Tagged with 'vegan-diet'

Imagine swimming 2.4 miles with hundreds of people in choppy, cold water. After swimming for 1 hour and 15 minutes, you finally finish; only to climb out of the water, lace up your cycling shoes, and hop on your road bike. You’re beginning a 112 mile ride. This lengthy cycling ride takes you about 6 hours and 30 minutes. As if that’s not enough, now you have to run. Not just any run, but a 26.2 mile run, aka, a full marathon. This may take around 4 hours and 45 minutes. The average triathlete exercises for about 12 hours and 35 minutes straight! Needless to say, after it’s all said and done, you need recovery food!  Lots of it and ASAP!

Is it possible for an endurance athlete to effectively train for a massive competition, successfully compete in, and then completely refuel if they eat vegan? It is safe to say, yes, a vegan diet is able to sustain an active lifestyle at all competitive levels, even Ironman triathlons. Vegans rely on fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes as their staples. 

Brendan Brazier is a former professional Ironman triathlete and two-time Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion. He also follows a vegan diet. In fact, he is so passionate about eating clean and healthy, he created his own nutrition line to support his eating lifestyle and extreme activity level. Vega products are created using high quality, plant-based superfoods, with little processing. I highly recommend them. Check them out: Vega products 

Overall, a well-balanced vegan diet tends to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and higher in fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, and a wide range of phytochemicals compared to diets that include animal products. 

However, vegans may have lower intakes of protein, vitamin B₁₂, calcium, vitamin D, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Let’s take a closer look at these key nutrients vegan athletes want to pay closer attention to.  

Protein

Needed to maintain and build muscle and other tissues, making it critical for any athlete. Too little protein paired with too many carbohydrates and your performance may suffer.  An athlete’s protein needs vary according to the type of activity and level of training.  Daily needs typically range from 0.5 to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight. But vegans should consume 10% more than the typical recommendations because plant-based protein sources such as soy, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetables, are more difficult to absorb than animal sources.    

For example, a 140-pound runner requires 70 to 112 grams of protein per day. If the athlete is vegan, a more appropriate protein recommendation is 77 to 123 grams per day, or an extra 2 Tablespoons of nut butter and a vegan bar. For a 220-pound football player, protein needs are 132 to 176 grams per day. If the player is vegan, the recommendations jumps to 145 to 193 grams of protein, or an additional ½ cup to 1 cup of peanuts daily.

Calories

Vegan athletes often have to consume more food than non-vegans to meet caloric needs, maintain body weight, and optimize training. Many vegan diets are nutrient-dense but may not be calorie-dense, so athletes need to make sure they are meeting their calorie needs. Vegan athletes should plan ahead to have food with them as much as possible and snack on high-calorie options like nuts, nut butters, seeds, and dried fruit. Vegan sports bars also come in handy when you need a quick snack.

Vitamin B₁₂

This critical vitamin is only found in animal products. Vitamin B₁₂ is required for the production of red blood cells and in tissue repair and maintenance, including the central nervous system. Severe B₁₂ deficiency may result in megaloblastic anemia, which results in tired and weak bodies, and will reduce endurance performance. Adding a B₁₂ multivitamin or consuming ample vitamin B₁₂-fortified foods such as whole grains, soy milk, meat alternatives, or bars, is essential to getting the recommended 2.4 mcg a day. 

Calcium

Athletes may be prone to stress fractures and muscle cramps. Calcium plays a key role in optimizing bone strength and is an essential component for proper muscle contraction. Since a vegan diet doesn’t include dairy products, a main calcium source, vegans tend to fall below the daily recommendations of 1,000-1,300 mg/day.

Structured vegan diets should contain ample sources of highly bioavailable calcium from items such as broccoli, collards, calcium-set tofu, fortified fruit juices, and some fortified almond/soy milks.

Still, a calcium supplement is often recommended to meet the body’s needs.

