The Plant Sumo Podcast 1: Dont Steam Your Veg

Hi, I’m Rachael, host of ‘The Plant Sumo Podcast’ here to share my podcast journey with you here on the Plant Sumo Website.

If you aren’t aware (and how couldn’t you be? I have over 8 listeners. I’m basically Joe Rogan) the ‘Plant Sumo Podcast’ is where I interview influential figures who are changing the perception of plant- based food.

We’re talking bloggers, fitness instructors, athletes, dieticians, public speakers, travellers, scientists and so many more types of professionals.

While The Plant Sumo Podcast was born out of the desire to boost our brand recognition, it’s become so much more. Facilitating inspirational and educational conversations surrounding living a plant-based lifestyle, from self-love to fitness to cooking to identity.

While I’m now by no means an expert on plant based food, I have definitely learnt a lot.

When I’m not talking about cheese (I have an issue) and how to give it up on the podcast, I’m probably going ‘Wow, I did not know that’ at what my guests are saying.

It’s been an absolute pleasure to chat with such an amazing and talented range of people who have brought so many unique and challenging perspectives to the table.

And I want to share these conversations beyond spotify, google podcasts and youtube, through recapping them here in blog form!

Me but make it less bald and problematic

We’ll call it…..(drumroll please) Rachael’s recaps. Perhaps the most original and unexpected title of the century, I know, but please calm your amazement.

Because today’s recap goes back to perhaps the most entertaining podcast. It exudes chaotic energy. It’s the “please edit that part out” episode.

That’s right, don’t steam your veg and don’t roast me, it’s the pilot.

The one screenshot where i’m not cackling

With my truly iconic, a la Americano, co-worker Noah Carey. Who is Noah? He’s a fellow podcaster and an extremely funny and friendly dude.

He was in the process of creating his own podcast when I was setting up mine. So we thought, kill two birds with one stone, let’s do a trial run together.

He outshone me here, with his comedy, I assume summoned from some ancient George Carlin themed ritual. So as you can imagine, he was immediately banned never to return again to the podcast.

Of course, I’m being sarcastic, but you should really check out the work he’s done, as he makes a great host.

Full of laughs, filler words and my garbage greenscreen, this episode was the chance to do a trial podcast run together and see our performance as hosts and guests.

You can watch the full episode here, or scroll down for the recap.

Lets Recap

So. You’ve chosen the recap. As two people who could talk for our countries at the Olympics, I can’t go over everything me and Noah spoke about or else I may as well be publishing my first novel.

So here are the essential highlights of the episode.

Noah’s Diet And Athleticism

Noah on top of getting his bag (we love an english degree) is an athlete who runs track at college (American Uni if you didn’t know). He also follows a predominantly plant based diet. So we discussed various misconceptions and how he personally gets his sources of energy and Protein.

I discovered Noah was inspired to change his diet when American quarterback Tom Brady, of whom he is a big fan, released his book ‘The TB Twelve Method’. Tom details in the book how he, an absolute unit, maintains his athleticism on an organic, locally sourced plant based diet, so if he can do it I think anyone can.

We went on a bit about the process of incorporating more vegetables into your diet, how closely exercise and diet impact your quality of life and mood and my attempt at going vegetarian.

Don’t Steam Your Veg

Me when the veg is steamed

On the topic of veg, comes the title for this podcast episode ‘Don’t Steam Your Veg’.

Noah discussed how growing up his mum (who sounds lovely btw, and has helped him prep for podcasting) steamed a lot of veg. Now of course, steaming is a super healthy way of cooking, but it’s not for everyone.

We both agreed that going away to uni, gaining independence and experimenting with cooking food had been a great thing when it comes to identifying what food we actually don’t like and what food we don’t like cooked in certain ways.

Growing up, my mum steamed a lot of my veggies, and that is why I spent years of my life hating vegetables. Cooking for myself I have discovered I hate steamed anything. As a lil kid, I had no concept of the fact that seasoning, spice and different cooking methods could make vegetables divine. Now I eat broccoli all the time like some kind of freak.

And now I feel like this line should be showcased in a museum of ‘top ten whitest confessions’.

US Politics And Comedy

George carlin: The G of looking just absolutely done with everything

In a brief interlude where we swap the interviewer and interviewee roles, we chatted a bit about US politics and comedians.

Noah is a big fan of George Carlin, probably one of the most famous American comedians of all time. If you dont know of him, go listen to him on youtube. His comedy is very anti-establishment and not politically correct so it’s not for everyone, but I’m also a big fan.

Noah told me about the influence of comedians like Lenny Bruce from the 1950’s on Carlin’s gig, which was a really fascinating insight into the history of comedy in the US. And how comedians similar to Carlin exist today but lack a mainstream audience. Honestly Noah had a ton of expertise in this area from studying the topic that was enlightening to listen to.

