Nutrition, Health & Necessity of Meat
Many times the mention of vegetarianism elicits the predictable reaction, “What about protein?” Nutrition Without Meat The ideas that meat has a monopoly on protein and that large amounts of protein are required for energy and strength are both myths. Of the twenty-two amino acids, all but eight can be synthesized by the body itself, and these eight “essential amino acids” exist in abundance in non-flesh foods. Dairy products, grains, beans and nuts are all concentrated sources of protein. Cheese, peanuts and lentils, for instance, contain more protein per gram than hamburger, pork or porterhouse steak. The primary energy source for the body is carbohydrates. Only as a last resort is the body’s protein utilised for energy production. Too much protein intake actually reduces the body’s energy capacity. In a series of comparative endurance tests conducted by Dr. Irving Fisher of Yale, vegetarians performed twice as well as meat-eaters. Numerous other studies have shown that ...