Mr Universe shows you don't need meat/dairy to be a top athlete

Barny Du Plessis' physique clearly shows that consuming countless animals is entirely unnecessary to build and maintain a strong, world-class body, and that it’s a much better idea to fuel and build our bodies without the suffering and death of other bodies. And it’s also much better for our health and the planet too.

“I truly believe that the only way we can ever survive as a species on this planet is to adopt a gentler, healthier, less-selfish approach to our existence, and that means adopting a vegan lifestyle.”

Barny and many other vegan bodybuilders and athletes are helping to break the vegan stereotype all too commonly used in the media - that vegans aren’t able to build muscle and are weak and unhealthy. Those days are now dead and buried, and people are slowly starting to realise that plant-based nutrition not only helps you achieve your fitness goals, but replacing the meat with plant-based proteins reduces the risk of contracting many diseases that develop in middle age such as cardio vascular disease, strokes and cancer.

Barny says:

“I decided to become vegan namely due to the love of animals. The mass factory farming happening these days is just unethical and I don't believe in it. You do not need to eat meat to grow muscle - it's absolute bollocks. Protein is a protein no matter where it comes from. It gets broken down to amino acids which are the building blocks of muscle tissue.

So whether it comes from a nut or a chicken it's no greater or lesser protein. The body doesn't care where the protein comes from. Amino acids are amino acids. You do not need to eat or kill animals for your personal gain. It doesn't need to happen. You won't waste away being a vegan, in fact you'll be better than ever.”

A study has shown that on average vegans are consuming over 70% more protein than they need per day - there's really no shortage - so cutting out animal protein and with it all the negative health effects just makes so much sense. Particularly when you consider how the animals live in terrible conditions suffering simply for our tastebuds.

So basically, if we can live happy and healthy lives without harming others... why wouldn't we?