While running the 2,189-mile Appalachian Trail, Scott Jurek
did so only by using foods from plants. When Venus Williams wins on the tennis
court, she relies on the power of plants. The old stereotype that athletes need
animal protein to do well has been broken thanks to new research and many
examples of top vegan athletes in different sports.
However, our bodies do not work the same when plants take
over as the only source of energy for sports. Now, we will analyze the science behind
how the vegan diet can help athletes with their stamina and rest.
The Importance of Good Nutrition in the Tree World
Everything starts by looking at the changes happening at the
cellular level. Eating plant foods provides plenty of antioxidants, which fight
off the stress experienced by your body after intense exercise. As a result of
this stress, free radicals may harm cells and prevent the body from healing
quickly.
A 2019 study published in the Journal of the International
Society of Sports Nutrition reported that athletes who were vegans had lower
inflammation levels after exercising than athletes who ate meat. Thus, vegans
may recover from exercises more quickly and can work out more often,
making them stronger athletes in science.
Fueling Performance: Carbohydrates and Endurance
Long-distance athletes need lots of carbohydrates to ensure
they have enough fuel for exercise. Having a large proportion of carbs in your
diet is good for athletes trying to eat vegan foods.
Eating food with complex carbohydrates gives you a steady
supply of energy for a longer period. The Journal of Applied Physiology
reveals that, compared to high-protein or high-fat diets, following a high-carb
diet improves your endurance by up to 20%.
Dr. James Loomis, who was the team doctor for the St. Louis
Rams and also ran the Barnard Medical Center, says that the medical team for
big games might have their own special set of doctors working just for them.
When properly planned, a plant-based diet gives athletes the right mix of foods
they need to do well in endurance sports, and also works for vegan athletes
competing at the top level.
Protein Myths and Muscle Recovery
Perhaps the biggest misconception is that vegan athletes
can't get enough protein from what they eat.
Science tells a different story.
Plant proteins, when eaten regularly and in enough amounts,
give us all the amino acids we need to help our muscles heal and build up
again. A 2020 study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that
strength and power athletes who ate plant-based diets and got the same amount
of protein as people who ate a mixed diet had just as much muscle mass and
strength as those who followed a regular diet.
The science of vegan nutrition also points out some benefits
that help athletes recover, such as faster healing and a lower risk of getting
sick from germs. Plant proteins usually come with minerals that can help
balance the natural acidity your body makes when you push yourself during a
workout. This acid-neutralizing effect might help people recover from
plant-based diets quicker.
Anti-Inflammatory Edge
Inflammation really gets in the way of helping our bodies
heal. Animal products usually have things in them that can make exercise-caused
inflammation worse. The vegan recovery science literature shows that a diet
just made from plants is naturally anti-inflammatory because it has a lot of
antioxidants and doesn’t contain the pro-inflammatory substances found in
animal products.
Research from Stanford University showed that athletes who
ate mostly plant-based foods for two weeks saw lower levels of inflammation in
their bodies and felt like they recovered faster after their workouts. This
anti-inflammatory edge can help vegan athletes have an easier time with frequent
training and might give them a better chance to do well in sports.
Micronutrient Density for Optimal Function
Beyond macronutrients, how well vegan athletes perform
relies a lot on making sure they’re getting the right amount of smaller
nutrients in their diet. Plants have many things in them that can help you get
better performance.
- Nitrates in beets and leafy greens help your body get more
oxygen to your muscles and keep your blood flowing better.
- Iron in legumes and dark leafy greens helps our bodies
transport oxygen around the body.
- B vitamins found in nutritional yeast and whole grains help
your body get energy from the food you eat.
- Electrolytes in vegetables help your muscles be able to work
the right way.
A 2021 study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition
and Exercise Metabolism showed that athletes who ate the most plant foods also
had better working mitochondria, which are the parts of cells that help make
energy during exercise.
Practical Implementation for Athletes
The most striking benefit of being vegan in sports is seen
when people use the nutrition in real life. Athletes who are switching
to eating mostly plants should make sure they get enough iron and B vitamins,
get some advice from their coach or a nutritionist, and still pay attention to
how they feel as they try out different foods.
1. Focus on making sure you get enough calories—most plant
foods don’t pack as much energy into them as animal foods.
2. Prioritize getting different kinds of protein, like tofu,
legumes, tempeh, and plant protein powders, to stay healthy.
3. Include foods with omega-3, like flax, chia, and walnuts,
as part of your meals every day.
4. Consider adding some extra vitamin B12, vitamin D, and
possibly iron if your healthcare provider recommends it.
Beyond Performance: Sustainability and Longevity
Perhaps the most overlooked part of plant-based eating for
athletes is that it can help them stay in the sport for a longer time. The
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties help your body recover faster each
day and also possibly help keep your joints and tissues from wearing out over
time, which could help athletes perform for a longer period.
As seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton pointed
out after switching to a vegan diet: My energy is high, I'm feeling
great, and I'm recovering faster than I have before.
The Future of Athletic Nutrition is Plant-Based
There is more evidence showing that athletes can benefit
from a vegan diet. Plants are important for achieving sports excellence and
offer chances to recover faster, reduce inflammation, and exist in the sport
for a longer period.
With the advancement of sports science, the main focus is
now on whether athletes can succeed following a vegan diet. Are those who don’t
eat plants at a disadvantage when competing? Those hoping to be fit and healthy
have started to turn to the benefits of eating more plants.
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