Outdoor Herbivore feels strongly about the ethical, health, and environmental consequences of a meat-based diet and does not believe that eating animals is necessary when plenty of nutritious plant-based food is available. Secondly, industrial farming practices are an irresponsible use of our planet’s resources. Ethically, we cannot support raising animals for food when we can survive without it.
Undeniably, meat is a source of protein, and this nutrient plays an essential role in how our body functions. However, protein is abundant from plant sources, and our requirements are small—only one calorie out of every ten we take in must come from protein. Most of us consume more protein than we need – even vegetarians can get too much by overconsuming protein-rich plant foods, such as soy.
Consuming too much protein rather than too little is a greater health risk. Have you ever known anyone to suffer from kwashiorkor, a protein deficiency? How about diseases caused by excess protein: heart disease, kidney stones, osteoporosis, arthritis, cancer, etc.
Excellent plant protein sources include non-processed sources such as quinoa, beans, lentils, peas, rice, oats, nuts/seeds. Due to their high fiber content, over-consumption of protein from these plant-food sources is nearly impossible.
Stay healthy on the trail by eating whole foods coming from plants.
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