Vegan Athletes Score Big!

Ironman tri-athlete Brendan Brazier

More and more big name athletes, including Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end, Tony Gonzales; Ultimate Fighting champ, Mac Danzig; professional Ironman tri-athlete, Brendan Brazier; and ultra-marathon runner, Scott Jurek, have improved their health and their game by switching to animal-friendly plant-based diets.

Many other professional athletes and Olympic superstars have touted the benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets. Sports Illustrated "Olympian of the Century" Carl Lewis, four-time Mr. Universe Bill Pearl, six-time Ironwoman and USA track and field Master's Champion Ruth Heidrich, and powerlifting champion Bill Mannetti dominated their meat- eating competitors. These veggie-powered athletic superstars aren't alone — some of the strongest animals, such as apes, elephants and giraffes, are herbivores, too.

Dr. Doug Graham, who has been coaching and training athletes for 35 years and has trained many Olympic-caliber athletes, explained, "Every nutrient known to be essential for human health is available, in proper concentration, in plant foods. This is not so with animal-based foods, as there are many essential nutrients totally absent in them." <source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/26480.php>

Vegan meal plans have been used successfully in everything from bodybuilding to endurance sports. Plant-based foods are packed with protein to help build lean muscle mass, complex carbohydrates to fuel muscles before, during and after a workout and vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients that help athletes maintain peak performance and health. A vegan diet provides athletes with all the protein, complex carbohydrates and other nutrients they need to get stronger and faster without the artery-clogging cholesterol and saturated fats found in meat, eggs and dairy products.

Most athletes know that the more calories you burn, the more fuel your body needs. Nutritionists recommend that most of the calories athletes consume come from complex carbohydrates. While refined carbohydrates, like sugar and white bread, should be avoided, complex carbohydrates are critical for fueling your muscles with energy in a sustained way. Great choices are whole wheat breads and pastas, cereals, brown rice, quinoa, and fruits and vegetables.

High levels of muscle-building protein are found in many plant-based foods, including beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, peas, whole grains, and soy products. Branched chain amino acids (BCAA) are also abundant in plant-based foods. BCAAs are important fuel for muscles and can help with muscle recovery after a workout. Plant-based diets are usually high in essential fatty acids, including omega-3s, omega-6s and more. These fatty acids are crucial to keeping the immune system strong and maintaining healthy joints. A bit of fat in your diet is important too, and the fats in plant foods like avocados, vegetable and olive oils, nuts, and seeds tend to be much healthier than the artery-clogging fats found in most animal products. <source: http://www.adksportsfitness.com/august2003/columns/nutrition.html>

In addition to helping athletes outcompete their meat-eating competitors, there are many tremendous health benefits to adopting a vegan diet. People who follow plant-based diets have less body fat and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and are much less likely to be overweight or obese than their meat-eating counterparts. Those who avoid animal-based foods in favor of whole grains, fruits and vegetables also have lower rates of heart disease — the number one killer in the U.S. — and are less likely to develop cancers and other degenerative diseases. <source: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4777> Read more about the health benefits of a vegan diet.

It doesn't matter if you're playing for fun or playing for championships, the best way to excel as an athlete is to train hard and follow a healthy, vegan diet. Find out more about how you can score big with a vegan diet.