How can athletes and exercisers thrive on a vegan diet? Tips and practical advice
Let's quickly define the different types:
Vegetarian Diets: Definitions
Type | Description |
Flexitarian | Occasionally consumes animal flesh (meat, poultry) and fish, eggs, dairy |
Pesco-vegetarian | Excludes animal flesh but does include fish |
Lacto-ovo vegetarian | Excludes all flesh; includes diary and eggs only |
Lacto vegetarian | Excludes all flesh and eggs; includes dairy only |
Ovo vegetarian | Excludes all flesh and dairy; includes eggs only |
Vegan | Excludes all animal products |
Macrobiotic vegetarianb | Variable dietary restrictions; includes wild meat/game and fish in some variations of the diet |
Fruitarian | Includes fruit, nuts, seeds and a some vegetables |
Diet Comparison
Diet type | Possible dietary Issuesa | Possible sport-related issuesa | Recommendationsb |
Omnivorous | Poor ad libitum diets can lead to nutrient deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency possible (if sun exposure is poor / unlikely). | Male and female athletes with low energy intake at risk of nutrient deficiencies. Calcium requirements increased during negative energy balance, amenorrhea and female athlete triad. | Energy intake should be scaled to activity level. Depending on sport, 1.4–2.0 g ∙ kg−1 protein; 3–10 g ∙ kg−1 CHO; 0.5–1.5 g ∙ kg−1 fat (or, 30% energy) consumed daily. Micronutrient-rich diet sufficient to achieve DRVs; Vitamin D3 supplement might be necessary. |
Pesco-vegetarian | Same as omnivores plus: Energyc, protein. | Iron deficiency with and without anaemia a risk in female athletes. | Same as omnivores, plus ensure that iron needs are met via a variety of food sources. |
Lacto-ovo vegetarian & Lacto-vegetarian | Same as pesco-vegetarians plus: Long chain n-3 (EPA, DHA), iron, zinc, riboflavin deficiencies more likely. | Same as pesco-vegetarians plus: Reduced muscle creatine and carnosine stores a possibility in males and females. | Same as pesco-vegetarians plus: EPA / DHA supplement (total 1–2 g ∙ day−1; 2:1 ratio) might be needed. Increase iron (m = 14 mg & f = 33 mg ∙ day1) and zinc (16.5 mg & 12 mg ∙ day1) intakes due to reduced bioavailability of plant sources. |
Vegan | Same as vegetarians plus: Protein, fat, n-3, B12, calcium, iodine deficiencies also possible / likely in males and females. | Same as vegetarians plus: Low bone-mineral density is an increased possibility in female athletes. Achieving energy balance might be a problem for larger athletes. | Same as vegetarians plus: Increase protein to 1.7–2.0 g ∙ kg−1 and up to 1.8–2.7 g ∙ kg−1 during weight loss phases (obtain from range of plant-based foods). Nuts, seeds, avocados, oils to achieve 0.5–1.5 g ∙ kg−1 fat daily. EPA / DHA (microalgae); vitamin D3 (lichen) & B12 supplements might be needed; iodine in some instances too. 1000 mg ∙ day−1 calcium from beans, pulses, fortified foods and vegetables. |
Lets give some quick examples of vegan friendly foods to help you exercise better
Macronutrients
Protein
Typical recommendations therefore include 1.6–1.7 g kg−1 day−1 for strength and power athletes and 1.2–1.4 g kg−1 day−1 for endurance-sport athletes—values notably larger than the 0.8 g kg−1 day−1 recommended for most non-active adults
High Protein Foods
Food | Protein per 100 ga |
Pumpkin seeds (dried, uncooked) | 30.2 |
Lentils (red, split, uncooked) | 24.6 |
Black beans (uncooked) | 21.6 |
Almonds (raw) | 21.2 |
Tempeh | 20.3 |
Tofu (calcium set) | 17.3 |
Oats (rolled) | 16.9 |
Quinoa (uncooked) | 14.1 |
Vegan-Friendly Food Sources
Nutrient | Vegan-friendly sources |
Protein | Pulses, grains, legumes, tofu, quinoa, nuts, seeds, vegetables |
ALA | Flax seeds, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds |
