There’s strong, and then there’s gorilla strong. While an average human would be hard-pressed to lift their own body weight, a gorilla can lift objects over ten times its size—the weight of about 30 humans!
In terms of pure strength, the elephant beats even the gorilla. With their massive size and powerful trunks, the elephant can carry up to 20,000 pounds, or the weight of 130 humans!
Though vastly different in physiology, one commonality between these two mighty beasts may surprise you: they are both vegetarians.
That’s right, the diet of both gorillas and elephants consists mainly of vegetation and fruits. And a lot of them. In a single day, one elephant will consume over 300 pounds of vegetation, while a gorilla consumes over 60 pounds.
But how do they become so strong without eating meat?
From the outset, let us first dispel the myth that red meat is the only key to building muscle. Red meat does indeed contain protein and iron, two elements that aid the body in building muscle. But what commercials peddling meat products often neglect to mention, however, is that vegetables contain plenty of protein and iron, too, in addition to the essential micronutrients required for muscle synthesis in the human body.
Elephants and gorillas aren’t the only brawny over-achievers that rely on vegetables for their strength. Many of the world’s leading athletes are turning to plant-based diets for long-lasting peak performance.
The Williams Sisters, who have dominated the sport of tennis for decades, famously rely on plant-based diets during their training. Formula 1 champion Louis Hamilton attributes his continued success to switching to a plant-based diet. And countless other athletes, from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Olympian Carl Lewis, are living proof that eating vegetables can lead to record-setting power.
So when it comes to building long-lasting strength, we invite you to take a cue from nature’s most powerful beings: eat organic vegetables!