Iron

Even marginal iron deficiency can hurt athletic performance. Iron carries oxygen from the lungs to the working muscles. When your iron is low, you are likely to feel fatigued, have a drop in your performance, and a weakened immune system. Athletes who are at the highest risk of suffering from iron-deficiency anemia include the following:

• Vegetarians/Vegans who don’t eat red meat (the best dietary source of iron) or iron-enriched breakfast cereals.
• Marathon runners, who may damage red blood cells by pounding their feet on the ground during training.
• Female athletes who lose iron through menstrual blood.
• Endurance athletes, who may lose iron through heavy sweat losses. Iron requirements for endurance athletes, especially distance runners, are increased by approximately 70%.
• Teenage athletes, particularly girls, who are growing quickly and may consume inadequate iron to meet expanded requirements.

One pitfall about iron…iron from plant-based foods is not absorbed as well as iron from animal foods, so the recommended intake for vegans is 1.8 times greater. For example, an adult female should consume 32 mg of iron daily versus 18 mg for a non-vegetarian, and an adult male vegan requires 14 mg per day rather than 8 mg.

A multivitamin containing iron is generally added to a vegan diet. 

Iron Tip: The iron in sprouted grains, legumes, and fermented foods, such as miso and tempeh is absorbed more readily.

Vitamin D

Vegan or not, this is one vitamin many people are low in. Athletes who train primarily indoors throughout the year, such as gymnasts, wrestlers, and figure skaters, are at risk for poor vitamin D status. Vitamin D is critical for bone health and increases calcium absorption. It’s also involved in immune system function. Having inadequate levels of Vitamin D can increase your risk of developing stress fractures and other bone-related problems, plus a suppressed immune system makes you vulnerable to getting sick more often. To meet your needs, consider a combination of vitamin D fortified foods, exposure to sunlight, and vitamin D supplementation.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Following a vegan diet makes it difficult to obtain the recommended 1.1 to 1.6 grams per day of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish and fish oils. Omega-3s are critical for overall cardiovascular health, brain health, disease prevention, and they have the potential to decrease inflammation. However, omega-3 fatty acid deficiency may become less of a concern by combining nuts, seeds (especially flax), vegetable oils, algae, and some leafy greens with fortified foods such as soy milk, rice milk, and vegan bars.

Refueling

For the endurance athletes out there, don’t forget to eat a well-balanced diet within 30 minutes of completing your workout—high in carbohydrates with some protein. The extra carbohydrates, along with a little protein, will replenish your depleted glycogen muscle stores. This makes for a better workout the next day and will reduce your risk of “hitting the wall.”

Bottom Line: Take careful consideration when choosing your food in order to get the recommended amounts of all the nutrients your body needs to reach its peak performance. Consider taking supplements for the nutrients you have a hard time getting from your food.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Live Superfoods

References:

1. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Position Paper: Vegetarianism.

2. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Position Paper: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.

3. Kundrat, Susan, MS, RD, CSSD.  Veggies Galore.  Training-Conditioning: Oct. 2013.

Vegans often get a bad rap for eating like rabbits.  Even though they love their veggies, a vegan diet is capable of supplying a wide variety of substantial and delicious food choices.  Adequately fueling your body is obviously important and a vegan diet can feed an active lifestyle.  Here are twelve “Go-To” foods a vegan can rely on to provide the energy needed on a daily basis.

12 Vegan "Go-To" Foods

1. Whole grains such as oatmeal and quinoa

2. Almond Milk*

3. Coconut Everything – coconut oil, coconut butter, coconut yogurt, raw coconut chips

4. Nuts, seeds, and nut butters

5. Beans and Legumes – kidney, navy, pinto, garbanzo, etc. (hummus)

6. Lentils and split peas

7. All fruits, fresh and dried (avocado is a high calorie, healthy fat option)

8. All vegetables, especially leafy greens (kale, chard, spinach, parsley, etc.)

9. Sweet Potatoes

10. Tofu (emphasis on purchasing Organic to ensure non-GMO soy)

11. Vegan bars – Graw, Skout, Green Superfood, Vega

12. Soups

Bonus:  Dark chocolate

*If you’re looking for other dairy options, here are dairy alternatives:  Rice milk, Hazelnut milk, Coconut milk, Hemp Milk, Oat Milk

What are your favorite vegan foods?

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

If you have been thinking of starting a vegan diet, or getting back on a vegan diet, you may be wondering where to start. Taking the first step is often the hardest, and the most intimidating, part of making any kind of lifestyle change.

