The more restrictive your diet, the harder it is to hit macros, especially protein. Here are my suggestions for vegetarians, vegans, and the hardest to work around, soy restricted vegans.

Vegetarians

Eggs/Egg Whites

If you are an ovo-vegetarian, eggs and egg whites are a great source of protein. If you’re watching fat and calories, try replacing an egg or two in your next omelette with egg whites.

Dairy

If you are a lacto-vegetarian, dairy, especially greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and hard cheeses, are good sources of protein. Try replacing some of the oil or butter in your baked goods recipes with plain unsweetened greek yogurt to kick up the protein and lower the fat.

Vegans

Soy

Edamame is delicious on its own, in salads, or mixed into a stir fry. It’s also an awesome source of protein. Try it steamed and lightly salted.

Tofu

Tofu is also a very good source of protein that can be used as a replacement for meat in many dishes, since it has a very neutral flavor.

Soy Restricted Vegans

Pea Protein, Rice Protein, Etc.

This might seem kind of vague, but there are definitely similarities between all the different types of vegan protein powders, so it seems only right to group them into a single category. This type in the unflavored version is favorite of mine to add into oatmeal, smoothies, or substitute for some flour in baked goods.

Wheat Gluten

Unless you have a known intolerance or allergy to wheat gluten, don’t freak out about this suggestion. Many low carb baking mixes have a high amount of wheat gluten added in, which intentionally or not, adds in a nice amount of protein.

Seeds and Nuts

Seeds and nuts are a great way to get in protein and healthy fats. Be aware of portion control though, since they are quite calorie dense.

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Sarah Wagner - Gravitus profile

Sarah handles all things marketing for Gravitus. An avid baker, she enjoys developing macro friendly recipes. She's been lifting heavy since 2013, and loves the barbell like she loves cute puppies.