The first question that comes to mind when people start shifting their thinking and their diets and eating habits is: If I dont eat meat where do I get my protein?

Because we were trained since birth that we have to eat meat to get enough protein, this is a logical question to ask.

We have all been taught and deeply conditioned to believe that in order to get enough protein, we must eat meat. Most of us were raised eating three basic meals a day, and those meals were centered on primarily meat, along with milk, cheese, eggs, and refined grains in the form of bread and cereals.

Isnt it true that if we dont eat meat for dinner most of us would feel that we were missing out on something?

Remember what your mother used to say when you asked her, Whats for dinner, Mom? What would she say? She would say: hamburgers, hotdogs, steak, pork roast, chuck roast, beef stew, chicken, turkey, fish, lamb and thats itone word describing the kind of meat she was fixing for dinner.

And what do we still ask today, Whats for dinner, honey? What is the answer? Is the response the same as your mothers, or do you respond with something like?salad and vegetables? That sounds funny, doesnt it? None of us are used to emphasizing fruits, vegetables, and salads.

Why? Because we have been deeply conditioned to believe that we must eat meat every day to get enough protein. We have been programmed to center our meals on meat.

For all the discussion, information, publicity, commercialization, and marketing of food and pseudo-foods, I think we are more obsessed about protein than any other nutrient. One would think that for all we hear about protein, whether it be in the form of protein bars or drinks or foods, that we would know a lot about protein.

Not only are we more obsessed about protein than any other nutrient, we are also more confused about protein. Most Americans dont know the basic facts about protein and that sadly includes many doctors, dieticians, teachers, government agencies, friends, and our well-intended mothers. We are constantly bombarded by misinformation about protein by the so-called experts.

Is there any wonder why we stay so confused about the foods we eat?

So what is the purpose of protein in the human body? Lets explore the answer to this question and more in part 2 of: If I Dont Eat Meat, Where Do I Get My Protein?