Going Vegetarian
If you read my previous post, you would have seen that my diet was one key contributing factor in my twelve week journey to lose weight and gain muscle mass. If you read my previous post, you would have also seen that protein (and the increase of protein) in particular was what helped me put on lean muscle. Most of the protein source during my journey consisted of chicken breast and fish (tilapia and salmon to be more exact). Both are easy proteins to cook, they provide the high protein contents you need, and depending on how you cook them, can taste pretty good.
Chicken for one is typically pretty lean and certainly healthier than red meats. The same goes for salmon and tilapia. So, if you are not a professional cook or don’t have the time to prepare various protein sources to reach your target intake, then you would lean towards these two if your goal is gain muscle and/or lose weight. It’s no surprise a large number of bodybuilders use chicken and fish as the main source of protein in their diets.
But is eating chicken and fish as your primary protein source all the time sustainable for your health? Is eating too much chicken and fish good for you? As it turns out, not so much.
The Effects of Too Much
Let’s start with discussing chicken. Because chicken breast is protein-rich – alongside meat, dairy, and eggs – it tends to be high in cholesterol and saturated fat. High cholesterol is often linked with cardiovascular disease which can lead to angina, arrhythmia, heart failure, amongst other heart related conditions. Another downside is the risk of Food-Borne Illness. Meat and Poultry can cause food-borne related illness, which can lead to food poisoning. If not cooked at the right temperature, it can make you sick. According to the Government of Canada, every year, a total of about 4 million (1 in 8) Canadians are affected by a food-borne illness. In the US, the FDA estimates that there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illness annually—the equivalent of sickening 1 in 6 Americans each year.
Salmon and tilapia are both are great sources of Omega-3, fatty acids, and most importantly protein. Nutritionists and Health experts often recommend these as good alternatives to red meat. The obvious downside to fish is the potential contamination of methylmercury, or mercury, due to the pollution in the oceans where they come from. Higher levels of mercury may cause adverse health effects including deficits in neurocognitive function. So the longer and the more you consume fish, the higher the risk of mercury contamination.
Partly based on the findings above and also because I like to try different diets, I decided to go strictly vegetarian and cut all chicken and meat consumption. I wanted to give it a try and took it on as a challenge to find plant-based alternatives for my main protein intake. With a little bit of research, it was not as hard as some people think it to be. Some foods I discovered that are great sources of protein but plant based were soy-based products (tempeh, tofu), legumes (lentils, beans, chickpeas, edamame, green peas), and even jackfruit (prepared with jerk sauce as a substitute for jerk chicken).
The Benefits
After about the third month of being vegetarian and trying different recipes, I had no negative impact to my body weight (although a plant-based diet has been proven to be successful in weight loss). I was still getting the same amount of protein as when I was consuming chicken in order to meet my macros, just from a wide variety of plant-based sources as opposed to one or two. And to all of those who often asked: Don’t you miss meat? – the answer was NO. I was pretty happy with what I was consuming (being creative in the kitchen helped) and had no reason to or cravings to eat meat. Oh, and one thing I didn’t mention before about the effects of too much chicken was the occasional bad breath (yes, sounds nasty). It’s not that I didn’t brush my teeth regularly, it’s just that that is one of the symptoms of too much poultry in your system. After cutting out chicken, guess what – no more bad breath.
The other main benefit of a predominately plant-based diet was my energy levels. I found myself with higher energy levels than before, especially after having meals. This is mainly because animal protein is very dense and takes time and energy for your system to break down. Plant-based proteins on the other side, are fiber-rich and have energizing properties that can make you feel more alert (good amino acids). I didn’t feel the sluggishness right after finishing a lunch or dinner.
The Takeaway
Diversity in your protein sources is key. Although solely chicken, fish, and meat are good sources of protein amongst other sources, too much of it can lead to potential risks. Expanding your diet to include more plant-based sources of protein can benefit your health long term. The old myth that plant-based diets lack protein has been debunked for quite some time and vegetarianism has shown some positive effects on your health. Don’t be afraid to change the norm and give it a try