First, know that you are not alone! An ever-growing number of people eat a plant-based diet. According to a study conducted by the Vegetarian Times, about 7.3 million people follow a vegetarian based-diet in the U.S., and 1 million of those are vegans. In addition, 22.8 million people say they follow a largely vegetarian-inclined diet. Beginning, and sticking to, a vegetarian or vegan diet can be done. 

Tips for Getting Started on a Vegan Diet

1. Find your "Why"

What is your reason for eating a vegan or vegetarian diet? Many people have different reasons for cutting animal products out of their diets, and those reasons can range from concerns over animal cruelty, environmental concerns, to personal health, disease prevention, and to feel more energetic. 

Once you know what your primary reason is for eating a meat-free diet, use that to propel you forward. When you have moments of doubt or struggle in your transition to a different lifestyle choice, use your "why" to drive and motivate you. 

2. Transition Slowly

Some people may find that they can just wake up one morning and start eating vegan, never looking back and never faltering. But for the rest of us, a slower transition may be just the ticket. Look at your fridge and write down the animal products that are inside it. For some, a vegetarian diet that allows dairy and eggs is fine for their health and lifestyle. Others want to avoid all animal products entirely. Whatever your personal choice, there is a wide selection of substitute products available at your local market that can help you ease into your transition. Swap out scrambled eggs for scrambled tofu for breakfasts, replace dairy in your cereal and coffee with soymilk, almond milk, or hemp milk, and exchange hamburgers for veggie-burgers or black bean burgers. Vegetable soups and pastas with roasted vegetables may have been side dishes for you before, now try making them the main attraction on your dinner table instead.

It's better to do something simply than do nothing perfectly. 

3. Focus on Nutrition

Once you have successfully swapped out your animal products for vegan-friendly substitutes, it is time to start focusing on nutrition. Vegans and vegetarians have different nutritional needs than others. Give your body some time to adjust to your new lifestyle change. It can take up to 3 weeks to get used to your new diet. After that adjustment period, check in with yourself. Keep a journal of what you are eating, and how you are feeling. Are you tired? Feeling low in energy? You may need more calories. If you are used to eating a plate full of steak and potatoes, and now you are eating a plate full of potatoes, broccoli, and salad - you are not getting the same amount of calories in that meal as before. Include more calorie-dense foods into your meals by adding nuts, seeds, and nut butters.

Are you eating a variety of foods? If you are living on only salads, or eating nothing but vegan hot-dogs, you are denying yourself both the nutrition you need as well as the wide variety of flavors, foods, and textures available to you. 

So what should you be eating with a varied and wholesome vegan diet? 

• Legumes and Soyfoods: 3-4 servings per day
• Whole Grains and Starchy Vegetables: 4 servings per day
• Nuts & Seeds: 1-2 servings per day
• Vegetables: 5 + servings per day
• Fruit: 3 + servings per day

You can get nutrients like calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, and essential fatty acids from your diet, but you may also want to include a supplement to help you maintain healthy levels of these crucial nutrients. 

4. Join the Community

The easiest way to get started, stay motivated, and be inspired on your vegan or vegetarian lifestyle is to seek out people just like yourself who have traveled the road. Vegan bloggers can guide you, entertain you, and offer recipes that you may have not thought of. Vegan nutritionists can advise you to be sure you are getting the nutrients you need. There may even be a group of vegans in your local town that meet-up on a regular basis to eat out at vegan-friendly restaurants. Staying involved in the vegan community can help remind you of your "why", give you inspiration when you need it, and help you overcome roadblocks. 

Want to learn more?

Vegetarian Times offers a vegetarian starter kit as a free download. 

Check back with us as we feature raw and vegan recipes for you to keep you inspired, and check out our selection of raw and vegan superfoods that includes greens, superfood powders, raw nuts and nut butters, exotic dried fruits, healthy oils, and more to keep you eating well. 

Melissa Zimmerman, Live Superfoods

What happens when you take meat, eggs, and dairy out of a person’s diet? Getting the nutrition you need from a vegan diet is possible, but certainly takes a clear understanding of the hurdles involved when eliminating food groups.

