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So, You're A Vegetarian?
People Who Don't Eat Meat
By Johnathon Allen
The big dietary myth of the West is that, because they don't eat meat, vegetarians can't get enough protein to stay "healthy." In fact, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, plant sources account for approximately 65 percent of the protein per capita worldwide.
Proteins are actually combinations of organic building blocks called amino acids that can be found in most everything we eat. Animal foods contain all nine "essential" amino acids, but most plant foods contain some form of these proteins. The key to healthy vegetarianism is to combine a number of foods throughout the day that your body will naturally blend to create "complete proteins." Eating meals that contain rice and beans on a regular basis will ensure you get all the protein you need. Other complex protein meals include peanut butter on whole grain bread, and cornbread with beans.
Messina says that it is not necessary to combine these foods at each meal as the body will naturally do it for you over the course of the day. As long as you regularly eat a wide variety of grains, legumes and vegetables you should have no problem acquiring all the amino acids and nutrients your body needs, without consuming the growth hormones, chemicals and antibiotics that wait quietly in packaged meats.
Though vegetarian diets are generally low in what is known as bad cholesterol (LDL), consuming some cholesterol (HDL) is important for good health. "Including high fat foods, like nuts, in your diet produces a better cholesterol profile than if you avoid fatty foods altogether," says Messina. "It's good to eat a regular serving of nuts and seeds, or use an extra portion of olive oil when you cook."