Last week, I stopped by Whole Foods in East Pasadena to grab lunch with a friend.
We hopped off our bicycles and headed into the store, over to the prepared foods section—where there’s pizza, sandwiches, sides, and a salad bar (I only know of one bar more expensive!).
I was talking to a worker over by all the prepared salads—quite a few looked excellent (even if they were all heavy with olive oil), and it turned out that I could get three servings of salads for only 6 bucks—now that’s a deal!!
When I asked him which salads counted for the deal, he replied, “any without protein.”
Uh….what???
What about kale and spinach and mushrooms and pecans and—just about every other vegetable and nut?!?!
I’m pretty sure those all have protein…
I didn’t explode on the guy—I said, “I think you mean animal protein, right?” Yeah, that’s what he meant.
It was a pleasant exchange—no anger. We were both smiling the whole time, as I think he knew what he said wasn’t the whole story.
I remarked that since Whole Foods is really looking to educate the public about health, then it starts with turning simple misconceptions like this around. He agreed. :)
Think about it: how does a gorilla, one of the most powerful animals in the jungle—and a vegetarian—get its strength? How does an elephant?
Yes, Virginia: VEGETABLES DO HAVE PROTEIN.
There, now you know. :)
Go forth and multiply!
(Or at least stock up on the side salads at Whole Foods—no animal protein needed!)
Here’s what I ended up getting (my pal Lucas got the same deal—and the same salads!)…
The absolutely delicious (and nutritious) side salads I grabbed:
- brussel sprouts and pecans
- butternut squash and sweet potatoes
- kale and bell peppers
YUM!
Want more info—here are the top 8 vegetables high in protein from 3 fat chicks (yes, that’s their name—ha!).
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By the way—I’m not saying you MUST only eat plant-based foods. It’s more about expanding our nutritional knowledge.
There IS science that supports eating less animal products and more vegetables for a longer, healthier life!
Now: if you enjoy eating meat and it works for your body, and you’re healthy (no medicines, pills, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, etc.), then keep going in that direction!
What are your favorite “non-mainstream” sources of protein?
I’d love to hear your response + any other thoughts you have below.
Looking forward to learning more!
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