sure to check with your health care professional to make sure you are eating for what your body needs. Enjoy!
