Plant-based protein is an eco-friendly and sustainable food choice that is also healthy for the body. This type of protein has a low impact on public health, the environment, and animals. It can be a little difficult to get enough nutrients on a plant-based diet, which is why it’s important to have alternatives such as rice or beans with your meals.
The benefits of Plant-Based Protein Sources
1. It’s cheaper.
Plant-based protein sources are better for the environment, which means they’re cheaper. For instance, soy used in the production of food comes from soya beans, which can be grown en masse, and are shipped to different parts of the world. However, the process of growing these beans does not necessarily mean that a sustainable and healthy crop has been grown. The areas that these beans are produced in may also be mined for other materials such as gravel or sand, meaning toxic chemicals were likely used to dispose of these materials. Furthermore, there is less land used for growing these crops compared to meat (1).
2. They’re good for our health.
Plant-based protein sources can be easily modified to improve their health benefits. For example, tofu is often consumed in Asian countries and is a good source of calcium and protein. However, it lacks the essential amino acid methionine that we need for muscle tissue development (3). It is possible to add more of this by using cashew nuts as nut milk for a tofu shake.
3. They’re better for the environment.
This one is a bit tricky, as it is dependent on individual opinions. Some people will argue that we should eat as much meat as possible because animals are just like humans and also need to be fed and watered. However, plants don’t need to be fed or watered for us to eat them, which means it’s perfectly fine for us to not consume plants if we don’t want them to. Also, some people think that the more meat produced the more healthy the planet will be. The truth is that there are many factors affecting the environment such as climate change and deforestation. In addition, there are animals fed with grains or beans that while they do not require feed still use up resources such as fertilizers and energy use.