I am a 17year old boy and am vegetarian. I think I am very skinny in my stomach area and would like to build up my upper body. What vegetarian foods are high in protien? Are protein supplements any good for the body?

The all around champ for veggies looking for protein is soy in its various forms. You should know that the fermented soy foods--tempeh, miso, etc., are considered healthier than the "rawer" soys such as tofu or the whole beans.

Wheat gluten is an allergen to some people, and can lead to or aggravate celiac disease in others, but if you are in neither of these groups, whole grains and gluten supplements can be a good protein source. Oats are good.

Beans and other legumes contain protein, but as you probably know, it is not complete. You have to mix the beans with brown rice and or other sources, to hope to get full value.

In general, very few vegetable foods are good sources of truly high quality, complete proteins. To compensate for this problem takes a good deal of study and care. I would not advise, especially as you are still growing, going too deeply into this way of eating unless and until you had done this learning.

Just how strictly vegetarian are you? This can matter a lot.

Along with B12, iron, and vitamin D, the issue of getting complete protein from totally veggie sources is a big, big issue, and cannot be skipped over lightly. Takes much study, I say.

How strict are you? If you'd eat eggs, they are perhaps the finest source of useful protein available. Dairy proteins are also very useful. Almost all protein supplements for body building are based on whey or other milk proteins, with sometimes some egg proteins as well. I have found these supplements very helpful, and the research available on strength training is pretty consistent that protein suppplementation an hour or so before, or within an hour after resistance training can boost muscle and strength gain measurably.

In fact, researchers find that a highly digestible meal or supplement of complete protein (such as whey) or of essential amino acids is itself moderately anabolic--even without the exercise! Obviously, the effect is much more dramatic with exercise than without.

I have a vegan daughter who has not been able to stay healthy unless she at least ocassionally eats a bit of tuna or egg. It is very very hard to cut animal foods near to zero and stay strong.

Hope this helps.

sean