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Looking to build muscle, burn fat or simply cook healthier meals? Here's everything you need to know about plant based eating, backed up by the latest research and expert opinion

If you’ve been toying with the idea of adopting a plant based diet after watching The Game Changers, you're certainly not the only one. For anyone yet to see the controversial documentary film, it follows former UFC fighter James Wilks as he travels the world interviewing a vast array of elite athletes (plus physicians, professors and scientists) who are proud to be powered by plants.

With powerlifting record holder Patrik Baboumian, Olympic silver medalist Dotsie Bausch, ultra-marathoner Scott Jurek, and even seven-time Mr. Olympia champion Arnold Schwarzenegger backing a plant-based way of life on screen, the case for swapping turkey with tofu has never been quite so compelling.

Following the show’s Netflix debut, Tour de France champion Chris Froome, Rocky star Dolph Lundgren, and professional bodybuilder Kai Greene have all switched to a plant based diet. Even Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, a.k.a ‘The Mountain’ from Game of Thrones, said he’d consider giving it a crack. And now maybe you are, too?

Following a plant based diet is about prioritising plants on your plate. Not just vegetables – though they’re obviously a huge part of it – but all plant-derived foods, including “wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds and fruits, with few or no animal products,” according to the British Dietetic Association (BDA).

Plant based is often used as social shorthand for ‘vegan’, but the BDA reckons veganism is just one example of a plant based diet. It says vegetarians and pescetarians (fish-eating veggies) also follow a plant based diet, as well as lacto-ovo vegetarians – who eat dairy foods and eggs but not meat, poultry or seafood – and even flexitarians, who eat meat or poultry only very occasionally.

So, unless your fridge looks like an abattoir or you survive exclusively on junk food, chances are you’re halfway there already.

So, why bother? Well, while question marks loom over the purported health benefits of fad diets like keto, you’ll be hard pushed to find a reputable dietician that warns against eating more fruits, veggies, wholegrains, pulses, nuts, seeds and so on. They’re packed with a vast array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, flavanoids, phenols and fibre, which have been linked to cardiovascular, brain, metabolic, gut, immunity, inflammation and mood-boosting health benefits.

It’s better for the planet, too. Animal agriculture (breeding, feeding and slaughtering cows, pigs, chickens, etcetera) emits more greenhouse gases than the entire transportation industry combined – that’s every plane, car and train in the world – according to a United Nations report. But if everyone in the UK went plant based two days a week, the effect on CO2 levels would be equivalent to taking 54 per cent of cars off the road, all year, every year, calculations by Allplants revealed.

Rearing animals for food is also wasteful from a nutrition perspective. As it stands, 90 per cent of calories and proteins are grown to feed animals, but less than 10 per cent actually become consumable to us through meat, milk or eggs, Allplants found. And by ditching those products twice a week, you’ll reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 20 per cent, as well as other nasties like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and obesity, they say.

However, that’s not to say everything labelled ‘plant based’ is good for you (or the planet), especially when you’re rummaging through faux meats in a mainstream supermarket. “Many vegan and vegetarian products can be classed as plant based but include a lot of processed sugar and excess salt,” explains Rebecca Gold, nutritionist at Bark.com. “It’s important to always check product labels for a full list of ingredients.”

To an extent, it also depends precisely how plant based you intend your diet to be. “Despite the numerous health benefits associated with plant based foods, eating plants alone in place of entire food groups such as meat and dairy can quite rapidly result in nutritional deficiencies,” explains Dr Warren Bradley, head of nutrition at Goal Master Fitness.

Diving right in might not do you any favours, but that’s true of any diet, as online trainer and vlogger Jon Venus points out. “The most common deficiencies in vegans are the same deficiencies we see in people eating animal products, which means vitamin B12, vitamin D, and iron,” he says. “Whether you follow a plant based diet or not, it is important to make a conscious decision to eat foods that contain these nutrients of concern.”

Still, you need to make smart swaps – especially when it comes to nutrients like B12, creatine and omega 3 fatty acids, which are found almost exclusively in animal products, says Dr Bradley. “Others such as iron and calcium are found in small quantities in plants, but are significantly less bioavailable, which means they’re less able to be absorbed by the body,” he says.

But before you abandon this article and fire up the grill, hold tight, because there are ways to increase the bioavailability of certain nutrients. Take iron, for example. “If you combine iron-rich vegetables with foods high in vitamin C, the absorption increases exponentially,” says Max Brunaccioni, vegan athlete and coach. “A well-planned plant based diet is as effective as any other diet – even for athletes.”

A post shared by Massimo Brunaccioni (@max_veganfit)

The basic requirements for building muscle are quite simple, Dr Bradley outlines. You need to be in a caloric excess, eating enough protein for muscle recovery and plenty of carbohydrates for energy (for devoted carnivores, that might mean steak and potatoes or chicken with rice, he says). Loading up on colourful fruits and veggies, along with healthy fats and plenty of water, will optimise this process. But what if you want to scale back the animal element?

