Giving up animal products in the daily diet is a conscious choice for many people. How does a vegan diet translate into effective sports training?
There is still a belief that a vegetarian or vegan diet is not a good idea, because the elimination of meat and other animal products from the daily diet is a way to get anemia and increased likelihood of deficiencies in key nutrients. Increasing nutritional awareness in society, however, makes the decision to change the diet is carefully considered. Switching to vegetarianism just to eat cream cheese with cucumber and tomato over and over again makes no sense.
As in the vegan diet, it misses the point to eat apples alone – this is a quick way to develop pancreatic disorders. Properly composed diet (whether it be traditional, vegan or vegetarian), should be varied. This means that meals must include products that cover the daily caloric needs of a person and provide valuable nutrients from which the body will draw raw materials for proper functioning.
People who give up eating meat switch to a vegetarian diet. Vegans go one step further. Not only do they choose to completely eliminate meat from their daily diet, but they also give up all animal products. A vegan, therefore, will not drink milk or reach for cheese. The same goes for fish, eggs and seafood. The list of foods that can be eaten as a vegan is still quite long The list of allowed products is still quite long and includes, among others
– fresh fruit and vegetables (preferably seasonal – they have the most vitamins and are also the cheapest),
– cereal products,
– legumes,
– nuts,
– seeds.
When switching to a vegan diet, it’s a good idea to take basic blood tests to check for deficiencies in key nutrients. Vegans should also take care to provide their bodies with protein. This is especially true for people who engage in intense physical activity. Protein is the basic building block of muscle.
If you are planning a radical change in your diet and do not have a clue about the basics of nutrition, it is better not to experiment on your own, but seek advice from an experienced nutritionist. A visit to a specialist is not a fortune, and you can consult your daily menu or create a completely new nutrition plan taking into account the complex needs of the body for key nutrients.
Athletes who convert to veganism (and there are more and more of them, including athletes training for endurance sports such as long-distance running – the most spectacular successes in this field were achieved by Scott Jurek) should make sure that their daily diet does not lack protein. Where to get it from if you give up meat? For people switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet, legumes are an excellent source of protein. Valuable protein for the body of an athlete can also be found in many cereal products. It is worth learning a bit of theory about nutrition, so that you can arrange your menu in a slightly more effective way. It is not only about maintaining good athletic form, but above all about maintaining good health.
First of all, it is worth noting that the vegan diet is relatively light. A portion of vegetables with porridge puts much less strain on the digestive system than a juicy pork knuckle or pork neck served straight from the grill. In addition, it is rich in vitamins and minerals that help the body regenerate after intensive physical training. It helps to maintain the proper body weight and remove the spectre of even slight overweight. The only thing to remember when switching to a vegan diet is to compose your daily menu in such a way that it takes into account the body’s demand for all nutrients.
Featured photo: Pixabay