EPAa | Seaweed, algae |
DHA | Microalgae oil, seaweed |
Vitamin B12 | Supplements, fortified foods, plant milks, nutritional yeast (fortified), fermented soyb, mushroomsb |
Iron | Legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, fortified foods, green vegetables |
Zinc | Beans, nuts, seeds, oats, wheat germ, nutritional yeast |
Calcium | Tofu (calcium set), fortified plant milks and juice, kale, broccoli, sprouts, cauliflower, bok choi |
Iodine | Seaweed, cranberries, potatoes, prunes, navy beans, iodized salt |
Vitamin D | Lichen-derived D3 supplements |
Sample 2500 Calorie menu
Meal | Ingredients |
Breakfast: “Nutty Banana Oatmeal” | • Oats, ½ cup (uncooked) • Almond milk, fortified, unsweetened, 1 cup • Banana, 1 small (60 g) • Brazil nuts, 1nut • Flax seeds, milled, 1 tablespoon • Pumpkin seeds, 1 tablespoon • 1000 IU Vitamin D3 (lichen derived) • 2.4 μg Vitamin B12 • 2 g microalgae oil supplement |
Lunch / Pre-training: “Asian-style Kale Salad” | • Kale, 1 cup, chopped • Carrot, 1 medium, shredded • Cucumber, ½ cup, shredded • Dried wakame, 1 g, sprinkles • Rice noodles, 57 g (uncooked weight) • Edamame beans, ½ cup • Tofu, calcium-set, ½ cup • Ginger, garlic, chili, to taste • Sesame oil, 1 tablespoon |
Post Training: “Mixed berry protein smoothie” | • Pea protein isolate, 40 g • Frozen raspberries, ½ cup • Frozen strawberries, ½ cup • Frozen blueberries, ½ cup • Hemp milk, fortified, 1 cup |
Dinner: “Garbanzo and Sweet potato Curry” | • Garbanzos, 120 g, cooked • Seitan, 40 g • Sweet potatoes, 1 medium • Tomatoes, ½ can • Onion, 1 red, small • Garlic, 1 clove • Olive oil, 1 tbsp. • Long grain rice, 1 cup • Curry spices, to taste |
Total Energy | 2512 Calories |
Protein | 154 g |
Carbohydrate | 312 g |
Total Fat | 75 g |
n-3 | 4.4 g |
ALA | 1597 mg |
EPA | 300 mg |
DHA | 529 mg |
Fibre (g) | 58 g |
Vitamin B12 | 3.4 μg |
Iron | 31.4 mg |
Zinc | 15.4 mg |
Calcium | 2226 mg |
Iodine | 173 μg |
Vitamin D | 34.5 μg |
Sample 3500 Calorie menu
Meal | Ingredients |
Breakfast: “Tofu scramble with avocado toast” | • Tofu, ½ block / 250 g • Whole-wheat bread, toasted, 3 large slices • Avocado, ¼, diced • Navel orange, 1 medium • 2 g microalgae oil supplement |
Lunch / pre training: “Roast vegetable, tempeh & buckwheat salad” | • Buckwheat, raw, 1 cup • Tempeh, ¾ cup / 100 g • Zucchini, ½, roasted • Eggplant, ½, roasted • Onion, red, ½, roasted • Bell pepper, ½, roasted • Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp. Each |
Post-training snack: “Spiced apple cereal” | • Puffed rice, 2 cups • Apple, 1 large • Prunes, chopped, 18 g • Cinnamon, to taste • Soy milk, unsweetened, 270 ml • Rice protein, vanilla, 1.5 scoops / 35 g |
Dinner: “Spaghetti” | • Black bean spaghetti, 75 g, raw weight • Spaghetti, dried, 88 g, raw weight • Pasta sauce, tomato, low sodium, ½ jar • Onion, red, ½ • Spinach, frozen, 70 g • Garlic, basil, to taste • Olive oil, 1 tbsp. • Nutritional yeast flakes (B12 enriched), 1 tbsp. |
Snack: “Chia, flax and hemp seed dessert” | • Chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, 2 tbsp. Each • Almond milk, 1 cup • Dates, chopped, × 2 • Strawberries, ½ cup |
Total Energy | 3446 Calories |
Protein | 193 g |
Carbohydrate | 443 g |
Total Fat | 94 g |
n-3 | 9.8 g |
ALA | 7754 mg |
EPA | 300 mg |
DHA | 529 mg |
Fibre (g) | 91 g |
Vitamin B12 | 4.2 μg |
Iron | 42 mg |
Zinc | 40 mg |
Calcium | 2406 mg |
Iodine | 153 μg |
Vitamin D | 22.7 μg |
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Reference
Rogerson D. Vegan diets: practical advice for athletes and exercisers. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017 Sep 13;14:36. doi: 10.1186/s12970-017-0192-9. PMID: 28924423; PMCID: PMC5598028.
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