“I want people to understand the importance of science. We live in a world now where there's a lot of mistrust, but I honestly believe that science is the only way out of all of the confusion and misinformation that exists. I'm not saying that science is perfect. We actually need to do science better, but science is integral to sorting through the world's problems.” - Simon Hill

Welcome to The Fit Vegan Podcast, I’m your host, Luckie Sigouin! Today, I am speaking with Simon Hill as we bust vegan myths! From confusions about protein intake to iron-related myths, we are going to address all of that today. Simon Hill is a Physiotherapist and Nutritionist who is passionate about making nutritional information simple and accessible so that people can make informed decisions about the food they feed themselves and their families. In 2008, Simon completed a Bachelor of Physiotherapy and immediately began working as a Sports Physiotherapist in Melbourne both at a leading private practice and with professional AFL & VFL footballers.

Over the years, however, Simon became increasingly curious about the role nutrition played in nourishing the body and preventing disease. By using his research skills developed during his honors degree, Simon dove deep into the available literature on nutrition & disease and soon became fascinated by the vast evidence out there that proved that simple lifestyle changes could help people prevent and sometimes even reverse many of the leading chronic diseases that plague the western world today.

After undertaking a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate and a post-graduate degree in Nutrition, Simon set up plantproof.com and began hosting world-renowned doctors and public figures, such as Neurologist's Dean & Ayesha Sherzai, MD, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, MD, Dr. David Katz, MD, Environmental Researcher Nicholas Carter, Climate Scientist Dr. Jonathon Foley, and Ultra-Athlete Rich Roll on the Plant Proof podcast.

In this episode, we cover  

[00:01 - 18:01] Life Events that Made Simon Go Plant-Based

[18:02 - 37:40] The Importance of Science in Improving Public Health

[37:41 - 44:47] Why You Don’t Need Meat to Get Enough Iron

[44:48 - 47:57] Dealing with Vitamin B12 Deficiency

[47:58 - 01:00:56] Addressing Protein-Related Vegan Myths

[01:00:57 - 01:08:53] Simon on Soy Consumption

[01:08:54 - 01:14:30] Getting Enough Calcium on a Plant-Based Diet

[01:14:31 - 01:24:42] Having Enough Omega-3 Without Eating Fish

[01:24:43 - 01:27:47] Tackling the Confusion About Nitrate and Nitrite

[01:27:48 - 01:34:10] Closing Segment

Key Quotes

“Unless you're eating a diet that has almost no diversity or a diet that is severely calorie- and protein-restricted, then you have absolutely no worries on a completely plant exclusive diet, that you will be consuming adequate amounts of all of those nine essential amino acids.” - Simon Hill

“It's not as though you need to do some sort of creative accounting and calculation every meal to ensure that you have all nine essential amino acids in perfect amounts, it doesn't work like that. All you need to do is focus on consuming a plant-based diet that has a good amount of diversity – you're eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, lots of different colors, and you will be getting all of the amino acids that you require.” - Simon Hill

“If you include soy in your diet, at levels that are in line with what traditional soy consumption is, whether you're female or male, it's a healthy inclusion in your diet. But at the same time, soy is also not a