Nutrition 101 for Athletes and Fitness Enthusiasts Going Vegan
Whether you’re a dedicated gym-goer, a weekend warrior, or simply someone who loves staying active, you know that what you eat plays a massive role in how you perform. Traditionally, athlete diets have been all about meat, eggs, and protein shakes, but there’s a new player on the scene – veganism. Veganism has gone from a niche choice to a popular lifestyle embraced by folks worldwide. It’s got fantastic benefits for the planet and animal welfare, but what about its impact on your athletic and exercise prowess? Can you still crush your fitness goals while going vegan? Absolutely, but it takes a bit of know-how and some commitment. In this blog post, we’re diving into the world of vegan diets, offering practical tips for athletes and fitness enthusiasts looking to thrive on a plant-based plan. Whether you’re a seasoned vegan athlete or just thinking about giving it a try, we’ve got your back. We’ll show you the ropes when it comes to vital nutrients, meal planning made easy, and tips to boost your performance while staying true to your eco-friendly and compassionate values. Let’s address the elephant in the room: Can you get enough protein from plants? First, why is protein so important for athletes? Well, it’s like the building blocks for your muscles and helps your body adapt to exercise. There is something called Net Protein Balance (NPB). This is the balance between building and breaking down muscle protein. To get the best results, you want a positive NPB, which means you’re building more muscle than you’re breaking down. This is crucial for recovery, adaptation (getting better at your sport), and muscle growth. Now, here’s the twist for vegan athletes: they often end up eating less protein than people who eat animal products. So, if you’re a plant-based athlete, you’ve got to pay extra attention to the quantity and quality of your protein intake. Plant-based protein sources are a bit different. They might not have all the essential amino acids (the important building blocks) you need, and they often have fewer Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) compared to animal-based proteins. So, it’s essential to mix and match your plant-based protein sources to make sure you’re getting all the good stuff your body needs to perform at its best! It’s pretty much agreed upon that athletes need more protein than the average person. If you’re into strength and power sports, you should aim for about 1.6 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight per day. If you’re more of an endurance athlete, think 1.2 to 1.4 grams per kilogram. These numbers are quite a bit higher than the typical recommendation of 0.8 grams per kilogram for the average person. But this might not be all, keep reading… Plant-Based Protein Digestibility When it comes to plant-based protein, it seems our bodies don’t absorb it as well as animal-based protein. So, if you’re following a vegan diet, you might need to make some adjustments. There are these fancy scores called the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) and Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) that tell us how good a protein source is based on how well we digest it. It turns out that plant-based sources don’t score as high as animal products in this regard. Because of this, some experts think that vegetarians, who might still eat things like eggs and dairy along with plant-based foods, might need to eat more protein than people who eat meat to make up for the lower digestibility of plant proteins. If this is you, aim for around 1.0 gram of protein per kilogram of your body weight per day. Now, if you are a vegan athlete who doesn’t eat any animal products at all, it’s probably a good idea to aim for the higher end of the protein recommendations, somewhere between 1.4 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight per day, especially if you’re trying to maintain or gain energy. Many people often underestimate the protein content in various foods, including plant-based options, but it’s entirely possible to meet your protein goals through a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of protein-rich sources such as legumes, tofu, tempeh, nuts, and seeds. Don’t be surprised by how easily you can incorporate protein into your diet, even if you choose plant-based alternatives! Achieving your protein goals with plant-based sources is not only feasible but also delicious and diverse. Plant-based proteins are not only beneficial for your muscles but also for your overall health and the environment. Embracing a diet rich in plant-based proteins not only supports your weight loss and muscle maintenance goals but also aligns with sustainable and ethical food choices. Here’s an example of high protein recipe: Vegan Mexi-Mac Delight – Good Food People Omega-3, the Anti-Inflammatory King Vegan diets tend to be lower in total and unhealthy saturated fats. This seems to be linked with lower risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, high cholesterol, and even some types of cancer. Now, when it comes to fat intake, there’s something interesting going on with hormones and athletic performance that scientists are still studying. But here’s the thing, because vegans don’t eat fish or seafood, they end up having fewer omega-3 fatty acids in their diet. These omega-3 fatty acids are super important for things like heart health, fighting inflammation, and even helping with exercise-induced breathing problems (like asthma) and your immune system. For athletes, omega-3 fats might also help produce nitric oxide (good for blood flow) and improve heart rate variability (good for overall health). There’s a type of omega-3 fat called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which your body can turn into other important omega-3 fats, but not very efficiently. Only about 8% of ALA becomes EPA, and even less becomes DHA. The best source of DHA is usually cold-water fish and seafood, but vegans don’t eat those. So, some vegans and vegetarians take microalgae oil supplements because they’re rich in DHA (and EPA, another important