Being an athlete and a vegan at the same time is not only possible but can be advantageous. There are many elite athletes who are on a plant-based diet. In fact, CNBC reports that many NFL players are considering going vegan as their “new performance hack”. Players claim that switching to varying degrees of plant-based diets has provided them with extra energy, faster pain recovery, and has helped reduce inflammation. But as with every sport, your diet should be balanced and meet the energy and nutritional requirements of your chosen discipline. In this article, we will provide nutritional advice on how you can be a vegan athlete.
Amping Up the Protein
Protein is an important part of any athlete’s diet and vegan athletes need to be mindful of how much and what protein they consume. Whole grains, lentils, and seeds should be present in your diet, as it can be ideal to have as much as .5-1 gram or more of protein per pound of body weight for some athletes. For those who are worried that they might not be able to get enough protein for their fitness levels, there are also vegan protein powders available.
Vegan Collagen Boosters
One important kind of protein athletes need to be aware of is collagen. While most know about this protein from beauty products, researchers have now realized its role in enhancing an athlete’s performance and physical health. This is because it is the main protein of the body’s connective tissues, including tendons and ligaments, and helps with joint health. The body already makes its own collagen, but it helps to top it up from food sources. However, Parsley Health’s Erika Favela explains how most collagen comes from meat proteins. For vegans, it means they need to consume micronutrient-rich vegan food to boost the body’s collagen production. This includes black beans and kidney beans, soy products like tempeh and tofu, and seeds from pumpkins, squash, and chia. You can include these in your diet to improve your collagen levels and overall joint health.
Eat Healthy Fats
Most sports require large amounts of energy, which is why you need an adequate number of calories which come from complex carbohydrates, quality protein and healthy fats. Healthy fat consumption can be an undervalued source of performance nutrition. Vegan professional bodybuilder Torre Washington’s macros consist of 10% fat (many athletes typically consume considerably more like 25-30% of their total caloric intake) which is why his daily diet includes peanut butter, sunflower seeds, and coconut oil. You can also include tahini, dried fruits, legumes, and quinoa, which are packed with healthy calories to fuel your activity. Having the right amount of healthy fats in your diet also helps you stay away from empty calories.
Optimal Calcium Sources
Bone health is paramount especially for sports that require you to run or lift your body. Athletes put pressure on their bones every day and plenty of calcium helps keeps them healthy. While non-vegan athletes get their calcium mostly from milk, vegans can get them from leafy vegetables and soy products.
Mind Your B12
Vitamin B12 is essential in producing red blood cells, repairing nerves, and aiding with cell regeneration, and it’s one nutrient vegans should be conscious of increasing. This is because most of the B12 intake people have comes from meat and eggs. Glasgow Caledonian University nutritionist Emma Kinrade explains the importance of vitamins like B12 in a person’s diet because it has a direct impact on their energy levels. Vegan athletes need to make sure they get these vitamins from products like nutritional yeast, fortified plant milk, and meat substitutes, to keep their energy levels high. You can also get vitamin B12 directly from seaweed and seagrass products.
The rise of veganism with elite athletes around the world shows that a plant-based diet is not a hindrance to your athletic goals. In fact, it is possible to be a high performing athlete on a plant-based diet.
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