What is a plant-based diet? A plant-based diet is one where the planet comes first! 

Not only will you improve the future of the planet by forfeiting your consumption of animal products, but your body will feel the benefits too.

Plants are high in macronutrients, dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. That’s why they can boost your energy, support your mood and promote good gut health and muscle recovery. 

Here at Funktional we completely agree with a plant-based lifestyle, and our products do too! The tricky thing about choosing to go plant-based though, is the balance you have to find in your diet now that you have given up all things animal! 

With a little help from superfoods, we’ve devised some ways to easily incorporate a range of nutrients into your everyday recipes, so you can stay guilt-free and not have to flip your meal plans upside down. 

One vital nutrient people on a plant-based diet might be lacking is protein. Here’s a list of the ways you can get enough protein in your diet easily, without eating eggs or meat! 

• Hemp protein pizza bases – try adding 2 tbsp of Hemp Protein Powder per pizza to your dough recipe. Hemp protein contains all 20 amino acids, which contribute to the growth and maintenance of muscle, as well as magnesium for mental alertness, iron to combat tiredness, and Omega-3 fatty acids for normal cholesterol levels. 
• Hempamole – another way to get hemp into your daily diet is to mix it in to your homemade dips, we have a recipe for a Hemp Guacamole that you will not regret checking out! 
• Protein Shakes – working out but not seeing any muscle growth? This could be because you’re not getting enough protein! Try adding a scoop of one of our Plant-based Protein Blends to a glass of your favourite plant milk for a delicious post workout shake.

Another aspect of your plant-based diet that can be sorted with superfoods is your calcium intake. Usually provided by dairy, it’s missed by most non-cow-milk-drinkers. Calcium is important for maintaining your muscle function and keeping your bones and teeth healthy, so we need to make sure we get it somehow.  

• Spirulina Pasta – do you like making your own pasta? Next time you’re in the kitchen, add a few teaspoons of spirulina to your mixture, it’s full of everything super, including lots of calcium. 
• Smoothie Bowls – Prefer pasta from the bag? No worries. 1 tbsp of our spirulina powder in your smoothie bowl is a great way to jam pack it with calcium and kickstart your nutrient intake for the day.

Feeling tired or fatigued? You’re probably lacking Iron, luckily Cacao has got you covered! It also contains magnesium and potassium which support your blood pressure and are great for mental alertness. It’s also really chocolatey – what more could you want? 

• Mocha – if you’re an avid coffee drinker but you’re getting a bit bored of your favourite roast, add a teaspoon of cacao into the mix! It will leave you with a chocolatey, creamy spin on your morning staple and you’ll be getting the vitamins you need. 

• Chocolate yoghurt – not a fan of caffeine? Instead, try adding your cacao powder to some plant yoghurt in the mornings, this simple step is guaranteed to make it yummier and healthier! 
• Chilli/Spaghetti Bolognese – if you’re looking for a savoury alternative, try adding a tbsp of cacao powder to your chilli or spaghetti. Don’t fret, it won’t taste like chocolate, rather it’ll give your dish a depth of flavour and richness, a super easy way to take your dinner up a notch. 

Considering how easy it can be to include all of the nutrients you need into your plant-based diet, why not try adding a superfood to one of your recipes and see how it goes? Check out our recipe section for more ways to fuel yourself with superfoods every day.