What would happen if we all went vegan?

Studies suggest that by 2050, food-related greenhouse gas emissions, which account for a third of all greenhouse gases, would be cut by 70 per cent if the world went vegan; 63 per cent, if we all went vegetarian.

‘We could save the planet,’ I think to myself. ‘But I’m still not going to do it.’

If this is also what came to mind for you, perhaps the first step is evaluating why we believe we absolutely cannot cut meat out of our diets.

Is it because you’re a foodie? Do you feel that you won’t have enough energy? Maybe it’s because you have a highly active lifestyle.

A commonly accepted “fact” is that athletes need meat for the iron and protein, but is that really true?

Accredited nutritionist and Myprotein ambassador, Naturally Nina (@naturally_nina) specialises in sports and performance nutrition and eating disorders.

“A total foodie at heart,” she has amassed over 100,000 followers on Instagram by sharing her aesthetic vegan recipes. Here she busts three of the most popular myths about vegan diets.

Myth 1: Vegans don’t get enough protein

“One of the most common myths about vegan diets! It is absolutely possible to get more than enough protein, there are many wonderful protein-rich plant foods available to help you do so,” she says.

“The key to ensuring you get enough protein is to include plenty of protein-rich plant foods at each of your meals … for example, aiming to include a serve of tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, lentils, chickpeas, edamame or a plant-based meat alternative with each meal.

“Including a daily serving of a vegan protein powder can also be really helpful if you have higher protein requirements, such as if you are quite active.”

Myth 2: Vegan athletes can’t compete with meat eaters

“Another myth! Whether you eat animal products or not will not impact your abilities as an athlete.

“It all comes down to ensuring you’re getting enough of each of your macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fats) and overall calories to support your training and recovery.

“Whilst it may be more difficult for a vegan to obtain key vitamins and minerals which are typically found in meat-based products, e.g., iron, zinc, vitamin D and B12, it’s possible to supplement these to reduce any impact on performance.

“As plant-based foods are generally naturally lower in calories and more filling than animal-based foods, this is just something to be aware of to ensure you eat enough to support your training goals!

“But all the micronutrients and antioxidants in plant foods may even provide an advantage in supporting optimal recovery.”

Myth 3: Plant-sourced protein isn’t as good as animal-sourced protein

“Studies show that when protein is matched gram for gram, there is absolutely no difference to strength and hypertrophy gains whether someone eats an omnivore or vegan diet,” she says.

“It’s a common misconception that plant proteins are ‘incomplete’, but plants actually do contain all the essential amino acids, and this would only be an issue if you were getting all of your protein from one food source (e.g., brown rice) – which hopefully is not the case, and you are including a variety of different plant protein-rich foods throughout the day.”

To learn about all the different ways to integrate plant-based protein into your daily diet, visit naturally-nina.com

Get all the latest Canberra news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Canberra Daily Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.