The Vegan Movement continues to grow. If you’re interested in reducing your intake of animal products or reducing your environmental footprint, how do you cut out animal products and still make sure you’re getting everything your body needs? Planning!
Being an athlete that eats in a vegan, plant-based or even occasionally plant-centric way can be a healthy, well rounded, nutritionally complete, way that provides all the energy and protein a body needs. It’s not hard to do but it does take some thoughtful preparation and education on which foods to choose. It’s not a good idea to just cut out foods indiscriminately or without a plan for what to replace them with. This can and often does lead to nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, bone loss, anemia, and poor athletic performance. Fortunately there are many ways to switch out commonly consumed animal products for plant based foods that have a wide range of nutrients. It’s also important to take vitamin B12 and possibly vitamin D3. Talk to your dietitian about the best way to cover all your nutrition bases if you’re deciding to go vegan. And watch this page for more recipes and nutrition tips for a plant based lifestyle.
Plants have protein and it’s a myth that humans have to eat animal products to get enough protein. There are some specialized conditions in which it is necessary to eat animal foods but in general for most healthy people a diet with a wide variety of plant foods can meet their needs, even if they’re athletes. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that 12-15% of all our calories come from protein, this can be met by eating a variety of beans, peas, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and organic soy (yes soy is fine). We now know that you don’t have to combine complementary proteins in each meal to get all the amino acids to build muscle as long as you are eating a variety of different foods each day containing amino acids. Even vegetables have some protein. The body prefers to get protein in moderate doses regularly spaced through the day so a huge steak at the end of the day is way more than the body needs at that time. Plant based proteins cause less inflammation than red meat, bacon, sausage and dairy and they often have other key nutrients like iron, zinc, fiber, and B-vitamins. The World Health Organization published a comprehensive report in the Lancet stating that red and processed meats are associated with higher risk of cancer (9). The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has raised concerns that meat and dairy increase the risk of heart disease. So it is healthy and reasonable to diversify protein sources by including more plant based options. My main message is that if you cut out animal products you MUST replace them with a variety of plant based proteins and sources of calcium.
Examples of vegan protein sources (USDA Database):
1 cup oatmeal with flax and hemp seeds and 1 banana: 13 g protein
2 mini-sliders from Beyond Meat: 15 grams
1 cup quinoa with veggies: 10 grams
¼ cup roasted almonds: 7 grams
2 black bean tacos: 12-18 grams
1 cup minestrone soup: 4 grams
1.5 cups edamame (or tofu), brown rice, and veggies: 14 grams
1/4 cup dried roasted pumpkin seeds: 10 grams
Fruit and veggie smoothie with hemp, pea, or soy protein powder: 8-15 grams
Tofu scramble with veggies: 13-19 grams
Pasta made from lentil flour: 20 G protein
What about nutrient deficiencies?
In spite of considerable evidence to the contrary, there still seems to be a prevailing bias, even among dietitians, that a vegan diet is automatically deficient, however we now know this to be inaccurate based on numerous studies. “It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. These diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle.” (2). Even omnivorous dancers can be deficient in Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and zinc so it makes sense for anyone, vegan or not, to focus on plant based food sources of these vitamins and take supplements as needed, particularly vitamin B12. The bottom line is that you have to make smart, careful, healthy dietary choices whether or not you’re a vegan/ vegetarian. If you choose to overly restrict your food intake due to weight fears then nutrient deficiencies can and do happen. If you choose to eat a Western/ American junky diet then nutrient deficiencies can and do happen. We have to make smart choices and fruits, vegetables, legumes, soy, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are nutrient dense foods.
Is it complicated to follow?
Making any dietary change takes time and a little research. Fortunately it’s not difficult to make vegan versions of all your favorite foods even French toast, Mac and cheese, burgers, and hot dogs. There are many new vegan products that make it easy and delicious. Plus, beans and rice are far less expensive than steak.
Vegan diets should not be a smokescreen for disordered eating
It’s important to be aware that a small percentage of people will declare themselves to be vegan to either intentionally or unintentionally hide disordered eating, and this could potentially lead down a road of excessive weight loss, nutrient deficiencies, and injury. Giving up meat, eggs, and dairy does remove a concentrated source of nutrients that need to be replaced with alternatives. Whatever type of diet someone follows, if calories from fat, protein and carbohydrates fall below the body’s needs then this qualifies as restrictive eating and needs to be addressed with a knowledgeable professional. If someone is going to become vegan, then they need to make sure they are following an adequate diet. This might require a consult with a qualified dietitian. However it’s not accurate to assume all vegans/ vegetarians have eating pathology and are nutrient deficient.
Being a vegan that eats a well- rounded balance of foods regularly throughout the day providing all the necessary nutrients is great. However, being a vegan that severely limits food choices or one that is unable to enjoy eating socially is something to discuss with a dietitian.
Sources:
2. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. Position Paper. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116:1970-1980.
6. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Livestock’s Long Shadow 2006. http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.HTM
7. Bittman M. VB6: Vegan Before 6:00. 2013.
8. Meatless Monday http://www.meatlessmonday.com
9. Carcinogenicity of Consumption of Red and Processed Meat. International Agency for Research on Cancer, WHO. The Lancet Online 2015.