Athletes from runners to football players are increasingly adopting plant-based diets for improved performance, quicker recovery and overall health. While there is plenty of science to support the health benefits of plant based diets, does this also mean that they will make you a better athlete?
‘Where do you get your protein?’ is probably the most common question every vegan gets asked. And none more so than athletes and regular exercisers. Dietary protein is needed to repair muscle cells damaged during intense exercise as well as to build new muscle proteins. But can you get enough protein from plant-based foods for optimal performance and recovery?
The start of a new year always gets me thinking about the nutrition and food trends for the months ahead. Now, with a new decade to look forward to, here are my predictions for what you can expect to be eating in 2020: Plant power The vegan trend will continue for 2020. One third of…
One of the biggest myths surrounding vegetarian and vegan diets is that they cannot supply enough protein for optimal performance. But this simply isn’t true. Thanks to documentaries like The Game Changers and the growing list of high-profile sportspeople who attribute their recent success to the benefits of a plant-based diet – Chris Froome, Venus…
“Bacon’s safe… no ifs or butties!” screamed The Sun. These and other similar headlines stem from a new study, which said that people don’t need to cut back on red and processed meat for health reasons. But these findings appear to go against the large body of evidence, indicating higher consumption of red and processed…
why are more and more athletes noticing performance benefits after switching to a plant-based diet?
It could be that eating a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds is aiding performance and recovery via its positive effects on the gut microbiota – the population of trillions of microbes that inhabit the gut.
Despite the rising popularity and well-documented health benefits of vegetarian diets, relatively little research has been done on the impact on athletic performance. In the first study of its kind, researchers at Arizona State University have shown that a vegetarian diet can support strength and cardiorespiratory fitness development, and that some vegetarian athletes may even…
