The benefits of a meat-eating lifestyle as opposed to a true vegetarian lifestyle have often been debated throughout history. Some people will tell you that meat eaters are generally stronger, while others will argue that vegetarians are more likely to enjoy the benefits of living to a ripe old age.
The vegetarian lifestyle
Before we look at the pros and cons of the two lifestyles, let's first define a true vegetarian. Many people like to describe themselves as a lacto-ovo vegetarian (no meat, but they eat eggs and dairy products), or a pescatarian (no meat but they eat fish). While I am sure that both of these are healthy lifestyles, in my opinion, neither represents a true vegetarian. As far as I am concerned, a true vegetarian is a vegan. This is a person who eats no meat of any kind and no eggs. I believe that the vegan lifestyle is probably the perfect diet, providing it is done properly.
The problem with some vegans is that what they consider to be a complete protein may in fact be an incomplete protein, which means that the particular food source by itself does not contain the eight essential amino acids. For example, some vegans will tell you they source their protein by eating beans; however, beans (eg kidney beans) by themselves would be considered an incomplete protein. A vegan should know how they have to combine their various food sources to arrive at a complete protein.
Here are some examples
Legumes + nuts/seeds = complete protein
Nuts/seeds + green vegetables = complete protein
Green vegetables + grains = complete protein
Grains + legumes = complete protein
It is extremely important, especially if a vegan is into physical training, that they get adequate supplies of complete proteins for muscle assimilation.
The meat-eating lifestyle
Meat eaters usually have no problems sourcing complete proteins. Beef, chicken, fish and eggs can all stand by themselves as complete protein sources. Of course, the problem with most of these foods is that you also end up ingesting some cholesterol and saturated fat. However, this can be significantly reduced, depending on the leanness of the meat source. Meat eaters should also be aware of which protein source has a higher degree of "usability" by the body. For example, egg whites are an extremely usable form of protein.
What this means is that, for digestive purposes, the body will be able to digest the egg whites faster for the purpose of assimilation than it would the beef. There is no conclusive proof that meat eaters are stronger than vegetarians, nor is it a fact that vegetarians outlive meat eaters; it is a matter of personal choice and taste. Having finished this article, I'm remembering I have some tofu and a lean piece of strip loin in my fridge. I am going to sink my fangs into the steak after it comes off my George Foreman grill. By the way, whether it's backed by research or not, when I eat my steak I feel more like kicking butt than when I eat tofu.
Keep Training.