Veganism and Nutrition

Lewis Hamilton, Venus Williams, Novak Djokovic.
They all have something in common besides being the best at their games. They also happen to be vegan.
But are they the best of the best because they are vegan? Probably not. After all if there were genuine performance gains to be had, then wouldn’t most athletes turn vegan overnight?

There’s a lot to be said about performing better because you feel good about your food. That’s the mental side of it. But today, lets focus on the physical side and break down the pros and cons of veganism in sport.

The largest questions on the topic tend to be around getting a sufficient amount of, and high enough quality of, certain nutrients. Namely: Protein, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin B12, and Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Lets address them one at a time.

When it comes to protein, active individuals need more than their sedentary counterparts in order to recover from, and adapt to, the heavy training loads they undertake. The exact amount varies but 1.5g/kg BW/day is a great ballpark estimate. Achieving this can be a challenge but far from impossible while plant based. With a little bit of planning around meal prep and a pantry full of soy, lentils, legumes, tofu, quinoa, and nuts and seeds, there is no reason why it should be a problem. Some may be concerned with the potential for hormonal imbalance with high soy intakes, but this is a myth that has been largely squashed by the scientific community. Otherwise healthy individuals have no reason to fear.

We all know that calcium is needed for strong bones. Did you know it is also essential for muscle contractions and heart function? Definitely something all of us should be concerned with, not just elite vegan athletes. The image of a glass of milk naturally comes to mind for most when thinking about natural sources of calcium. Which for the record contains just ~250mg per glass (Whole milk). Typical adults need ~1000mg/day. Clearly most of us don’t have 4 glasses a day, so we must be getting it from some other sources. The question is, are any of them plant based? Yes! A cup of edamame can match a glass of milk in calcium while giving significantly more protein (albeit at a higher calorie count!). Similarly, beans, lentils, tofu, almonds, chia seeds, sesame, GLVs etc., are all potent sources that can fill in the calcium gap!

Iron is a big one. We need iron to create hemoglobin, which is the oxygen transporter in our blood. Without sufficient oxygen, we aren’t running particularly far (or moving at all for that matter!). Iron in food comes in two varieties. Heme- and Non heme-. Heme- iron is superior in quality, has higher absorption and is animal based. Non heme- iron is inferior in quality, has lower absorption levels in the body and is plant based. Are we stuck needing to eat red meat to get forever faster? Fortunately, no. Adding some ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) to non heme- iron greatly improves its absorption rate in the body. So the next time you are having some lentils, chickpeas, tofu, spinach etc., just squeeze a lemon on top!

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that aids in DNA synthesis, energy metabolism, nerve function, etc., in the body. It allows us to live and not having enough can be a problem. It is undeniable that plant based foods tend to lack this key nutrient! The best sources are meat, dairy, eggs, and seafood. Fact is, most vegans are deficient. Besides supplementing or consuming fortified foods, there are only a few options out there to cover this up.

Omega 3 fatty acids have been linked to a number of health benefits. Fish oil is supposedly the key to smarter, stronger kids, preventing cancer, having a healthier heart and reducing inflammation. The jury is still out on all but the last of those. Omega 3s are an essential nutrient for optimal functioning and athletes are definitely interested in controlling inflammation. As hinted above, fish oil is an excellent source (and definitely not vegan). Fortunately a diet with a fair serving of chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, and brussel sprouts, can cope just fine for most occasions. Plus vegan supplements do exist.
Above all of that, veganism tends to come with a higher carbohydrate intake, which can be extremely beneficial or a handicap depending on the situation.

With all this in mind, it is clear that veganism in sport is possible but tough, and may not have a direct positive impact on performance. A happy athlete will always be better than a sad one, so long as there aren’t nutritional deficiencies, eat what makes you feel good!