Research has shown us that nutrition and calorie intake are very
important in order to help the body perform at an optimal level. In
other words, we truly are what we eat! But when considering an athlete
who practices a vegetarian lifestyle, this nutrition and calorie intake
becomes paramount to their success.
Athletes burn more calories
per day and use more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants each day than
the majority of the population. The biggest challenge of trying to get
best nutrition (i.e. protein, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants)
with the highest density of calories will only be met by planning ahead
and having a variety of foods at your disposal.
Vegetarians
receive most of their calories through vegetables, fruits, nuts and
seeds. By eating a wide variety of these substances they can be assured
of getting the correct vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids to
build strong muscle and provide enough energy to meet their performance
needs. However, candy, processed foods and high carbohydrates (such as
breads and pastas) are also vegetarian fare - except they don't deliver
the nutrition the cells require to perform.
This means that
athletes must be very careful with their calorie intake - ensuring that
the majority of what they receive are nutrient dense and not empty
calories.
Proteins are an animal requirement to repair tissue and
build muscle as well as produce red blood cells. And the question of
how to receive adequate amounts of appropriate amino acids and total
proteins is one that plagues the new vegetarian as well as is a
challenge for the vegetarian athlete. Excellent sources of proteins
include almonds, avocados, dates, bananas, baked beans, tofu, lentils
and dairy products. So it is important for athletes to continue to eat
these and other foods on a daily basis and not neglect the needs of
their muscles.
The protein needs of a vegetarian athlete are no
different than those for athletes who do not follow a vegetarian
lifestyle. In other words, all athletes should have between 1.2 and 2 g
of protein per kilo of body weight. 1 kg gram equals 2.2 pounds so when
athlete who might weigh 150 pounds should divide their weight by 2.2
(68 kg). This number should now be multiplied by 1.2 (81.8) and two
(136) to give the athlete a range of grams of proteins that they should
be consuming on a daily basis.
Individual sources of plant
proteins do not supply all nine of the essential amino acids. However,
eating a variety of vegetables, nuts and seeds during the day will
ensure that the athlete receives enough of the essential amino acids to
manufacture the nonessential amino acids and provide the body with a
complete protein.
Calcium is also an essential nutrient which
athletes may find a challenge to receive. Planning for sources from
plants or adding supplementation may be essential for athletes who
expect to perform at high energy levels since low blood calcium levels
can increase the risk of bone and stress fractures. Those vegetarians
who do eat dairy products will find it much easier to meet their daily
requirements but while those who eat only plants may find it more
challenging it isn't impossible.
Athletes are also at a higher
risk for iron deficiency, especially females. Iron loss is actually
increased during heavy training because of the muscle action,
metabolism and breakdown of the muscle. By incorporating spinach, a
great supply of iron, into the diet and vitamin C with the meals which
includes spinach, athletes should be able to maintain enough iron to
provide the nutrients the body needs to produce muscle mass and blood
cells. Vitamin C will help to improve the absorption of iron into the
body. Athletes who do not have enough iron may experience weakness and
rapid fatigue during exercise.
With a little forethought and
planning athletes who practice a vegetarian lifestyle will be able to
appropriately feed their body and cells enough energy to produce
significantly high performance levels.
