Meat-Eaters Rejoice! The Importance of Protein

My boyfriend is a staunch carnivore; he could eat filet mignon for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if our budget would permit. That's  why I was shocked when he told me he had made reservations at one of Philadelphia's most popular--if eclectic--restaurants.

"It's called Vedge."

The name was descriptive enough; we were going to a vegetarian restaurant. When we arrived, however, I was surprised to find that, not only was there no meat to be found, the menu also avoided dairy ingredients. That's right, my paleo-pumping boyfriend had booked dinner at a vegan restaurant. 

Dinner was amazing. I've never tasted vegetables with such deep flavor profiles, but this is not a restaurant review. Rather, I want to use Vedge as a counter example. Sure, it's fine to keep a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle for moral reasons, but protein is a complicated nutrient and is inefficiently consumed when a person is eating only vegetables. 

What we call "protein" is actually a collection of amino acids, which are the building blocks of life. Essential animo acids cannot be manufactured by the body and must therefore be consumed through diet. While it is possible to get these through plant sources, animal proteins are "complete" proteins, meaning they contain all 9 of the essential amino acids. This makes things like hardboiled eggs and meat jerkies fantastic pre-workout snacks.

For those athletes who are vegetarians, it's important to get your protein from multiple sources: think tofu, beans, nuts, and quinoa. As long as you're getting those amino acids, the source is of secondary importance!