We also discussed how political comedians we both liked, like Jon Stewart and Colbert had perhaps lost their edge or ability to tackle the heart of issues today in the same way they had in the Bush era.

I didn’t say this in the podcast, but it’s hard not to feel that satire (something Colbert especially excelled at when he had a conservative persona) was dead in the Trump Era. It’s not even a partisan political statement to say that the most outrageous, hypocritical and unabashed things imaginable came out of the white house, behavior that literally felt beyond parody.

But will this change in the post trump era? Does satire return when certain boundaries are reinstated? I look forward to seeing these questions answered.

The Nugget Expose

“Start small, you know, just slowly start eating one less chicken a day and eventually you’ll be eating no chicken a day.”

Noah exposed me as a non-Vegan, and I’ve never felt more ashamed. He also seemed to imply I eat a whole chicken a day? Which while true, is really an aspect of my private life I don’t want shared online.

To be honest, I actually exposed myself by announcing I have eaten chicken mcnuggets. I’m ok with this as this podcast has been as much about my journey learning about living a plant based lifestyle (without judgement or disdain) as I hope it has been for the people who have listened to me.

Cheese Is Drugs

“Cheese is cheese.Cheese is drugs. That’s going to be the description.”

If you ever doubted how highbrow this conversation is, we both talked for several minutes solely about cheese. And about how cheese is highly addictive (I even cracked out some statistics).

You’ve got blue cheese, cream cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, double gloucester and so many more amazing variants. Our culture rightfully has respect for cheese, hence why the big boss is called ‘the big cheese’. We have entire franchises (Wallace And Gromit) built around cheese.

And to be honest, plant based cheese today, while a massive improvement to even just what was on the market two years ago, still doesnt pack the same punch. Still, as I continue in my journey to learn about and live a plant based lifestyle, at one point I will have to learn that if you love something you need to let it go.

Fun Trivia fact, If you’ve listened to any other episodes of the podcast, you know this moment was the catalyst for me bringing up cheese and its addictive properties in every single episode.

What Is Plant Sumo?

“Just eliminates all those trips to the grocery store.I mean you can use the coronavirus as an excuse, but we all know deep down everyone wants to just be home all day and not talk to people.”

Noah, now interviewing me, asked me what Plant Sumo is and I gave him the full rundown. The iconic shtick. A plant based meal box company based in London which delivers our meals directly to your door.

We spoke more about what we do, delivery and Covid 19 and how excited I was for the launch.

America And Body Positivity

“Change your body because you love your body, not because you hate it.”

Me and Noah also discussed issues surrounding health, body acceptance and diet. This included allusions to the ‘Body acceptance’ and ‘Health At Every Size Movement’ which are frequently misunderstood and misrepresented movements.

Naturally we live in a culture, both in the UK and US where corporations make huge sums of money through diet culture. Where the service and product industry markets products, lifestyles and chemically engineered foods which increase the likelihood of weight gain and then other companies market the short term ‘solution’ to these problems through extreme diets, pills and misleading health products.

The media dehumanisation and demonisation of fat people only serves to worsen these issues and destroy people’s self esteem and capacity to flourish in society. Thinking through our conversation I’ve thought about how many times the US is brought up over here as scary in terms of its obesity.

So Noah asserting not only that you should only strive to change your body through love is actually a pretty radical statement, considering how much our culture conspires to nurture feelings of insecurity and self loathing surrounding body image.

And ideas that overweight people are ‘weak’ or ‘lack willpower’ are not only toxic because they perpetuate ideas of morality surrounding food, but they are also just dumb on a scientific level. Because they truly underestimate how much your lizard brain can take the wheel when you’re around delicious food.

To further my point, ever wonder why it’s so ubiquitous for people to snack or binge at night? Because according to multiple studies your circadian system increases your hunger for sweet, starchy and salty foods in the evenings as an evolutionary byproduct.

On top of that the food of specific countries (especially parts of the US) is just amazing. Definitely want to go someday.

Final Thoughts

You listening to the podcast available here

I really enjoyed this episode of the podcast. We had a lot of laughs, it was incredibly relaxed and conversation flowed wonderfully.

I think there were also moments where we shared some interesting and unique contributions to bigger discussions surrounding not just living a plant based lifestyle but wider political and social issues.

Noah is super articulate and funny, and I felt he made a wonderful host and guest.

On top of that, It was cool to speak in depth to someone from the US. I find America and the whole culture really interesting because it’s so similar to the UK but also radically different in ways that have become more prominent in the last few years.

All in all, a very successful trial run which set me up for the rest of the Plant Sumo Podcast.

Thanks again to Noah for coming on and helping me build up my confidence and skills in hosting and guiding a podcast.