I'm Getting Enough Protein & Iron
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I have been a vegetarian since I was a small child. I’m convinced I carry a gene for refusing to eat meat, because from childhood on, I absolutely loathed animal products. Whether it be ground beef, chicken, pork, eggs, or even milk, I detested it. As a kid, I spent a lot of time spitting out food, and in the case of my first time trying steak, choking on it.
My parents assumed it was a phase, gave up and said fine “be a vegetarian.” And that’s what I did, and I never stopped. Now I’m a grown vegan adult, and my parents and I have had a laugh over the phase that never was. This is a lifestyle, and I’m sticking to it.
With all of that said, not a week goes by where someone who learns that I am strict vegan doesn’t ask “but what about protein?” or “you must have an iron deficiency?” Everyone is different, but I’ve been to quite a few doctors over the years for non-diet related stuff, and my blood tests are always normal.
In my entire life, I have never had a deficiency in either protein or iron. How is this possible when the entire meat-eating population of the world is convinced that vegetarians and vegans don’t get enough protein? Science. That’s how.
Let’s take a look at how much protein is in a salad consisting of Spinach, Broccoli, Fried Tofu, and Walnuts : 40.1 grams
Let’s take a look at how much protein is in a salad consisting of Chicken and Romaine Lettuce: 39 grams
A vegan salad contains MORE protein than a chicken salad when you add the proper ingredients. Yes, you read that right. More.
I can do it again. Watch:
A vegan cheeseburger consisting of Beyond Burger Patty, Vegan Cheese, Spinach, and a Bun: 30 grams of protein
A meat cheeseburger consisting of Ground Beef, Cheese, Iceberg Lettuce, and a Bun: 20.5 grams of protein
A vegan cheeseburger contains MORE protein than a meat cheeseburger. In fact, one Beyond Burger or Impossible Burger patty contains approximately 5 MORE grams of protein than an average hamburger patty.
I can do this all day…Where is my source? Google. Just go one there and type in ingredients to get the nutritional values. Don’t even get me started on legumes. Protein everywhere there.
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The next time someone gives you hard time about not getting enough protein, you can cite the stats from this blog. As long as you are eating balanced meals (barring an underlying disease that doesn’t allow you to absorb protein, which would still be a problem as a meat eater) you should be getting more than enough protein as a vegan.
As for iron, I’ve never had a deficiency even as a person who’s had an issue with heavy menstruation since I was 12 years old (I know TMI, but I’m sharing for context). And too much iron can be dangerous as the body stores it indefinitely, so if you overdose on it, you’re gonna be very sick.
The only person who should be discussing your iron levels with you is your doctor. Not Google, not a Facebook group, and certainly not me. All I can tell you is from my experience, I have never had a problem with it.
To show you what I mean, check out this info. But please note, while the type of iron in meat and vegetables is a little different (haem iron and non-haem iron), it doesn’t make a difference in how much you are getting:
Spinach has 2.71 mg of iron per 100 grams
Chicken has 1.8 mg of iron per 100 grams
So unless your doctor has told you otherwise, don’t let non-vegans convince you that avoiding meat is unhealthy. And don’t let the antiquated old-wives tale that states “plant-based diets don’t contain enough protein” make you second guess a healthy lifestyle.
Here is a very informative work that contains data and links to peer-reviewed studies which delves deeper into nutrition and vitamins in a vegan diet: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK396513
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