- Keeping fit on a plant-based diet.
Jed and James often spend hours at a time thinking about life's big existential questions. Is there a higher power? What was the purpose of the Night King in season 8 of Game of Thrones? Is there an afterlife? Which bean do we most closely resemble? We'll we've figured it out (just the bean question...).
James is a broad bean. His immense physical form makes him stand out from any crowd. This bean bangs weights 24/7 and is best served on a warm bruschetta with sautéed tomatoes, capers and rocket side-salad.
Jed is a runner bean. His long legs and light frame are ideal for long-distance and cross-country running. His presence is always enjoyable, but especially in a plant-based mac n cheese topped with panko bread crumbs.
If you haven't guessed it yet (wouldn't blame you), this article is about keeping fit and living an active life on a plant-based diet. In particular, this article challenges the misconception that plant-based ladies and gentlemen don't get enough protein.
First, let's talk facts:
- According to the British Nutrition Foundation the Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) is “set at 0.75g of protein per kilogram bodyweight per day for adults”.[1] For example, if you're a 80kg broad bean you'll need 60g of protein each day.
- A recent survey from the National Diet and Nutritional Survey has found that people regularly consume amounts of protein in excess of their RNI – the region of 75-100 grams.[2] Whilst eating more protein than your RNI guideline isn't harmful,[3] it is unnecessary - despite what your local gym user might say.
- Some of the world's best athletes have adopted a fully plant-based diet. We're talking Lewis Hamilton (five-time F1 World Champion), Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic (thirty-nine Grand Slam titles shared between them), David Haye (former world cruiserweight and heavyweight boxing champion), and Chris Hemsworth (whilst not strictly an athlete, he is a literal Norse god).
It's absolutely possible to get enough protein on a plant-based diet. Take a look at some of our protein-rich recipes; such as roasted chickpeas, sweetheart tofu, and refried beans.
But what about on the go? Is it still hard to source enough protein? Well, just take a peak at one of James' go-to meal-deals from Co-op (£3.50). #ratemymealdeal
Falafel & Tabbouleh Salad - 13.75g of protein
Carrot and humous dip - 4g of protein
Innocent Super Smoothie - 2.16g of protein
Total amount of protein - 19.91g
That's almost a third of an 80kg broad bean boy's daily protein NRI. Not bad for a quick, cheap and easy meal-deal!
Plant-based power is doing the things you love (sport, hiking, vigorous dish-washing...) using energy generated by environmentally kind foods (don't forget the holy trinity: beans, pulses and peas). We can all tap into our plant-based power supplies, even for just a few days a week, with minimal effort and no concerns about getting enough protein.
Popeye, after all, got swoll from chugging cans of spinach.
[3]http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180522-we-dont-need-nearly-as-much-protein-as-we-consume
Picture of Popeye: Dornicke [CC BY-SA 4.0]
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
Picture of broad beans: Karuojisan from Japan [CC BY-SA 3.0] (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
Picture of runner beans: Simon Thomas [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
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