I am nowhere close to being a vegetarian. I have tried it in the past, but I just didn’t vibe with that lifestyle. However, I am flirting with the idea of taking on a majority plant-based diet, which means I will still eat meat, just less of it on a daily basis (i.e. two meals out of three would be plant-based).
To build muscle, we need to eat a lot of protein. That protein usually/traditionally comes from animals, preferably chicken, pork and fish. But ample amounts of protein exist in flora too. For folks like myself, it takes a restructuring of thought and behavior to supplement that animal protein with plants. But there are many good reasons to take that course of action.
As we face a significant and growing environmental crisis, which is fueled in part by domesticated livestock farming (i.e. the meat industry); it can be beneficial to substitute the forms of meat that contribute to large emissions of methane gas (aka greenhouse gas) with alternative proteins (see: Hopper and Toubia, 2022). Crickets are already a viable (and tasty!) option, albeit way too expensive at this point in time. Vegetable/plant-based proteins are more economical, and as luck would have it, they are very accessible in grocery stores and farm stands across the world.
The Fabaceae is the royal family of plants when it comes to sources of protein. Members of this powerful clan include soybeans, black beans, yellow peas, chickpeas, mung beans, alfalfa and peanuts. I have been really into mung beans lately, which is an incredible source of protein in lieu of meat. I will focus a future post on a great mung bean stew, but for this post I want to focus on the yellow pea, most notably in the form of a protein powder that rivals both whey and soy.
One serving of organic pea protein powder contains a whopping twenty-three grams of protein! This is equivalent to a typical serving of pork. All you have to do to get this rich protein intake, is drop an ounce of the powder into a glass of water, or blend it with berries, low fat Greek yogurt etc. for a delicious, energizing smoothie. You can also use it as an ingredient for cooking and baking (feast your eyes on my protein packed pancakes recipe).
I also find pea protein powder to have a nicer taste than both soy (another plant-based option) and whey powders. It has a very earthy flavor, while also having a slightly sweet, albeit bitter taste (which is why adding it to a smoothie is more ideal than just a glass of water). In contrast, I consider whey to be too sweet. A big draw is that pea protein powder, like soy, is vegan. Pea protein is slightly more B-vitamin rich than soy powder, and has more amino acids per serving too. Out of the three powders, it seems to me to be the clear winner both in terms of taste and nutrition.
Protein is essential for muscle growth and overall body function. In a low caloric diet you absolutely need to ensure you’re getting a large amount of protein intake. While there’s no universal standard for protein consumption, the recommendation is that somewhere between ten to thirty-five percent of our daily calories should come from protein sources. This means eating around fifteen to thirty grams of protein per meal. Of course, if you want to build big, lean muscles, you need to eat more protein than the average human.
Because our bodies require a significant amount of protein, it is super convenient to have a product like pea protein powder on hand (I get mine from nuts.com).
Adding a one ounce scoop in a bowl of oatmeal, a smoothie or some pancakes is a great way to start your day. A serving of pea protein in today’s morning cup of coffee was an impulsive decision; but a time when I’m not often making great decisions due to being groggy, it’s turned out to be a great way to start the day from a culinary standpoint.
After a workout session, it feels really good to reward yourself with a refreshing glass of lemon/citrus water (a great source of electrolytes, which are essential post-workout) and a dash of pea protein powder.
Definitely give peas a chance!
References, Notes, Suggested Reading:
Hopper, Karen and Toubia, Didier. “Why addressing methane from meat is the fastest way to reverse climate change,” Food Dive, 7 September 2022. https://www.fooddive.com/news/methane-meat-sector-reverse-climate-change/630984/
Great post! I only use plant protein in my smoothies with pea protein being one of the ingredients. People really shouldn't sleep. On it