But where do you get your protein? 😱

Rhinoceros - Elephant - Cow - Buffalo - Giraffe

What do they have in common? Among being the largest and strongest animals on the planet, they also consume a mostly plant-based diet (elephants and rhinos consume exclusively plants).

If these majestic beasts can get enough protein from plants to be such large, strong, and smart animals, where did this myth come from that plant-based diets don’t provide enough protein? That an abundance of (animal) protein is necessary in order to build muscle and be ‘healthy’??

Well, it’s a bit of a tale, which Dr. Michael Greger beautifully describes in this 12 minute podcast episode.

But the short version is: protein is necessary (without a doubt), we just don't need to take it from animals, as we’ve been conditioned to believe.

How much protein do we really need?
The US governmental guidelines for protein are 46g per day for women and 56g per day for men. And that’s padded to ensure for a margin of safety.

So Listen up!

  • If you eat nothing but broccoli for an entire day, you’d consume 146g of protein.

  • If you eat nothing but lentils for an entire day, you’d consume 157g of protein.

  • If you eat nothing but pinto beans for an entire day, you’d consume 186g of protein.

See where I’m going with this?

While you wouldn’t eat one food exclusively over the course of the day – and I wouldn’t recommend it – you can see that plants contain a lot of protein! Way more than I bet you were raised to believe and way more than that steak that also comes loaded with saturated fat and calories.

You can build muscle on a WFPB diet!
Vegan athletes are showing us everyday that a plant-based diet has all the protein we need (and can support a muscle building, strength gaining lifestyle) and then some. And – bonus! – it’s in a form that our bodies use most efficiently and effectively. It also comes packed with other micronutrients that our body’s crave and need for long-term health (phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals - oh my!).

So the next time you're reaching for an egg hoping for a boost of protein, swap it for a half cup of split pea soup and you'll get 4 times the amount of protein (6g versus 24g!).

Next Steps

To health and good spirits,
Emma

Emma MulvanyComment