Image courtesy of Beyond Meat
Over the past few years, vegetarian and vegan diets have been praised for their health benefits and positive impact on the environment. Many people are switching over and giving up meat, including NBA stars like JaVale McGee.
McGee switched to a vegetarian diet to lose weight in a quick and healthy way. With this change came renewed energy and better recovery after games.
One of the products that convinced McGee and others in the NBA to change their diets is Beyond Meat – a plant based meat substitute that offers alternatives to burgers, hot dogs, sausages, and more.
A favorite of McGee’s is the Beyond Burger. It’s delicious enough to rival a real hamburger, but with more protein and iron, less saturated fat, and no cholesterol. The main ingredient is pea protein, which means it’s also soy free.
Not only is it healthier than a beef burger, the process is much healthier. Creating Beyond Meat uses less water and emits fewer greenhouse gases than producing beef.
With all that said, it’s still pretty highly processed and shouldn’t be consumed every day. Like an actual hamburger or hot dog, a Beyond Meat substitute should be treated as an indulgence, rather than a daily or even weekly staple in your diet.
It’s a great way for meat lovers to transition to eating less – or no – meat, but it should not be seen as a health food. Whole foods like fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains should be the main sources of a vegan or vegetarian diet.
The takeaway here is that it’s not as difficult as you may think to give up meat. There are substitutes out there that you can indulge in when you’re craving a burger or hot dog!
