Daniel, Get Your Protein!

Hello everyone. I have not come up with any spectacular recipes as of my last post, but I did want to write about ways to get your protein during the Daniel Fast.

Being a Vegetarian, most people look at me dumbstruck when I tell them that I don't have any trouble getting my protein. 

"But you don't eat meat!"

...Yes, I am aware of that... 

But really, even with being a Vegetarian, I don't have to worry about my protein intake as much as many think I do. 

Okay... if you live on twinkies and dr. pepper, then maybe you could end up protein deficient.... Nevertheless, I'm sure some of you want to know precisely how much protein you need, so here's the way to figure it out:

The rule of thumb for determining your protein needs is to aim for .8 gram of protein for every kilogram of your body weight. (For those that are not math folks: 1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds).

So, for example, if you weigh 120 pounds, that's about 54.5 kilograms (120 lbs divided by 2.2 lbs per kg). Multiply 54.5 kilograms by .8 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight, and you get 43.6 grams of protein (or about 44 grams). 

Forty-four grams of protein isn't much! And don't worry, protein is in way more foods than you think!

To give you an idea of how easy is it to get the protein you need, take a look at the list of foods and their protein content below. 

Legumes (dried beans and peas)

1/2 cup most legumes, depending on type = 5-9 

1/2 cup bean burrito filling = 6

1 cup black bean soup = 16

1 cup vegetarian chili = 24

1/2 cup vegetarian baked beans = 6

1/2 cup garbanzo beans = 6

Nuts and Seeds

1 oz. nuts, depending on the type = 4-7

1 oz seeds, depending on the type = 4-11

2 tbsp. tahini (sesame seed butter) = 6

2 tbsp. cashew, almond, or peanut butter = 8

Grains and Grain Products

1 slice whole-wheat bread = 2-3

1 bran muffin = 3

1/2 cup whole-grain flake cereal = 2

1/2 cup cooked oatmeal = 3

1 whole bagel = 6

1/2 cup cooked whole grain pasta = 7

1/2 cup cooked rice = 2

1 peanut butter sandwich with 2 tbsp. peanut butter = 14

1 bean burrito = 8

Vegetables

1 cup most vegetables (green beans, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, kale...) = 4

1 cup cooked pasta mixed with 1 cup assorted veggies = 18

1 Avocado = 8 

Think about what you eat in the course of a day and the size of portions you take. Calculate your own protein requirement using the above formula, then compare that to the amount of protein you eat in a typical day as well as a Daniel Fast day.

Stay strong and trust in the Lord. No matter who hard it gets, turn to Him and think of His sacrifice for you on the cross. You can do this! He will and has already helped you!