A big misconception about veganism is that you can’t be strong if you follow the diet, but vegan athletes are slashing through those myths. Folks on the vegan diet abstain from all animal products including dairy and even honey and more and more people are following the diet.
Athletes are not immune to this new trend, and despite popular suggestions that they need more protein to maintain their physical needs, athletes are turning to vegan meals. Many athletes say the meals are not only keeping them fit, but are helping them get better.
In this review, we take a look at some top-rated athletes, who have turned to vegan diets over the years, and how these diets have been helping them. Needless to say, they are able to fulfill their nutritional needs by eliminating meat from their diets.
Alex Morgan
She is the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion, and she has been fueling her game with a strict vegan diet. She says that it makes her stronger and helps with recovery and fatigue.
During the World Cup, she had the national team’s chef prepare for her some special vegan meals. She confessed that she never expected to be an elite athlete on a plant-based diet, but it’s working for her.
Tia Blanco
Tia Blanco is the world surfing champion and has been on a vegetarian diet since she was born. On her YouTube channel, she shares how she goes through her day, and her everyday intake of fresh lemon water, plus a vegan smoothie that is made with the seasonal fruits and veggies.
She however says that travelling isn’t always easy, particularly because she finds it hard to stick to a raw vegan diet, so she may end up with lots of pasta, bread and rice on her diet.
Megan Duhamel
She is a two-time figure skating champion and for her, meat isn’t behind her medals. Duhamel read a book about veganism while at the airport bookstore, and she told CBC television that immediately she finished the book, she cleaned out her refrigerator of all meat products.
Then she switched to a fruits, whole grains and vegetables focused diet. Since her switch, she says that she noticed that this boosted her energy levels and made her athletic performance even better.
Steph Davis
She is a world-class rock climber, and she said that her love for animals cannot allow her to consume them. In 2002, Steph shared that she had cut out all animal products in order to stop funding the industry that holds them captive.
She has also been fighting against animal cruelty and her main goal in life is to climb as best as she can on her vegan diet and feel great about it.
Venus Williams
She is a former Grand Slam winner and Olympic Champion who was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Sjogren in 2011. She then decided to look for a raw vegan diet that would help her get back in the court.
Recently she told the Insider that she had added some non-raw items on the diet such as potatoes, rice and lentils so they can sustain her during training.
Molly Cameron
She is the only Trans athlete who has ever competed in the UCI Cyclo-cross World cup. Her success as a bike racer is due in part to her vegan diet she says. She said that she cut out meat in 1999 as she did not like how it tasted.
This then motivated her to adopt an even stricter vegan diet that would positively affect the environment and also improved her athletic performance. Eating whole foods and organic products also keeps her mental focus consistent and raises her energy levels.
Hannah Teter
According to Hannah Teter, the Earthlings documentary changed the ways she views animal consumption. She is an Olympic snowboarding champion and a vegan. When she took a closer look at how factories treat animals, she further decided to cut out all animal products entirely.
Her plant-based diet has opened doors for her to become a great athlete. She said in an interview that her health is on a whole other level since she stopped eating animals. It’s a new life and she feels like a whole other person.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. Some of the best athletes in the world swear by their strict vegan diet. If you have been wondering whether you can handle physical exertion on a vegan diet, the above examples should illustrate that you absolutely can.
