Protein and vegetarian diet

Yes, you can get enough protein eating a vegetarian diet.

This is the official opinion of the American Dietetics Association

POSITION OF THE AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION: VEGETARIAN DIETS (1993)

A considerable body of scientific data suggests positive relationships
between vegetarian diets and risk reduction for several chronic
degenerative diseases and conditions, including obesity, coronary artery
disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and some types of cancer.


POSITION STATEMENT

It is the position of The American Dietetic Association that vegetarian
diets are healthful and nutritionally adequate when appropriately
planned.


VEGETARIANISM IN PERSPECTIVE

There is no single vegetarian eating pattern. The vegetarian diet is
mainly plant foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds, and
nuts. Eggs, dairy products, or both may be included as well. The
lactovegetarian diet is fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy foods, and
their products whereas the lacto-ovovegetarian diet also adds eggs. The
vegan, or total vegetarian, diet completely excludes meat, fish, fowl,
eggs, and dairy products. Even within specific classifications of the
diet, considerable variation may exist in the extent to which animal
products are avoided. Therefore, individual assessment is required in
order to accurately evaluate the nutritional quality of a given diet.

Studies of vegetarians indicate that they often have lower mortality
rates from several chronic degenerative diseases than do nonvegetarians. These effects may be attributable to diet as well as to other
lifestyle characteristics such as maintaining desirable weight, regular
physical activity, and abstinence from smoking, alcohol, and illicit
drugs.

In addition to possible health advantages, other considerations that may
lead to the adoption of a vegetarian diet include environmental or
ecological concerns, world hunger issues, economic reasons,
philosophical or ethical reasons, and religious beliefs.

How much protein do you optimally need?

At least 10-15% percent your daily caloric intake should be from protein, I've also read that we need around 1 gram per 0.4 lb of body weight, so a 150 pound woman woman would need to eat 60 grams of protein a day.

Generally, not enough protein isn't a problem for most of us as long as we eat enough calories. Too low of a caloric intake equals shortchanging your body on it's needs for protein and other vital nutrients.


Do you need to carefully combine foods for complimentary proteins in a vegetarian diet?

NO. This is an outdated idea about vegetarian food. As long as you eat a varied diet your body can assemble different amino acids in foods to make a complete protein. The amino acids in the steel-cut oatmeal you have for breakfast in the morning will eventually combine with the black beans you eat for dinner in your body, making a complete protein. That being said, some foods have more a of complete protein profile than others, like quinoa.