Five Reasons To Switch Your Workout Protein to Plant-based

Lockdown has seen us getting into our fitness workouts in a way that’s more focussed than ever. Gyms may have been shut but we’ve been running, walking, sharing workout tips online, discovering new yoga, Pilates and weight workout videos daily on YouTube and yes… we’re feeling the benefits!

So, the next thing to think about is how do we sustain it? How do we refuel our bodies effectively so we don’t burn out?

When the January lockdown hit I made a conscious decision that I wouldn’t rely on red wine and Gin O’Clock to get me through homeschool hell and COVID anxiety this time. I started running, basically just to get myself an hour or two alone each week. It soon became a habit and, to my utter astonishment, after a month or so I actually began to enjoy it. But having never really exercised in my life, I hadn’t the foggiest how to fuel my body to cope with increasingly demanding exercise as I pushed myself. And there is so much information around about nutrition and proteins it’s hard to know where to start.

So I contacted the UK’s first specialist vegan fitness and nutrition retailer, Turnativ. Despite newly launching, they’re fast becoming the go-to site for fitness-focussed snacking and they offer selection boxes so you can try a whole load of different snacks without buying in bulk. Great for someone like me on a veggie, often plant-based, diet who isn’t keen on heavy protein bars.

Turnativ has over 96 health and fitness products to choose from including bars and powders but it’s so simple to shop with them because their whole range can be filtered into four different fitness categories; ‘Build muscle’, ‘Endurance and energy’, ‘Stay healthy’ and ‘Lose weight’ – sorted. The absolute best thing about Turnativ is that every item is vegan, palm-oil free and GMO (genetically modified organisms) free. Each item has been vetted allowing us to embrace plant-based protein and shop ethically.

That all sounds like reason enough to give them a go but in case you need a bit more persuading they’ve also helped me to understand why switching to plant-based protein is better for our bodies and for the planet. Here’s what I found out…

Plant based protein contains more anti-inflammatories

Inflammation can increase the amount of time your body needs to heal if it’s injured or sick and it can also increase soreness and swelling. This is not what you want when you are recovering from a workout, you actually want the opposite and that’s where plants come in.

Plant-based protein is much less inflammatory than animal-based protein. Plants are naturally packed with high amounts of anti-inflammatory compounds, including thousands of powerful antioxidants, plus plants have on average 64 times the antioxidant content of animal foods.

Plants are powerful

Plants also help to increase blood flow and make muscles more efficient. These two things combined with the anti-inflammatory compounds and the powerful antioxidants can lead to significant performance advantages from plant-based protein.


Plant-based protein reduces the risk of heart disease

Cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure, is the world’s number-one killer. Science points towards animal-based diets being a significant contributor.

One notable Harvard study from 2016 monitored 131,000 participants and found that each 10% increase in calories from animal protein led to a corresponding 8% increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

The conclusion is that simply avoiding animal products can reduce a man’s risk of dying from heart disease by 55%.

Plant based protein helps to save the planet

Animal-based protein is incredibly inefficient. Animals consume six times more protein than they produce, requiring huge amounts of food and water. As an illustration, one hamburger represents 2,400 litres of embedded water (through grain production, feed for cows, and finally beef).

According to allplants, if everyone in Britain went plant-based for just two days a week, we would reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to the equivalent of taking 54 per cent of cars off the road and save enough water to provide 11 years’ worth of showers for every person in the UK.

So even for those of us who aren’t vegan, plant-based protein is an easy switch to make.

It tastes great

I was sent a Turnativ box for the purpose of an honest review. The apple and cinnamon energy bar was tasty and a lot lighter than similar products, meaning it was great to enjoy just before a long run as it doesn’t leave you feeling bloated or heavy. I’m not a fan of setting out and spending half my time trying to dislodge seeds from my back teeth so the Real5 combo without too much syrup was one of my favourites.

The Colombian Energy Block (made of Guava – not the other Colombian energy source) is sweet and sticky, like solidified sugar. I sliced it up and had a little just before then just after a HIIT workout. If I ate the whole cube in one go I’d be sick, but in small slices it gives a good energy boost. Other bars include a chocolate and raspberry one bound with dates, and a slightly heavier peanut powder Trek bar.

It’s great to get the assortment to try out which suits you best, and you can highlight allergies so any allergens are avoided.

So let’s keep up the good work-out work and refuel our bodies with the plant-based protein it deserves.

• Browse Turnativ snacks to match your fitness goal here and learn more about plant-based protein here.