From the August 2004 issue of Runner's World
But runners who go the meatless route every day can miss out on some important nutrients if they're not careful. For instance, meat supplies lots of iron. "Meat is such a dense source of iron, especially red meat and dark poultry," says Rudser. Alternative protein sources also lack significant quantities of several amino acids. "Some of the essential amino acids, especially lysine, are greater in animal products, so modest consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy can be important," says Dr. Lawrence. Alternatively, you can boost your iron intake by eating dark leafy greens with vitamin C-rich foods to help with iron absorption (by adding, say, strawberries to a spinach salad). And nuts are an excellent source of essential amino acids.
All things considered, faux meats can be a smart addition to a runner's diet. And many of the newest meatless products are surprisingly flavorful (see "Pig Out"). "There are more healthy and better-tasting nonmeat choices being made available," says Heslin. "The company Seapoint Farms makes a line of frozen dinners based on edamame [soy beans], which takes meat substitutes to a new level. There's also the Australian company Quorn that is making nonmeat meals from high protein fungi. It sounds odd, but they really taste great."
