Game Changer? Five Interesting Plant-Based Diet Facts From Netflix’s New Documentary

Contributed by Veselina Dzhingarova.

Did you know that meat isn’t what gives you energy? That plant-based diets include more than enough protein? Or that Gladiators were, in fact, predominantly vegetarian? It’s true. These are just some of the revelations to come out of Netflix’s documentary, ‘The Game Changers’.

If gladiators could eat fruits and vegetables and still be strong enough to, quite literally, fight for their lives…then why do sports stars, fitness enthusiasts, and the general public still believe they need meat?

How did this misconception start?

Steak. Burgers. Grills. Barbecues. Like most things these days, it’s largely a marketing thing. Plant-based diets have been kicking up a storm for years, and since then claims have continued to emerge that ‘veganism’ fails to deliver the fiber, protein, and energy required to reach peak performance.

Unfortunately, many of these beliefs fuel the stigma around plant-based diets. It’s why people believe that for a man to be a real ‘manly man’ he needs to eat meat. According to Netflix’s newest documentary, it’s a misconception that could lead to serious health issues.

Should I change my diet?

That’s up to you! What you need to know is that these aren’t the only exciting revelations to come from ‘The Game Changers’. In fact, the documentary highlights just how important it is to look past the headlines and educate yourself on the benefits of going plant-based.

Perhaps you’re looking to transition for your health. To improve your fitness. Or you just want to be more environmentally conscious. Whatever your reason, here’s a list of some of the most interesting facts, stats, and figures ‘The Game Changers’ has brought to light.

Plant-based diets provide you with more than enough protein

Body-builders are often preoccupied with eating a high-protein diet. Protein is essential for many things, but the major focus is on its ability to repair tissue and build muscle. So yes, our bodies require protein. That much is still true.

According to ‘The Game Changers’, you only require 0.8 grams of protein per kilo of body weight. For a standard person, that’s just 62 grams per day. Here’s where things get interesting. It was found that eating a plant-based diet doesn’t leave you deficient of protein.

In fact, vegans receive 70 per cent more protein than is required from a plant-based diet.

If you’re a man avoiding a plant-based diet in the fear it may affect your ‘gains’? Plants actually provide a safer option than meat-based protein. Going vegan isn’t all smoothie bowls and kale. The trick to staying strong is finding and sticking to a healthy, well-balanced diet.

A meat-based diet can affect your manhood

A study was recently conducted on young men. In it, a relationship was found between a lower sperm count and those who consume processed red meat. Why? It’s believed to be due to hormone treatments and antibiotics used to preserve low-quality meat.

Another study also suggests men may experience adverse side effects from consuming a high level of processed meat. That includes a 37 percent decrease in sperm count. Plus, a 15 percent drop in testosterone levels. While a single animal-based meal has been shown to impair blood flow throughout the body, a plant-based meal can cause the opposite effect. It can actually improve blood flow.

Other findings may also surprise you. Did you know that those who consume meat are more likely to have a decrease in muscle mass? Carry more fat? Or suffer from higher cortisol levels?. Research shows eating high carbohydrate plant foods can drop cortisol levels an average of 27%. How’s that for stress relief?

Soy alternatives do not produce estrogen

Phytoestrogen found in soy can easily be mistaken for human-like estrogen. However, it has the opposite effect. Phytoestrogen blocks some estrogen receptors and prevents real sources from taking hold, with studies being mostly consistent with beneficial results.

The real culprits are actually chicken, eggs, and dairy, which can all have a significant effect on hormone levels. Milk, for example, can increase a man’s estrogen levels by 26 percent in one hour and decrease testosterone levels by 18 percent.

A plant-based diet is beneficial for recovery

Do you like to get active? Keep moving? Stay fit? If so, you probably have ‘reducing recovery times’ at the top of your list. A quick recovery time means you can train harder and more often. It’s a fast-track to progress.

Plants play a big part in recovery, thanks to the high level of antioxidants and nitric acid. This killer combination helps to reduce inflammation and increase blood flow, so you recover faster post-workout. Those who don’t skip the meat are in for a longer wait with just a single meat meal increasing inflammation and slowing recovery.

High animal protein may lead to premature death

One of the most interesting studies explored in ‘The Game Changers’ is one for you muscle-builders out there. This study found that those who eat a diet that’s high in animal protein have:

• A 75% increased risk of premature death from all causes.
• A 500% increased risk from most kinds of cancer.

It also found that if you consume protein via dairy, you increase your risk of cancer by 40%.

The study also found that animal proteins produce inflammatory compounds when cooked, preserved, or digested. It’s compounds like these that slow down recovery, and may even corrode the cardiovascular system.

So how much is too much,really? Just 1mg of heme iron per day – an animal protein – can increase the risk of coronary heart disease by 27%. For context, an average burger contains a whopping 2 – 3mg of heme iron.

Plant-based diets provide a great alternative. They can reduce the risk of heart disease by 55%. In fact, plant-based diets are the only diets to have shown a potential reversal of heart disease.

Whether you’ve been thinking of going vegan for your own health, the environment, or the welfare of those we share this planet with, the facts, stats, and figures we’ve explored from Netflix’s ‘The Game Changers’ are just a few of the exciting reasons you might want to consider making the switch.