Why go plant-based and how to transition to eating more vegetables regularly

It is clear that health and quality of life begin with what goes into your mouth. Illness and old age with ailments are the result of wrong lifestyle choices. However, making good decisions and taking care of what goes into your mouth can give you a positive 180º turnaround for the rest of your life.

One of the misconceptions of diet fads and sports nutrition is that one should consume animal protein, specifically red meat, to avoid accumulating fat and being overweight in the case of diet, and to have strength and better athletic performance in the case of sports.

All proteins come from plants , and both beef and pork and poultry are the intermediaries for these proteins to reach our body. A large study on nutrient absorption in carnivores and vegetarians determined that the average vegetarian gets 70% more protein required for subsistence. Even carnivores get more protein from plants (of quality) than from meat (which probably, by the time it is consumed, has lost a large percentage due to cooking). ( 1 )

Multiple studies show that a high protein, low carbohydrate diet promotes weight loss. This is because protein allows you to feel full for longer, which causes you to consume fewer calories and, consequently, lose weight. Protein also increases the metabolic rate making you more efficient at burning calories, this should be clear. The thing is that protein is not synonymous with animal and flour carbohydrates.( 2 )

It should also be clear that both animals and plants contain all amino acids (20), the proportion of these amino acids varies according to the food, but all dietary proteins - except gelatin - contain a little of each amino acid. ( 3 )

The question we must ask then is: can a plant-based diet provide enough protein to increase metabolism?

Plant-based diets are packed with phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins and other phytochemicals that provide the body with the nourishment it needs and, of course, can improve metabolism. At the cellular level, it increases the function of the mitochondria, which, as we already know, is where the energy we need for daily performance comes from.

It is logical that athletes need more protein than the majority of the population. For both men and women over 25 years of age, who are not elite athletes , a protein intake of up to 0.75 g per kilogram of weight is recommended, but this amount begins to increase depending on the person's activity levels.

A high-performance athlete should need between 1.2 -1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of weight.

Does protein quality matter?

Proteins are chains of amino acids and some of them cannot be manufactured by the body. Here are the essential amino acids and where the conflict between the quality of a vegan diet and a carnivorous diet lies: Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine and Cysteine, Phenylalanine and Tyrosine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Valine. These substances must be obtained specifically from food.

Animal protein is believed to be of better quality because it contains the full spectrum of amino acids, so there is no need to worry about consuming more of one food or another to meet requirements.

Vegetables, on the other hand, contain all the amino acids, but in varying proportions, and that is why you may have heard that you should mix certain foods, such as lentils with rice, for example, in order to obtain a “complete protein.”

The truth is that when it comes to getting your energy, strength and muscle mass, several scientific studies indicate that as long as you consume the necessary amino acids, the source is irrelevant. The advantage for those of us who are not high-performance athletes is that plant sources not only contain the necessary amino acids, but also a lot of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that the body needs for its homeostatic balance and that ultimately translates into fewer calories but more nutrients .

It should also be clear that by reducing or eliminating animal protein, the plant-based foods discussed here, meaning vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and some grains, are the ones that provide the protein plus the other nutrients needed for balanced health. Processed foods (even if they don't have meat, but do contain sugars, flours, and refined grains) are not part of this dietary protocol and should be avoided just as when following a high protein, low carb diet.

To corroborate this, Dr. Robert Vogel, co-chair of the NFL (National Football League) subcommittee on cardiovascular health, conducted a test on 3 American football players, pointing out the correlation that exists between food and endothelial function.

The endothelium is a tissue found in various blood vessels that regulates blood flow throughout the body. The endothelium senses when an organ or muscle group needs more blood flow and then dilates. If it is damaged, it cannot dilate and thus does not allow increased blood flow to reach where it is needed, impairing physical performance.