“If you’ve seen Game Changers, you’ll have ingested plenty of information pertaining to the fact that you can grow monstrously huge and perform at an elite level on a plant based diet,” Dr Bradley continues. “This is certainly true, but reflects a diet ticking all of the above boxes, which takes effort and discipline when plant based. That said, a plant based diet can be extremely healthy if you understand where to find the nutrients typically lacking from a plant only diet.”

Protein – or rather, a distinct lack of it – is a cliché concern among those looking to adopt a plant based diet. It need not be. For starters, getting enough is easier than you think.

Even potatoes, green peas and jackfruit contain the muscle macro. Protein accounts for 20 per cent of the calories in broccoli, which works out at around 3g in a 100g serving. Soy milk contains the same amount of protein as cow’s milk, at 8g per 250ml.

But even more important is what the protein comes ‘packaged’ in. Gram for gram, raw red meat might boast more protein than chickpeas – around 20 to 24 grams per 100g, compared to 19g –but it also comes wrapped up in saturated fat and cholesterol. By comparison, chickpeas contain very little saturated fat, and eating one portion a day has been found to “significantly reduce” cholesterol, according to research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. With that said, chickpeas contain 61g of carbohydrates per 100g (17g of which are gut-boosting fibre) while red meat contains none. But that matters less than you think, Venus says.

A post shared by Jon Venus (@jonvenus)

“The main thing that changed when switching to a plant based diet was my macronutrient breakdown,” he explains. “When you eat a lot of whole plant foods, you automatically eat more carbohydrates than if you were to eat animal products. Many people fear carbs, but not all carbs are equal. Eating refined sugar and candy isn’t the same as eating carbohydrates from real foods like fruits, grains, and legumes.

“I was also automatically eating less protein, but I quickly realised that we don’t need as much as people believe,” Venus continues. “This was evident when my strength and muscle mass kept increasing over time on a slightly lower protein, plant based diet. My training methods – bodybuilding-style with high volume and frequency – and supplementation did not change at all, [since] I’d been using plant-based protein powders a while.”

Here’s what a typical day for Venus might look like – 2,200 kcals in total:

Breakfast Porridge: 100g rolled oats, 200ml organic soy milk, 110g banana, 10g flaxseeds

Lunch Lentil stew: 60g quinoa, 180g green lentils, 100g broccoli, 100g carrot, vegetable stock

Dinner Burrito bowl: 40g brown basmati rice, 350g black beans, 200g sweet potato, 60g leafy greens, 50g avocado, 2tbsp salsa

Snack Apple and nuts: 200g apple, 25g almonds Protein shake: 30g vegan protein powder, 300ml unsweetened almond milk

Your body’s primary fuel source is carbohydrates, which are digested and broken down into sugars that are transported by the blood to fuel working muscles,” Dr Bradley explains. “The type of carbohydrate you choose should be considered in relation to time,” he says, i.e. how long before your session you’ll eat.

If you’re fuelling up anywhere between 90 and 190 minutes prior to your workout – i.e. in the afternoon ahead of an evening workout – choose slow-digesting carb sources that provide a sustained energy release, like wholegrain pasta, wholegrain rice or white potatoes. Chickpea and quinoa mixed salad with avocado and balsamic dressing, for example, is a great pre-workout meal.

“Depending on the volume of your workout, you may wish to top up your energy with smaller quantities of quicker digesting carbs just before and during your exercise, such as fruit juice, pieces of fruit, raisins and breakfast bars,” Dr Bradley advises.

When you’re eating less than 90 minutes prior, you’ll need fast-digesting carb sources to provide rapidly available energy, e.g. a peanut butter and banana sandwich made with white bread. “It’s important to supplement carbohydrates with a protein source to stimulate muscle protein synthesis,” he adds.

When it comes to optimising muscle growth during recovery, there are two essentials elements to remember. Firstly, getting enough protein to repair the micro-tears in your muscles, and secondly, refuelling those muscles with the carbohydrates you’ve just burned through.

“Think of protein as bricks ready to be laid in a wall, and carbohydrates as builders working together to build the wall,” says Dr Bradley. And don’t overlook micronutrients, either. “Consuming antioxidant-rich foods will help to reduce the inflammation associated with exercise and help facilitate recovery,” he says.

Now, there is a caveat. Plant based foods “typically contain less protein by weight and most contain incomplete protein, so a combination of foods and larger servings may be required to meet protein requirements, especially for those with a higher lean body mass,” Dr Bradley continues.

To form a protein, 20 different amino acids bond together in a chain, of which 11 are produced by your body. Food is considered a complete protein when it contains the nine amino acids your body can’t manufacture. Most complete proteins are animal based, except for soy – which means tofu, edamame, tempeh and miso are all complete plant based proteins.

‘Incomplete protein’, then, refers to foods that contain some, but not all, of these nine amino acids. However, by pairing two together – for example, beans and rice or peanut butter on wholewheat bread – you can make ‘incomplete’ proteins complete. You don’t need to mix and match them at every meal, either. Getting a variety throughout the day is enough.

