USN Advice:
Nutrition Tips for a Vegetarian Athlete
« back
to nutrition tips
If you don’t
eat meat, it can take a bit more planning to get adequate protein
for muscle building and sports training. Vegetarians must take
extra care to avoid deficiencies of iron, zinc, and B12, which
can hurt exercise and strength training performance.
The following tips will help vegetarians who want to get the
most from strength training programs.
How to Get Adequate Protein in Your Diet
The current protein recommendations for optimal muscle building
in a strength athlete is 1.6 to 1.7 gram protein per kilogram
of body weight (0.73 grams per pound). For a 200-pound athlete,
that is a total of 145 to 154 grams of protein a day. There is
no scientific evidence that more than 2.0 grams of protein per
kg of body weight has any additional benefit in muscle strength
or size.
You can get enough protein by including plenty of low-fat dairy
products and protein-rich plant sources, like soy, in your diet.
The following protein sources may work for
vegetarians:
• Milk, 8 oz, 8 grams
• Tofu, 3 oz, 15 grams
• Yogurt, 8 oz, 8 grams
• Cheese, 3 oz, 21 grams
• Peanut butter, 2 tbsp, 8 grams
How to Get Adequate Iron in Your Diet
Heme iron is a type of easily
absorbed iron that is found in animal protein. If you eat fish
or chicken, you will get this type of iron, but if you eat
no meat, you will need to find other sources of iron. Our bodies
don't absorb non-heme iron –-
the kind found in vegetables -– as easily as the iron that
comes from animal foods. Non-meat eaters, especially female athletes,
must pay attention to their dietary iron needs. Good sources
of non-heme include wholegrain cereals, leafy green vegetables,
figs, lentils and kidney beans, and some dried fruits.
How to Get Adequate Vitamin C in Your Diet
Vitamin C in fruits, vegetables,
and other foods help vegetarians absorb non-heme iron from
other foods, so it’s a good idea
to eat a combination of foods at each meal. Consider eating citrus
fruits with an iron-fortified wholegrain cereal or have a citrus
fruit juice with beans.
How to Get Adequate B12
Because vitamin B12 is available only from animal products,
it is one of the most common nutrients missing from the diets
of vegetarian athletes. To get enough B12 (you require only a
small amount-2.4 micrograms-per day) try to eat B12-fortified
foods like soymilk, and cereal. You can also get enough B12 if
you consume eggs, cheese, milk or yogurt.
Avoid Foods That Interfere with Iron Absorption
Some foods contain substances that block the absorption of iron
in the intestine. Coffee, whole grains, bran, legumes, and spinach
all interfere with iron absorption and should be combined with
vitamin C to increase iron absorption.
Talk To Your Doctor About Supplements
Although dietary supplements
should not be used to make up for a poor diet, there are times
when they can help prevent some deficiencies. Ideally, you
should discuss the use of any supplements with your healthcare
team.
All athletes are encouraged to eat
a balanced diet that includes a wide variety of foods, but vegetarian
athletes can rest assured that they don’t have
to eat meat in order to get adequate nutrition for strength building. If you
have concerns about your nutritional status, is is recommended that you talk
with your doctor or a registered sports nutritionist to review you eating plan
and make recommendations.
|
