Did you know that this Monday, April 22nd is Earth Day? Earth Day is a day to be thankful for our environment and serves as a great reminder that we should be doing our part every day to keep it clean and protected. As an athlete, you understand the importance of having clean air to breathe and plenty of fresh water to drink; so let’s do our part and start to make some small changes to help protect our earth.
What can you do?
There are many things that you can do to help protect our earth: recycle, walk or use a bike instead of drive, purchase a reusable water bottle instead of plastic bottles and plant a tree are some great examples. Nutritionally you can eat more plant based foods. The production of meat and meat based products takes a huge toll on the earth when compared to plant based proteins. Plant based proteins are also lower in fat, higher in protein, and chock full of vitamins and minerals, all of which will help you to stay healthy and perform your best in competitions.
Which plant based foods are good sources of protein?
• Tofu
• Beans and lentils
• Eggs
• Natural peanut butter or almond butter (also high in fat, so watch the portion size)
• Most veggie burgers
• Quinoa
• Edamame
• Meat substitutes
This doesn’t mean you have to go completely vegetarian or vegan to make a difference. Simply adding more fruits and vegetables into your eating routine and eating less meat will be enough to help protect the earth as well as keep you healthy. You can also start by skipping meat one day of the week, such as Meatless Monday (www.meatlessmonday.com).
When you do choose to eat animal protein, remember the saying, “the fewer the legs, the better”. This means that protein from animals with two legs, like chicken or turkey, is lower in fat and healthier for you than protein from animals with four legs, like beef and ham. Fish is also a great option with a goal of 2 servings per week. Canned salmon and tuna (packed in water) are pretty affordable while being high in protein and low in fat. Pink fish like salmon are higher in fat than white fish, but they provide a good type of fat called omega 3 fatty acids, which can help to prevent inflammation and will help to keep you healthy.
For more information on earth day and ways that you can get involved, visit: www.earthday.org!
Fueling Bruins,
Maryann Boosalis
UCLA Sports Nutrition Intern
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