Animal protein has a negative impact on endothelial function , as demonstrated by his experiment with three young athletes in which two of them were fed animal protein on the first day and vegetable protein on the second day, while the third athlete was fed vegetable protein for two consecutive days. Two hours after each meal, their blood was tested and centrifuged to separate the red blood cells from the plasma. The plasma in the athlete who ate vegetables on both days was clear, showing that there is not much circulating fat and that the endothelium is functioning effectively. In contrast, in the other two players who ate animal protein, the plasma was cloudy due to the fat circulating there from the meat, indicating eventual deterioration of the endothelium.

According to this experiment, animal sources of protein and fat have a detrimental effect on endothelial function that lasts up to 6-7 hours after a meal. If you eat eggs and bacon for breakfast, steak for lunch, and a hamburger for dinner, this effect will last all day until the endothelium simply becomes unusable.

Evidence shows that plants have the opposite effect. In fact, they improve endothelial function. Several experiments have found that such a diet allows aerobic exercise to be performed for 22% longer, while strength training allows lifting 19% more weight, and according to these experiments, the effects are immediate. So the source of the protein matters. ( 4 ), ( 5 ), ( 6 ), ( 7 ).

Vegetable protein: is this the secret weapon?

Dr. Scott Stoll, former athlete and doctor for the United States Olympic team, confirms that protein is an important element for the human body, whether you are a high-performance athlete, recreational athlete or sedentary person. According to Stoll, what matters more than the protein itself, is the package it comes in and what you consume.

The battle between animal proteins and plant proteins is more like, “Which one is going to allow your body to overcome inflammation and recover better, whether from a workout, an injury, an illness, or poor eating habits throughout your life?”

For their part, the proteins present in plants also provide antioxidants, phytochemicals such as flavonoids, carotenoids, lycopene, fiber, vitamins such as C, lignans and minerals that reduce inflammation, optimize the function of the microbiome , improve blood supply and, therefore, physical performance.

In animal products, proteins are coated with inflammatory molecules such as heme iron, heterocyclic amines, endotoxins, AGEs or advanced glycation end products, TMAO or Trimethyl amine N-oxide and NEU5GC or N-Glycolyl neuraminic acid. It also alters the microbiome and bacterial species that promote increased inflammation.

Switching to a plant-based diet can reduce inflammation measures by 29% in just 3 WEEKS.

A plant-based diet builds new tissue in tendons and muscles; and stimulates the immune system to fight off infections. At almost every level, eating the right foods will speed up your recovery process, whether from a workout, an injury, an illness, or simply from years of feeding your body the wrong foods because the same bio-markers that affect athletes' performance affect the health of a normal person.

Heart health

Dr. Kim Williams, president of the American College of Cardiology, points out that the consumption of animal products begins to form plaques in the coronary arteries that eventually impair blood flow and that is when the heart begins to have difficulty responding to the demands of the body.

It's even more complex and not just limited to red meat or fat. We've been told that saturated fats and cholesterol cause heart disease, while egg whites, low-fat dairy products and lean meats do not. However, recent scientific research shows that other inflammatory compounds in animal foods hinder recovery from sports, but also have a similar effect on diseases such as cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Williams believes we are better off without animal products, and there are strong biochemical reasons for this. Heme iron is one of them. A meta-analysis of six studies in 130,000 patients found that 1 mg of heme iron per day appeared to be significantly associated with a 27% increased risk of coronary heart disease. To give you an idea, a typical hamburger has 2-3 mg of heme iron.

It's not just animal products that can cause these problems. In fact, it's animal protein itself. It's not just red meat, chicken, eggs or milk; it's the ingestion of animal protein, because that's when a chemical process in the body starts.

When animal protein is cooked, preserved, or digested by bacteria in the body, highly inflammatory compounds are formed that eat away at the cardiovascular system. This may help explain why people who switch to a plant-based diet reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by 55%. This may also explain why the only diet proven to reverse severe coronary atherosclerosis is a vegan diet.

According to the head of nutrition at Harvard University, USA, Dr. Walter Willett, amino acids from animal sources cause cells to multiply faster. He mentions that proteins from dairy products cause a 40% increased risk of prostate cancer. ( 8 )

Cancer is associated with other animal foods. Research by the National Cancer Institute showed that vegetarians who eat one or more servings of white meat a week triple their risk of colon cancer.

