Plant Protein: The Science They Never Tell You

SuperLife with Darin Olien

Darin Olien

Activism, Motivation, Environment, Education, Self-improvement, Fitness, Wellness, Health, Alternative Health, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 23 October 2025

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this solo episode, Darin dismantles one of the most persistent myths in nutrition: that plant proteins are incomplete or inferior. Drawing from decades of peer-reviewed research and his own 17-year plant-based journey, he breaks down how plants contain all essential amino acids, how digestibility differs from bioavailability, and why variety — not animal flesh — is the key to optimal health and longevity.

This is part one of a two-part deep dive into protein, performance, and ethics — separating science from marketing and helping you understand where real nourishment begins.

What You’ll Learn

00:00:00 - Intro and Sponsor: Fatty15

00:04:13 - Welcome to the Super Life Podcast

00:04:26 - Plant-Based Living and the Protein Question

00:06:24 - Protein Basics: Amino Acids in Plants

00:07:20 - Dr. Christopher Gardner and the Diversity of Plant Protein

00:09:52 - Protein Quality, Digestibility, and Flesh

00:11:12 - Heart Health: Stanford Twin Trial Results

00:12:02 - Saturated Fat, Polyunsaturated Fat, and Heart Disease

00:13:01 - Stanford Swap Meat Trial: Plant-Based Alternatives vs. Red Meat

00:14:14 - Sponsor: Our Place Cookware

00:17:01 - Longevity and Mortality Data

00:17:49 - Performance and Strength: Protein Requirements

00:20:47 - Easily Hitting Plant Protein Requirements

00:21:43 - Debunking the Carnivore Diet

00:23:02 - Closing Thoughts and Personal Point of View

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

Our Place: Toxic-free, durable cookware that supports healthy cooking. Use code DARIN for 10% off at fromourplace.com.

Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/DARIN and using code DARIN at checkout.

Connect with Darin Olien:

Website: darinolien.com
Instagram: @darinolien
Book: Fatal Conveniences
Platform & Products: superlife.com

Key Takeaway

“Living food creates life. Every amino acid, every cell, every act of nourishment begins with plants — not because of belief, but because that’s where all protein begins.”

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Super Life with me, Darren O'Lean, a podcast where we explore, discover, and share
0:09.6	solutions that promote a healthier life and a better world.
0:13.6	Together will ignite possibilities, inspire change, and build sovereignty, creating a roadmap
0:20.4	towards a super life for you and for all.
0:24.4	Get ready to start living your super life.
0:32.2	I'd like to take a quick break from this episode to thank our sponsor Fatty 15. That's right. I want to talk
0:40.0	about something that isn't talked about enough, keeping our cells healthy. Here's what I'm doing
0:45.9	now to prioritize cellular health, supplementing with this new exciting research, and it's called Fatty 15.
0:55.7	Fatty 15 has three times more cellular benefit than omega-3s or fish oil.
1:03.2	This is dietary odd chain saturated fatty acids, OCFAs.
1:10.3	They are present trace levels in dietary fat, some fish, and plants.
1:15.6	Higher circulating concentrations of this OCFS, we realize through the research that higher circulating concentrations of this is extremely good for us.
1:28.9	It is called pentadonic caonic acid or C-15.
1:33.9	Omega-3 fish oils and algae oils often go bad before they're even in the bottle.
1:40.6	That's right.
1:41.2	They're susceptible to oxygen and sunlight, and the supplements can't even help to improve our health usually. But's right. They're susceptible to oxygen and sunlight and the supplements can't even
1:45.0	help to improve our health usually, but fatty 15 or C15 naturally protects against damaging
1:52.0	oxidation, both in the bottle and in your body. If you want to get a little more sciencey about
1:59.2	it, studies show that C-15 works by strengthening our
2:03.6	cells, improving our mitochondria function, and protecting us against damage from free radicals
2:10.2	on a very deep level. The result? Better long-term metabolic liver and heart health functioning. It ends up, many of us are
2:21.1	massively deficient in C-15, which results in weaker and weaker cells that makes us have less
	...

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