First, lets define the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan diet:
Vegetarian diet- Vegetarian diets avoid all animal meat and fish and are divided into 3 types: Lacto-ovo vegetarian - do not eat meat or fish products but eat dairy and eggs. Lacto vegetarian - do not eat meat, fish or eggs but eat dairy and Ovo vegetarian - do not eat meat, fish or dairy but eat eggs. Some vegetarians do eat fish which by definition is considered pescatarian but they call themselves vegetarian.
Vegan diet- Avoid all animal products and their by products including: eggs, dairy, butter and honey.
A vegetarian diet has many health reported benefits including: reduced risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and some cancers. In addition, studies show that there is no difference in performance when comparing a diet that contains animal products versus the diet that doesn't. However, the vegetarian or vegan diet needs to be well planned and varied in order to meet the demands of the sport.
Getting enough calories, protein and other micro-nutrients are important when it comes to vegetarian and vegan athletes and this is how they can meet their needs:
Energy (calories) - Plant based diets are rich with fiber which fills us up and in turn may reduce intake. Since energy needs for an athlete may be very high it is important to monitor weight and body composition. Nonetheless, most research shows that vegetarians and vegans can meet their daily energy needs with a little bit of planning.
Protein - Interestingly, although vegetarian athletes eat less protein than their omnivore counterpart, they do meet or even exceed their protein needs as long as the diet is varied and energy intake is adequate for the activity. However, for vegans, it may be more difficult to meet the needs. Plant proteins, in general, are not digested as well as animal proteins and therefore, recommendations for protein intake are 10% higher than usually advised for athletes (1.3 - 1.8 gr/kg/day or 0.59-0.81 gr/lb/day). Meeting protein needs does become an issue only when someone decides to limit their energy intake. Good sources for vegetarians are: eggs, milk, tofu, soy beans, lentils, chick peas, quinoa, split peas, chick peas, beans, seeds, nuts, hemp seeds, oats and other whole grains.
Iron - Iron delivers oxygen to muscles making it especially important for endurance athletes. Most vegetarian and vegan athletes get enough iron. Plant foods have a lower bio-availability (less absorption) of iron compared to animal products. Animal products have heme-iron (about 15-40% of iron is absorbed) and plant foods have non-heme iron (1-15% of iron is absorbed). How much Iron is absorbed is based on whether you have inhibitors or enhancers in your diet. Inhibitors include: calcium, coffee, tea, cocoa and phytates (present in legumes such as lentils and chick peas as well as whole grains). Enhancers include: vitamin C (in citrus fruit, berries, red pepper) and carotenoids (red and orange fruits and vegetables). Some food preparation methods, such as soaking and sprouting beans, grains and seeds can also help with absorbency. Due to less bio-availability, vegetarians and vegans have higher iron needs than omnivores. Dark greens (kale, asparagus, broccoli, spinach, swiss chard, etc) as well as tofu, lentils, seeds and soy beans can help meet iron needs if eaten in a good amount.
Vitamin D - This vitamin is not only important for bone health but also for athletic performance (check my previous blog for more info). The best source of vitamin D is from sun exposure between 10 am - 3 pm for 5-30 minutes (time depends on skin color, age, season, latitude and sunscreen use). We can also find it in fortified foods such as milk and the alternatives, some breakfast cereals and orange juice. Since we live in the midwest we do not get sun exposure during the winter and it's fairly difficult to reach the recommended daily allowance for vitamin D via food consumption, therefore, a supplement could be considered.
B12 - Is one of the only micro-nutrients that is fairly difficult to meet when avoiding all animal products. Vegetarians that eat dairy and eggs can easily meet needs. You can find B12 in fortified foods such as breakfast cereal, meat analogs and nutritional yeast, however, for a vegan athlete that may not be enough. In those cases a supplement would be advised. It does take several years to become deficient in B12 but deficiency will cause decrease in aerobic performance as well as brain functions.
Zinc - Zinc is important for immune health as well as other processes related to DNA. Similar to Iron, zinc absorption is inhibited by phytates. Supplements containing folic acid, calcium, iron, copper and magnesium will also inhibit absorption (not sources from food). Due to the inhibitors, zinc needs for vegans are 50% higher. Consumption of protein, citrus fruit (orange, grapefruit, etc.) and food preparations such as mentioned in the iron section can all help with increasing absorbency. In certain cases, supplementation is advised in vegans. Good sources are: beans, whole grains, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and nuts.
Omega 3 fatty acids (DHA/EPA) - Omega 3 (mainly DHA/EPA) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties that help recovery post workout as well as other health benefits. EPA and DHA are present mainly in fish and algae. You can find also omega 3 in the form of ALA (has not shown to have the same benefits as DHA/EPA) which is found in plant derived products such as chia and flax seeds, almonds, walnuts, canola oil and soy. However, ALA does not convert well to EPA or DHA. Seaweed can also be a great source of DHA/EPA but most people don't eat enough of it. Supplementation could be considered in those instances. Note; most omega 3 supplements are from fish, therefore, make sure label says vegetarian/vegan.
Whether you are on a similar diet or wanting to try a vegetarian/vegan diet, make sure you consult with a sports dietitian to help you figure out how to create a diet that will help you compete at your best.
If supplementation is needed, make sure you also consult with your primary physician.
For some healthy recipes press this link.
If you want to start of small, try meatless Monday.
No matter what people tell you, you can be great at your sport even with a vegetarian/vegan diet as long as you plan ahead!
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