Can
You Really Get Enough Protein Without Meat?
Those
who eat meat, seafood, and fish assume they are
obtaining adequate protein and wonder how those
who eat a vegetarian or even a vegan diet can get
the recommended protein. Realistically, fish and
animal flesh eaters may not be getting a full compliment
of a balanced meal or even adequate protein. Meat
displaces the appetite for vegetables and fruits
because of the satiation properties in the fat and
the quantity many ingest. And they run the risk
of consuming more than is healthful of saturated
fat, also hormones, chemicals, bacteria, and viruses.
Flesh eaters are getting nutrition second hand from
down the food chain rather than from the original
source.
Vegetarians
are not at risk of protein deficiency because many
plant foods, with the exception of fruits, are good
sources of protein: legumes, nuts, seeds, mushrooms;
and for those who eat are not begans, eggs and dairy
products. What vegetarians need to be alert to is
getting enough of:
Vitamin
B12 -- Not a concern for those who eat eggs and
dairy products. For others, whole grain cereals,
soymilk products, and fortified analog foods
Vitamin
D -- Dairy products or fortified cereals and soy
beverages. For bone health Vitamin D should be present
with Calcium and with exposure to sunlight at least
15 minutes/day.
Calcium
-- No problem if you consume dairy products. For
others it is in green leafy vegetables, fortified
orange juice and soymilk products.
Iron
-- (There is another article devoted to this in
Publications.) Legumes, dark-green leafy vegetables,
whole grain products, seeds, prune juice, dried
fruit such as raisins. Remember, Vitamin C aids
in absorption of iron.
Zinc
-- Whole grains, especially germ and bran (refined
flours have all nutritional layers removed except
for the internal starch.), legumes, seeds, and nuts.