Traditional Vegan Diet

The traditional vegan diet is plant-based and excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs. Food items derived from animal sources are usually also removed from the diet, such as gelatin and honey. 

It's well researched that a well-balanced vegan diet tends to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and higher in fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, and a wide range of phytochemicals than diets that include animal products. 

Preventing Deficiencies

On the other hand, vegans may have lower intakes of protein, vitamin B₁₂, calcium, iron, vitamin D, and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Let’s take a closer look at the nutrients vegans will want to pay closer attention to.

Protein

Needed for maintaining and building muscle and other tissues. Vegans typically need 10% more protein than non-vegans because plant-based protein sources such as soy, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetables, are more difficult to absorb than animal sources. It is possible for a poorly designed vegan diet to fall short in protein, so be sure not to neglect this important part of the diet.

Vitamin B₁₂

This critical vitamin is only found in animal products. Vitamin B₁₂ is essential for the maintenance of optimal nerve function, healthy cells, and prevention of megaloblastic anemia, which results in tired and weak bodies. Adding a B₁₂ multivitamin or consuming ample vitamin B12-fortified foods such as soy milk, meat alternatives, or bars, is essential to getting the recommended 2.4 mcg a day. 

Calcium

Calcium plays a key role in optimizing bone strength and is essential for muscle contraction. Plant-based diets typically don’t include dairy products, a main calcium source, so vegans tend to fall below the daily recommendations of 1,000-1,300 mg per day.

Structured vegan diets should contain ample sources of highly bioavailable calcium from items such as broccoli, collards, calcium-set tofu, fortified fruit juices, and some fortified almond/soy milks.

Still, a calcium supplement is often recommended to meet the body’s needs.

Iron

This mineral is a vital component of proteins and enzymes that maintain health. Iron also carries oxygen in the blood and helps facilitate the delivery of oxygen to cells. When iron is low, fatigue, decreased performance (for exercisers), and lowered immunity can result. One pitfall about iron…iron from plant-based foods is not absorbed as well as iron from animal foods, so the recommended intake for vegans is 1.8 times greater. For example, an adult female should consume 32 mg of iron daily versus 18 mg for a non-vegetarian, and an adult male vegan requires 14 mg per day rather than 8 mg.

A multivitamin containing iron is generally added to a vegan diet. 

Iron Tip: The iron in sprouted grains, legumes, and fermented foods, such as miso and tempeh is absorbed more readily.

Vitamin D

Vegan or not, this is one vitamin so many people are low in. It plays a key role in bone health and immune system function. Having inadequate levels of Vitamin D can increase your risk of developing stress fractures and other bone-related problems, plus a suppressed immune system makes you vulnerable to getting sick more often. Consider a combination of vitamin D fortified foods, such as orange juice, exposure to sunlight, and vitamin D supplementation to meet your needs.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Following a vegan diet makes it difficult to obtain the recommended 1.1 to 1.6 grams per day of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish and fish oils. Omega-3s are critical for overall cardiovascular health, brain health, disease prevention, and they have the potential to decrease inflammation. However, omega-3 fatty acid deficiency may become less of a concern by combining nuts, seeds (especially flax), vegetable oils, algae, and some leafy greens with fortified foods such as soy milk, rice milk, and vegan bars.

Making the Switch

If you’re considering a vegan diet, one suggestion is to make “food switches” rather than simply removing foods from your diet. Find comparable substitutes for foods to replace potentially missing nutrients. For example, if you want to eliminate all meat products, find foods to swap that are nutritionally similar in terms of total calories and key nutrients provided. Sometimes a combo of foods can do the trick. Common switches include beans and brown rice for meat or poultry, nuts and seeds for fish, soy milk for cow’s milk, and “veggie” jerky for meat jerky.

Bottom Line:

With some education and planning, implementing a vegan diet can support a person’s nutritional needs.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Live Superfoods

References:

1.  Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001.

2.  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Position Paper: Vegetarianism.

3.  Davis, Brenda, RD & Melina, Vesanto, MS, RD.  Becoming Vegan:  The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-based Diet. Summertown, TN:  Book Publishing Company. 2000.

4.  Kundrat, Susan, MS, RD, CSSD.  Veggies Galore.  Training-Conditioning: Oct. 2013.