John Meadows believes it’s misleading to label the vegan diet as a healthy alternative to meat.
With each passing generation we progress towards a better tomorrow. And for many in the 21st century, stopping animal cruelty and eating a plant-based diet is a large part of a more progressive and potentially better tomorrow. Many believe it’s morally the better option and also helps prevent global warming if factory farms were eliminated. The vegan trend is trending so much that it has also hit the bodybuilding world. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, John Meadows discusses how eating a vegan diet is not only not healthier than meat, but most likely a dangerous choice for competitive bodybuilders to take.
John Meadows will be the first person to admit that he tries to keep a lot of meat out of his diet. This has to do with his own morals when it comes to animal cruelty. What he doesn’t believe in – is the argument that a vegan diet is a healthier option over meat. Yes, a vegan diet can help steer people towards healthier eating – it’s surely more healthy than a fast food burger or take out food. But when comparing organic grass fed meats, John Meadows believes things get more complicated.
The fact of the matter is that there are nutrients that the human body needs that don’t come from plant-based foods alone. It is possible to supplement this with vitamins, but that begins to defeat the point of the argument that veganism is inherently healthier than meat eating.
It gets even more complicated when you bring it into the bodybuilding industry. John Meadows thinks that being a vegan bodybuilder not only puts you at a disadvantage for building muscle – it also can lead to an increased risk of injury. From past experience of vegan bodybuilders John Meadows has kept track of – many of them have become injured throwing off their training and career. Is this directly due to their vegan diet? John’s not 100% sure – but it seems to be a correlation that should be considered when by an athlete looking to push his or her physique to the next level.
In the wake of veganism’s popularity and the recent release of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comments believing a bodybuilder doesn’t need meat. This counterpoint is a important one to consider. Are we really on the edge of a revolution in healthy eating, for bodybuilders and beyond, or is this simply a trend that might get some people hurt?
Decide for yourself by watching the GI Exclusive interview with John Meadows above!
