PLANT-BASED
Get your macros and micros right.
Are you a plant-based athlete or are you considering switching to a plant-based diet ? You came to the right place.
Everyone needs to follow a balanced diet, but vegetarians and vegans need to pay special attention to their macro- and micronutrients.
It is just a matter of knowing how to balance them and eating enough. Supplementation might be needed.
The vegan athlete’s nutritional considerations
Adapted from Shaw, K.A. et al.2022. Benefits of a plant‐based diet and considerations for the athlete. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 10.1007/s00421-022-04902-w
The vegan athlete’s nutritional considerations
For all endurance athletes, whatever their dietary pattern preferences are, carbohydrates are the main source of fuel, proteins are used for muscle mass growth and repair (amongst many other things), and fat for energy, cell membrane structure, and fat-soluble vitamins absorption.
Some advantages of a vegan diet for athletes;
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A vegan diet is usually plentiful in carbs sources, from complex to simple ones, which is beneficial to glycogen storage and energy production.
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High fiber content: promotes gut health.
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Increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables: high intake of polyphenols (natural antioxidants), beneficial for recovery, reduced inflammation, and cardiovascular health.
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Less saturated fat intake, and higher consumption of “healthy fats” from nuts, seeds, avocados, olive and flaxseed oils, sesame (tahini).
However, some areas are of special consideration:
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Protein: sources, quality, and amount.
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Nutrient absorption: due to high phytates, tannins and fiber present in legumes, grains, fresh vegetables, nuts and seeds.
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Some micronutrients that are less available on a vegan diet: B12, B2, Iron, Vitamin D, calcium, and zinc.
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Some critical omega-3s are derived from the essential ones, namely DHA and EPA.
Let’s look into these special considerations.
1-Plant-protein quality and amount:
Plant protein sources and quality have been extensively studied. Quality refers to the amino acid profile of the protein source. For example, whole grains lack lysine and threonine. And legumes usually fall short of methionine and tryptophan.
Compared to animal protein, they are also called “incomplete”. Except for soybeans and perhaps quinoa (depending on the plant and the source).
Amount recommended, for endurance athletes, can vary from 1.2 to 1.6g/kg/BW for females, or from 1.4 to 1.8g/kg/BW for males, depending on the daily activity.
However, older athletes (starting from mid-40s), and perimenopausal athletes will need more to maintain their muscle mass (which decreases with age). It has been suggested that vegans could need around 10% more, because of potential limited nutrient absorption (see below).
2-Nutrient absorption;
In 2011, the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) introduced an “updated amino acid scoring system”, the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS). This refers to the amino acid composition (especially the content of the essential amino acids) of the plant protein, and its digestibility. Plant proteins are less digestible than animal sources of protein.
Why is that? It is because they come from a food source which also contains the so-called “antinutrients”: phytates, tannins and fiber, depending on their nature.
Legumes, whole grains, coffee, tea and nuts all contain phytates and tannins. These natural compounds will decrease the absorption of other nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, by binding to them during the digestion process. Tannins will create complexes with protein and starches in the intestine, decreasing the absorption of some minerals and vitamins.
TRICK: Soak all your legumes and pulses (beans, lentils), at least 12-24 hours and rinse them a couple of times to reduce the amount of phytates, before cooking.
On the other hand, despite decreasing the bioavailability of these precious nutrients, phytates and tannins provide health benefits in terms of anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antioxidant properties.
Fiber ingestion - which promotes gut health and blood glucose regulation- will also decrease nutrient absorption and will increase satiety (therefore limiting energy intake, which might be an issue for athletes with higher energy demands than sedentary individuals). So, before a race, it is better to limit fiber-rich foods, and privilege more simple carb consumption.
3-Micronutrients of interest:
Calcium is a hard one to get enough of only from the diet - and not just for vegans or vegetarians! So, go for the fortified products when available. There is calcium in a lot of green leafy vegetables, beans and nuts, but its availability is limited. So diversity is key here.
Vitamin D and K2, B12, B2, and zinc are also of special interest, as they are involved in many critical reactions in our body. And if you have a very active lifestyle - or even an athletic one, you need to pay greater attention to those. B12 is definitely recommended to supplement on a vegan diet.
Iron (critical for runners, especially female endurance athletes) from plants is called “non-heme” iron, and its bioavailability is very low (around 2-3% ingested is absorbed). However, some studies have demonstrated an “adaptive response” to a long-term PBD, improving non-heme iron absorption. Vitamin-C rich-food consumption will also promote iron absorption (easy to squeeze half a lemon on your green veggies, or to eat a kiwi with your oatmeal in the morning),
Finally, vegans might consider taking some DHA/EPA supplements from algae, as these Omega-3s are mostly found in fatty fish (which get them from the algae). They can be produced in our bodies from another Omega-3 (ALA), but the conversion rate is very low. DHA is critical to the brain’s health.
There are many health benefits to a vegan diet; all you need is a bit of planning and a whole variety of food sources.
