This type of athlete needs to have personalized and periodized nutrition plans in order to perform at the highest level.
Many high-performance athletes decide to adopt a vegan diet for a variety of reasons, but can they really perform at their best by eating only plant-based products?
Depending on the vegetarian diet adopted, it may include some animal products. The ovo-lacto vegetarian, for example, does include eggs and dairy products; the lacto vegetarian, dairy products; and the ovo-vegetarian, eggs. Strict vegetarians, on the other hand, do not include any food of animal origin, as do vegans, who differ from the latter because their followers do not support cosmetics tested on animals.
happy world vegan day!! going vegan 4 years ago was the best decision i have ever made. never have i felt so good and enjoyed so much healthy yummy food whilst caring for our plant and the animals. here’s a selection of vegan food that i have enjoyed pic.twitter.com/3vtsQDwpLr
— amelia (@softparisian) November 1, 2019
‘A conventional diet, whether vegetarian or vegan, can be well or badly designed, so it is essential that a high-performance athlete chooses the products available to him or her wisely,’ says Aitor Sánchezs. In fact, in order to avoid all kinds of risks affecting their health, the most important thing is to know how to combine them.
Is it possible to perform at the highest level as a vegetarian or vegan?
An elite athlete’s performance should not be affected by a vegetarian or vegan dietary pattern. Proper planning integrating nutrition, supplementation, hydration, training and sufficient rest should avoid any energy deficiency of macro or micronutrients. Ensure proper physical and intellectual performance, prevent injuries and promote early recovery, not being a comparative disadvantage in relation to an omnivorous diet.
‘There are numerous examples of elite athletes who follow vegetarian or vegan eating patterns in a variety of sporting disciplines. In the world of professional tennis, for example, we find athletes who have reached the top, such as the Williams sisters or Novak Djokovic,’ says Anna Vehi, a nutritionist specializing in sport, vegetarianism and veganism.
Key nutrients for a vegetarian or vegan high-performance athlete
That’s right. A vegetarian or vegan diet has some key nutrients that require special attention, as they can be deficient without proper nutritional planning. ‘For a high-performance athlete, it is essential to cover certain requirements to guarantee their health. Ensure their correct physical and intellectual performance, prevent injuries and facilitate recovery,’ says Vehi.
The main nutrient that is most difficult to cover is animal protein, so it is essential that vegan diets include legumes, whole grains and nuts. Even so, there may be logistical limitations when competing, one of the most common examples being when the athlete has to travel to compete away from home.
Michaela Led, Weronika Effiom, Alex Laborda