So this isn't a special diet to improve athletic performance, another to prevent or reverse heart disease, or diabetes, or another for injury recovery. It's the same for all circumstances.

Hormonal health

Testosterone hormone. Img: Mario Olaya for Pixabay

Hormones play a vital role in health. They transmit information to the body about how to develop and how to keep bodily functions running efficiently. Hormones influence metabolism, libido, body weight, and even the way we handle stressful situations. Given the importance of our hormones and the havoc their imbalance can cause, it is worth doing everything we can nutritionally and through lifestyle to keep this system in our body healthy and efficient.

A plant-based diet provides you with fiber, is less toxic, is rich in micronutrients, is good for colon health, is anti-inflammatory, reverses estrogen dominance, improves fertility, helps maintain insulin sensitivity and helps treat diabetes, ensures a smooth transition to menopause, reduces symptoms of PMS, helps recover from depression and ensures qualitative cholesterol production, among other things. ( 9 )

There are about 50 different hormones circulating in the human body, each of which has its own specific functions. But there are four in particular that can have very harmful effects if they are not balanced: cortisol, the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

The natural way to balance them is through food, maintaining high levels of magnesium for cortisol, above all. Magnesium is found mainly in nuts, seeds and legumes.

10 easy ways to make the transition to veganism, or at least incorporate more vegetables into your life

According to advice from vegan industry pioneer, spokesperson and athlete Tammy Fry, published in Women's Health magazine on August 30, 2019. Fry Recommends,

1. Take it easy and understand that it is a life path . It takes time to learn new recipes, new foods and adapt them to a different way of preparing meals. Whether you are 99% vegan, almost vegan, weeknight vegan, they are all good and each stage is exciting. Before you know it, you will be making a natural transition, until one day, perhaps, you will no longer consume any animal products.

2. Avoid becoming a mealworm. Get rid of the idea that just because you're not eating meat means you're going to be turning to refined flours and sugars. According to Fry, pasta, bread and chips aren't the only vegan foods out there. Eat mostly vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, and some whole grains from time to time. You want to make sure you're getting all the micronutrients your body needs to function properly and keep you feeling energized.

3. Plan your meals in advance . Don't be caught at mealtime in front of the refrigerator or supermarket shelves without knowing what you're going to eat. When you plan your meals for the week, for example, you have an advantage in several aspects such as obtaining and organizing the ingredients in advance, controlling the quantities of food (especially if you are a sedentary person) and making sure that it is a meal that contains the nutrients that your body needs.

4. Get inspired every day. Do whatever you want: get several books with vegan recipes, I recommend mine here !; also, on the internet you can find multiple sites that present very creative, easy and appetizing recipes that you can adapt.

5. Stay in touch with your “why.” Making the change may seem easy at first, but there may come a time when you question yourself again. If this happens, remind yourself why you made the decision, why you changed what, and the benefits you’ve noticed since doing so. If you need to, watch a documentary about veganism or visit an animal sanctuary near you.

6. You don't need to feel left out. Veganism isn't about rabbit food. Believe me, from burgers and sausages to ice cream and puddings, there's a wide range of foods, ingredients and flavours that will make you wonder how you ever ate meat.

7. Let someone else cook for you from time to time . More and more restaurants are incorporating vegan options into their menus, as well as specialty restaurants and grocery stores, so take the time to explore and taste.

8. Find your tribe . This doesn't mean you have to end your relationship with your carnivorous friends, far from it. But finding people who are in the process of changing or have already done so is very comforting and you will feel supported.

9. Eat healthy . Just because a food is vegan doesn't mean it's healthy. Make sure you do your research on foods and their ingredients, as well as eat a varied diet to get all the nutrients and vitamins you need to be well.

10. Get creative. Don't be afraid to try new foods, new recipes, new flavors. Plant-based meals can be very interesting and delicious, so give yourself the opportunity to experiment with new foods and ingredients.