Rogerson, D. 2017. Vegan diets: practical advice for athletes and exercisers. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0192-9
Shaw, K.A., Zello, G.A., Rodgers, C.D., Warkentin, T.D., Baerwald, A.R. and Chilibeck, P.D. 2022. Benefits of a plant‐based diet and considerations for the athlete. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 10.1007/s00421-022-04902-w
Woodbridge, P.,, Konstantaki, M. and Horgan, G. 2020. Nutritional Deficiencies in Vegan Runners: A Comparison of Actual Versus Recommended Nutritional Intake and Dietary Recommendations. Journal of Exercise and Nutrition. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344428407_Nutritional_Deficiencies_in_Vegan_Runners_A_Comparison_of_Actual_Versus_Recommended_Nutritional_Intake_and_Dietary_Recommendations_Original_Research.
Work Health Organization Europe. 2021.Plant-based diets and their impact on health, sustainability and the environment: a review of the evidence. https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2021-4007-43766-61591
Thinking about going plant-based, as an athlete?
It is no secret that the plant-based diet (PBD) is gaining momentum globally, for all kinds of different motivations. And a lot of athletes have been adopting some variations of it. Although it might be tempting to embrace, better to carefully plan the transition if you have been following an omnivorous diet your entire life. The so-called “plant-based diets”, come in a lot of diversity, some not entirely “animal products-free” dietary patterns..
A vegetarian diet is different from a vegan diet, in that people still consume some level of dairy products: eggs, milk, cheese, yogurts and cream, but no meat or fish or seafood. Pescatarians don’t eat meat, but still consume fish and seafood, and dairy products (eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt). Flexitarian is another form, which basically means people don’t strictly adhere to a PBD (hence the term “flexi”), but have increased plant food intake.
Finally, vegans don’t consume any products from any animal sources.
In this article, I will focus on vegetarian and vegan when referring to PBD.
Both vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns are healthy, but precautions have to be taken - take it from my own personal experience - and the ideal shift should be a smooth one, more a “one step at the time” approach, rather than an “all or nothing”, despite the motivation and willingness for change.
2 main reasons for this:
1- By rushing the change, it could be very frustrating and complicated to establish new dietary habits (same goes for weight loss program!). Be gentle with yourself: why not start by reducing animal food sources progressively over time?
2- If unplanned, not well researched or misguided, this could lead to some undesirable deficiencies.
But, not to be worried: Both diets have a lot of common points with a well-balanced diet, rich in whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, minus the animal products.
Try to limit the consumption of ultra-processed vegan foods such as “plant-based-meat alternatives”. Widely available to replace meat, they are actually heavily processed, with a lot of additives and transformed plant-products, which are not comparable to whole-foods. Research on their long term safe consumption is still on-going, and can be biased. Although appealing because of their palatability, it is better to limit their intake, and focus on “real foods”.
Now, the answer to the eternal question “Where do you get your protein from ?”:
There are proteins in all foods, plants are no exception.
However, some more than others. Also, most plant-based proteins are called “incomplete” since - apart from soybeans (and perhaps quinoa) - they lack some of the 9 essential amino-acids we need to get from our diet:
Legumes (all sorts of beans, peas, lentils) are going to be your friends: because they account for moderate to low GI complex carbohydrates (complex sugars that don’t make your blood glucose spike), high fiber content, and good protein sources. Whole grains, corn and cereals contribute as well, and they complement the legumes in terms of essential amino acids.
Make your plant-based proteins count, and maximize their diversity to make sure you intake enough daily, and get all the essential amino acids. It is necessary to apply the diversity concept throughout all meals:
Examples:
Whole grain oats for breakfast, brown rice at lunch, lentils at dinner.
Whole wheat bread for breakfast, quinoa at lunch, kidney or black beans at dinner.
Another champion of the vegetarian/vegan diet is soybean: tofu, soy milk, edamame beans or their derived products (tempeh, miso, nato). A lot has been said about soy being an allergen, so if you suspect you might be, or know that you are, better avoid it or limit your intake. But for most people, soybeans have wonderful nutrients to offer.
If you are a vegetarian, of course you can get your “complete”proteins from dairy and eggs.
Finally, research has established that a well planned plant-based dietary pattern is safe and healthy for athletes, but it doesn’t guarantee endurance performance benefits compared to an omnivorous one. So, don’t try to get an edge with this one, but the benefits can be found in general health and recovery, if planned properly.
Craddock, J.C., Neale, E.P., Peoples, G.E. and Probst, Y.C. 2016. Plant-based eating patterns and endurance performance: A focus on inflammation, oxidative stress and immune responses. Nutrition Bulletin. British Nutrition Foundation. Volume 45, Issue 2, pp 123-132. [online]. Available at: doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12427
Lynch, H., Johnston, C. and Wharton, C. 2018. Plant-Based Diets: Considerations for Environmental Impact, Protein Quality, and Exercise Performance. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10121841
Melina, V., Craig, W. and Levin, S. 2016. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 10.1016/j.jand.2016.09.025
Nebl, J., Haufe, S., Eigendorf, J., Wasserfurth,P., Tegtbur, U., and Hahn, A. 2019. Exercise capacity of vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian and omnivorous recreational runners. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 10.1186/s12970-019-0289-4.
Shaw, K.A., Zello, G.A., Rodgers, C.D., Warkentin, T.D., Baerwald, A.R. and Chilibeck, P.D. 2022.
Benefits of a plant‐based diet and considerations for the athlete. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 10.1007/s00421-022-04902-w