Why do vegetarians need more protein

It\'s recommended that vegetarians eat 10% more protein than meat-eaters, and because vegans don\'t eat eggs, milk or dairy products, they may need even more. Well-planned vegetarian eating patterns can offer a number of nutritional benefits over traditional meat-containing diets. These include lower levels of saturated fat and higher levels of fibre, magnesium, potassium, folate and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, and phytochemicals. If you\'re a vegetarian try to include soy, eggs and dairy products in your diet and you\'ll find it easier to get the protein you need. For vegans, however, eating a variety of protein-containing foods daily (such as vegetables with nuts, rice with beans, or beans with corn) is essential to ensure an adequate protein intake. Inadequately-planned vegan and vegetarian diets may be low in vitamin B12, iron, calcium and zinc, as these nutrients are generally found in higher amounts in animal foods.