To increase muscle mass, you should aim to consume around 2g of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. For example, if you weigh 85kg, you should aim to eat around 170g protein throughout the day. “If you reach your needs by alternating the various protein foods – legumes, tofu, tempeh, seitan, cereals, etcetera – the protein problem does not exist,” says Brunaccioni.

Following a plant based diet tends to involve a fair bit of cooking, and while you shouldn’t strictly need any extra kitchen kit, there are a few gadgets that’ll make meal prep a little easier. A high-speed blender for smoothies, shakes and soups; glass food storage for leftover veggies; a salad spinner to rinse your spinach, etcetera.

“If I could only have one piece of kit and I wanted change from £100, I would buy an electric pressure cooker,” says Healthspan nutritionist Nigel Mitchell, author of The Plant Based Cyclist. “They’re essential for rice and grains. I put oats in every day before I go to bed, set the timer and wake up to delicious porridge. In the morning, I’ll put in the ingredients for mixed bean chilli and it’ll be ready when I get home.”

By Justine Murphy, author of The mymuybueno Cookbook; serves four

(For the salad) Carrots, 300g, quartered lengthways Cumin seeds, 2 tsp Olive oil, 2 tsp Maple syrup, 3 tbsp Sunflower oil, 1 tbsp Garlic cloves, 2, peeled and sliced Small red onion, 1, halved and thinly sliced Brown lentils, 400g, cooked Fresh coriander leaves, 20g, chopped Fresh mint leaves, 20g, chopped

(For the dressing) Garlic clove, 1, grated Lemon, 1, zested and juiced Capers, 2 tsp, drained Olive oil, 2 tbsp Sea salt flakes, pinch Black pepper, grind

By chefs Annabel Wray and Victoria Knight, co-founders of Hakuna Foods; serves two

Coconut oil, 3 tbsp Onion, 1, finely diced Garlic cloves, 3, grated Ginger, 5cm, peeled and grated Fresh turmeric finger, 1, peeled and grated Curry leaf, 5 Freshly ground cumin, ½ tsp Ground coriander, ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds, 1 tsp Salt, ½ tsp Red cayenne powder, 1 tsp Red lentils, 100g Vegetable stock cube, 1 Water, 400ml Black beans, 400g, drained and rinsed Chopped tomatoes, 200g Vegan yoghurt, 50g, to serve Coriander, bunch, chopped, to serve

Large butternut squash, 1/2, sliced lengthways Red onion, 1 Garlic clove, 1 Vegetable stock cube, 1 White mushrooms, 3 Quinoa, 180g, uncooked Jujube fruits, handful Frozen peas, handful Black pepper, to taste Dried mixed herbs, to taste Pomegranate seeds, to top (optional)

(For the dressing) Tamari sauce, 1 tbsp Tahini, 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp Garlic clove, 1, crushed Agave, 1 tbsp (optional)

By chefs Annabel Wray and Victoria Knight, co-founders of Hakuna Foods; serves two

Olive oil, 2 tbsp Onion, 1, finely chopped Garlic cloves, 3, thinly sliced Dried oregano, 1 tbsp Fresh thyme, 1 tbsp Tomato puree, 1 tbsp Butter beans, 400g, drained and rinsed Chopped tomatoes, 400g Oregano leaves, 2 sprigs Vegan feta, 80g, crumbled, Dill, ¼ pack, finely chopped Mint leaves, 2 sprigs, finely chopped Extra virgin olive oil, drizzle

By The Real Greek, Tower Bridge; serves six

(Meatballs) Vegan meat, 1kg Spring onion, 150g, finely chopped Mint, 7g, finely chopped Dried Greek spice mix, 7g Ground cumin, 2g

(Tomato sauce) Chopped tomatoes, 400g White onion, 750g Extra virgin olive oil, 40ml Salt, 5g Black pepper, 3g Garlic puree, 10g Sweet paprika, 6g Rosemary, 4g Sage, 80g Passata, 2kg Bay leaf, 4g Thyme, 4g

By Spring Green London; serves six

Raw beetroot, 4 Cooked chickpeas, 600g Lime juice, ½ Cumin, 1 tsp Chickpea flour, 1 tbsp Quinoa, 50g, cooked Red onion, 1, finely diced Garlic clove, 1, crushed Flaked salt, 1 tsp Olive oil, 1 tsp Pepper, to taste

By Max Brunaccioni, vegan athlete and coach; makes 10

Spelt flour, 100g Rice flour, 50g Natural soy yoghurt, 250g Baking soda, ½ tsp Instant yeast, 15g Coconut milk, 250ml Vinegar, ½ tbsp

By Max Brunaccioni, vegan athlete and coach

Tempeh, 150g Coconut oil, ½ tsp Boiled beetroot, 1 Canned lentils, 150g Sweet potato, 400g Garlic clove, 1, crushed Curry powder, ½ tsp Smoked paprika, to taste Salt and pepper, to taste

Hungry for more plant based recipes? Below, you’ll find a selection of veg-forward dishes from the MH archives...