April 22nd is Earth Day, and this year it seems there’s more focus than ever before on living sustainably. Maybe you’re a zero-waste warrior already. Or maybe you’re just doing your best to remember reusable grocery bags. Wherever you’re at, one simple switch can make a big difference to your impact on the planet.

That switch? Your choice of protein! Yep, if you’re a fan of protein shakes after a workout, you might want to consider Pulsin’s fresh range of plant-based proteins.

Plant-Protein for a Happy Planet

In addition to their whey protein powder, Pulsin also offer a range of delicious and nutritious plant protein powders, including hemp, rice, pea, soy, and soy isolate protein. Mix things up and use a different powder whenever you hit the gym or get creative and make your own special blend!

Hemp and soy offer complete proteins with a full complement of essential amino acids, and you can mix rice protein and pea protein with each other or with a dash of soya milk for an added amino acid boost. Soy is also a great choice if you’re looking for a higher protein intake and beneficial phytoestrogens.

Pulsin’s Hemp Protein is a complete source of plant-protein that is good for you and good for the planet. It contains 49% protein, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, is a source of fibre and essential vitamins and minerals, and hemp is a fast-growing, bioremediating, soil-nurturing crop!

Pulsin cold press their hemp seeds to remove excess oils before grinding the seeds into powder. This means that the protein powder contains plenty of fibre and healthy fats but isn’t as prone to oxidation as hulled hemp seed.

Minimally processed and delicious, Pulsin proteins are available in 1 kg packs and 250 g sachets that are great for if you’re traveling. Natural and unflavoured, these protein powders mix well with cold beverages. Or, choose the naturally flavoured Pulsin Chocolate Pea Protein Powder, which packs in 69% protein! This powder is vegan-friendly, non-GMO, contains no added fillers, and is rich in zinc and iron, both of which can be hard to get on a plant-based diet.

Why Choose Plant Proteins?

A plant-based diet helps support your health, is kind to animals, and is the most planet-friendly way to live. According to a special report commissioned by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), how we grow, get, and eat our food is a major driver of climate change.

Each year in the US alone, over 9 billion livestock animals (more than 135 times the number of people in the UK!) are needed to meet current animal protein production levels (USDA, 2001). After a quick calculation or two, it’s staggering to realise that the amount of grain fed to these animals could instead feed about 840 million people on a plant-based diet (Pimentel & Pimentel, 2003).

Of course, we’ve known this for a while. Back in 2014, one journal article clearly stated that, "the environmental impact of a diet is mainly related to the consumption of animal products" (Baroni et al., 2014). These impacts include, "climate change, energy consumption, water requirements, waste disposal, soil usage, deforestation, chemical use, and impacts both environmental and social aspects — namely the possibility of feeding all the world’s citizens".

Ouch.

The good news, though, is that there’s an easy way to keep your strength up while fighting climate change: plant protein!

Switching to eating more plants and fewer animals and animal-derived foods is one of the best decisions you can make for sustainability. This April, get your family, friends, and colleagues on board for a month of Meatless Mondays. Or, go plant-based for breakfast with a Pulsin Protein chocolate and avocado smoothie. Just throw a scoop of Chocolate Pea Protein Powder in your blender along with half an avocado, and at least 250 mL of soya milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk.

References

Baroni, L., Berati, M., Candilera, M., & Tettamanti, M. (2014). Total Environmental Impact of Three Main Dietary Patterns in Relation to the Content of Animal and Plant Food. Foods, 3(3), 443–460.

US Department of Agriculture. Agricultural statistics. Washington, DC: US Department of Agriculture, 2001.

Pimentel, D., & Pimentel, M. (2003). Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment. Am J Clin Nutr, Sep;78(3 Suppl):660S-663S.