Vegan for Athletes

Much controversy on whether a Athletes can eat a Vegan diet. Most Athletes, as we know, desire a high protein diet — so they generally eat lots of meat products. But can Athletes be Vegan and get the high protein they need.

Read this article and decide for yourself:

How to be a Vegan Athlete

Athletes are often hesitant to give up animal products because they contain large amounts of protein, zinc, iron, and vitamin B, nutrients that aren’t as easily found in plants. It’s true that plant foods carry less of these nutrients than meat and dairy, and if you don’t consume them in large enough quantities you can feel lethargic and your athletic performance can suffer. However, just because plant foods in general have these nutrients in smaller quantities than animal products doesn’t mean there aren’t some foods that are excellent sources of these nutrients that are also easily attainable.

The truth is that any natural food has to have some protein, and if you consume enough whole food calories to sustain yourself, you’ll most likely get enough protein in your diet. And if you need additional supplementation, foods like spirulina, hemp, and beans are great sources of protein that also have a good amino acid profile, similar to whey.

Anyone who has doubts about the ability to consume large amounts of protein on a specialty diets should look no further than the latest trend among bodybuilders: going vegan. Athletes like Robert Cheeke have amassed large followings by demonstrating how possible it is to accomplish extraordinary acts of strength and might with only eating plants. One of my favorite athletes of all-time is Jack LaLanne, the father of modern fitness. He won a Mr. Universe competition and didn’t eat meat.