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By Megan Serratore Venus Williams is a well-recognized name in the world of sports. With seven Grand Slams under her belt, she is a tennis icon known for her power and athleticism on the court. What is not so widely known about Williams is that she consumes only raw vegan foods. In 2011 Williams was diagnosed with Sjögren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease characterized by dry mouth, dry eyes, and fatigue. In order to overcome the disease and keep playing tennis, she adopted a raw vegan diet in 2012 and has noticed significant improvements in her health . Williams is just one of many successful vegan athletes on the world stage. Yet, vegan athletes seem to defy typical food recommendations for highly competitive athletes. Non-human animal based products—animal flesh, chicken eggs, and cow’s milk—are often recommended for athletes to obtain enough protein, calcium, iron, zinc, and other micronutrients. Athletic performance can be significantly affected by diet choices. As I learn more about the inhumane treatment of nonhuman animals used for food in my “Sociology of Animals” course, I have become more curious about the possibilities of adopting a vegan diet to help take a stand against speciesism in our society. However, as a college cross country and track athlete, I also have concerns about obtaining the proper nutrients to maintain peak athletic performance. So let’s explore the importance of protein, iron, calcium, and other micronutrients for athletes in relation to a vegan lifestyle. One common concern about vegan diets is that it is difficult to obtain enough protein. However, this is inaccurate. Vegan athletes can meet daily protein recommendations--0.8 g/kg body weight/day—by eating a variety of plant based foods. Protein should make up 15% of an athlete’s daily caloric intake. Legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grain products are all great sources of protein and carbohydrates that can fuel athletes. Research from the American Dietetic Association shows that a balanced vegan diet provides every essential amino acid necessary for a healthy diet. Also, non-human animal derived protein sources provide equal nutritional support as plant-based sources do for athletes. Although lysine can be more difficult to obtain in a vegan diet, consuming beans and soy products regularly provides adequate amounts of the amino acid. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are important omega-3 fatty acids that are typically found in eggs and fish. However, many plant-based products like soy milk and breakfast bars are available that are fortified with DHA. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is a plant-based alternative to EPA and can be found in flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil, and soy. David Carter, otherwise known as “the 300 pound vegan”, is a retired NFL defensive lineman and serves as living proof that a vegan athlete can obtain enough protein to be big, strong, and successful. Non-human animal products are not necessary to gain a lot of muscle mass as many people often assume. Carter originally decided to go vegan to help heal tendinitis, overcome muscle fatigue issues, and to healthfully gain weight. When he was training, Carter obtained some of his protein intake from cannellini bean and sunflower seed shakes (about a 100g of protein per shake) and ate up to 6000 calories a day to help him put on weight. He also consumed lots of rice, beans, millet, quinoa, couscous, and nuts as protein sources. On top of being a professional athlete, Carter is also actively involved in animal rights and the food justice movement. He values a vegan diet not just for the health benefits but also takes the non-human animals into account that are slaughtered and enslaved to provide humans with food. Over 56 billion farmed, nonhuman animals are killed worldwide every year for the food industry. This does not include the billions of fish and other sea creatures who are not even accounted for as individuals. Rather fish caught and killed for the food industry are simply counted or measured in tons because their death rates are so high. Sticking to a vegan diet can save about 95 non-human animal lives every year. If one athlete or any individual opted for plant-based protein sources for decades, thousands of animals could be saved. The possibility of insufficient iron intake is a typical argument against a vegan diet for athletes. Female athletes, especially endurance athletes, must be careful to get proper amounts of iron on a plant-based diet because anemia is common among athletes of this category. Iron helps oxygen transport, so it is very important for the physical performance of athletes in aerobic sports. Iron in food comes in two forms, heme and non-heme. Heme iron is found in non-human animal flesh and is easier for the body to absorb than non-heme iron. Non-heme absorption is inhibited by phytic acid found in whole grains, legumes, lentils, nuts, and by polyphenolics in tea and coffee; all these foods are common in vegan diets. However, non-heme absorption can be enhanced by Vitamin C. Because heme iron cannot be obtained in a plant-based diet, vegan athletes should consume about double the amount of typical iron recommendations and get plenty of vitamin C in their diet to help them absorb enough iron. Iron supplements may be necessary to reach proper iron intake for optimal athletic performance. Fortified breakfast cereals, legumes, nuts, and seeds are all vegan foods that are good iron sources. With proper planning and periodic assessment of iron levels, a vegan diet can provide suitable amounts of iron to meet the nutritional needs of athletes. Also, choosing plant-based iron sources saves millions of non-human animal lives. It is important for all individuals, especially athletes, to consume a diet sufficient in calcium. Calcium builds bone mineral density and helps prevent bone fractures and osteoporosis later on in life. From a young age, children are often encouraged to drink cow’s milk to provide plenty of calcium for growing bones. The “got milk” campaign advertises at schools and posters are often plastered on the walls of school lunchrooms. However, what kids are not learning about is the numerous other calcium options besides milk and the morality of enslaving millions of female cows to provide milk for humans. Dairy cows are kept in close confinements and are continuously impregnated to ensure milk production. They are often injected with bovine growth hormone to increase milk production to uncomfortable levels. Just hours after birth, calves are taken away from their mothers. This is very distressing for both the calf and the mother. Male calves are typically sent to the slaughterhouse because they are of no use in the dairy industry. Taking this into consideration, it is important to explore plant-based calcium options. Vegan diets are often below recommended calcium intake. In an EPIC-Oxford study, vegans were 30% more likely to fracture bones than vegetarians or omnivores. Plant-based calcium sources are less absorbable in the body than non-human animal sources. However, one should not let these facts and figures be discouraging. With proper planning and a balanced diet, plant-based foods can provide sufficient calcium intake. The best way for vegan athletes to ensure enough calcium in their diet is to eat calcium fortified foods—soy milk, rice milk, fruit juices, breakfast cereals, calcium-set tofu, etc.—or to take calcium supplements. Also, it is important to eat plenty of low-oxalate greens such as broccoli, cabbage, collards, and kale. A diet high in oxalate can prevent minerals, like calcium, from being absorbed by the body. Like any diet, making health conscious food choices and eating foods from a variety of sources should ensure proper nutrition. Some other nutritional based arguments made against vegan diets for athletes are a lack of vitamin B12, insufficient creatine uptake, and low fat intake. Vegan diets do not have a food option containing vitamin B12. Improper vitamin B12 intake can lead to macrocytic anemia, which can impair aerobic performance. However, a vitamin B12 supplement can be used as a vitamin B12 source. Vegan athletes tend to have lower muscle creatine concentration because a plant-based diet is low in this nitrogenous organic acid. Creatine is particularly important for athletes doing short-term, high intensity exercises like sprinting or swimming. Some athletes on a vegan diet may be recommended to take creatine supplements during the intense part of their training season. However, prolonged use of creatine supplements is not recommended. Because vegan diets are usually lower in fat, it is very important that vegan athletes are still able to consume enough calories to meet energy needs. If female athletes are not consuming enough fats in their diet, their blood estrogen concentration is reduced. In female athletes this reduction increases susceptibility to athletic amenorrhea (irregular menstrual cycles), which can hinder the development of proper bone density. However, it has not been proven that menstrual cycle disturbances are more common in vegans or vegetarians than in omnivores. When female vegan athletes are properly nourished, menstrual cycle regularity is similar to omnivore female athletes. Whether one eats a plant-based or non-human animal based diet, athletes must meet recommended energy intake and get plenty of healthy fats in their diets. Some healthy plant-based, high-fat food sources include avocados, nuts, olive oil, chia seeds, and coconut oil. When all the nutritional data has been picked apart, it is evident that a vegan diet is physically sustainable for athletes. It is possible to eat an unhealthy vegan diet, but the same can be said about omnivorous diets. Everything found in non-human animal based diets can be provided in plant-based diets with a balanced meal plan and supplements. If you are considering adopting a vegan diet but are not sure how to plan a balanced diet to meet your nutritional needs, make an appointment with a nutritionist that can personalize and help you plan a personalized food regime. There is no such thing as a perfect diet for everyone. Humans are all built a little differently and have varied nutritional needs. In regard to athletic performance, vegan and omnivore diets yield similar results. However, when one takes the non-human animal into consideration too, the vegan athlete diet plan is the clear winner. For example, if consuming non-human animal corpses is not going to increase an athlete’s vertical jump or improve muscle recovery time, it cannot be factually or morally argued that omnivorous diets are a better choice. Two points for vegans, zero points for omnivores. I think this scoring system is something competitive athletes can understand. Green machines for the win. Bibliography Barr, Susan I., PhD, and Candace A. Rideout, PhD. "Nutritional Considerations for Vegetarian Athletes." ScienceDirect. N.p., 2004. Web. 3 Apr. 2017. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0899900704001066 Darby, Luke. "The Real-Life Diet of a NFL Vegan Defensive Lineman." Gq.com. GQ, 11 Aug. 2015. Web. 3 Apr. 2017. http://www.gq.com/story/vegan-diet-of-nfl-player-david-carter "Farm Sanctuary." Farm Sanctuary. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2017. https://www.farmsanctuary.org/learn/factory-farming/dairy/ "Food." Animal Equality. N.p., 25 Apr. 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2017. http://www.animalequality.net/food Mango, Alison. "This Drastic Diet Change Helped Venus Williams Fight Her Autoimmune Condition." Health.com. Health.com, 12 Jan. 2017. Web. 03 Apr. 2017. http://www.health.com/nutrition/venus-williams-raw-vegan-diet Nieman, David C. "Physical Fitness and Vegetarian Diets: Is There a Relation?" The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. N.p., 1999. Web. 03 Apr. 2017. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/70/3/570s.full.pdf+html "Position on the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets." ScienceDirect. American Dietetic Association, 2009. Web. 3 Apr. 2017. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002822309007007
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