Are you an athlete looking to go vegan? A vegan looking to become an athlete? Either way, we have you covered. Make sure to download the Food Monster App for all of these articles plus thousands more from the comfort of your mobile device!  We have the studies, testimonies, nutrition, and recipes you need for optimal performance!

Recent Studies And Testimonies: 

1. Top Sports Nutrition Expert Says It’s Possible To Be A High-Performing Vegan Athlete

This Top Sports Nutrition Expert Says It’s Possible To Be A High-Performing Vegan Athlete! In a recent article published on The Conversation, David Rogerson, Senior Lecturer in Sports Nutrition and Strength and Conditioning at Sheffield Hallam University, came out in Support of plant-based diets for athletes, so long as the individual in question takes care to carefully plan their diet in order to meet their protein and nutrient requirements.

2. Study Finds Plant-Based Protein is Just as Effective as Whey for Building Muscle

Study Finds Plant-Based Protein is Just as Effective as Whey for Building Muscle! The study, which was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition and presented at The International Society of Sports Nutrition Annual Conference looked at the effects of animal-based and plant-based protein supplements for athletes practicing mixed martial arts.“The study concluded that supplementing the diet of elite-level mixed martial artists with an average of 0.41 grams of protein per pound of body weight helps to maintain their lean body mass while undergoing high volume and intensity training,” said Dr. Douglas Kalman, who led the study. “There were no additional benefits of one protein source over the other as both whey and rice protein provided statistically similar results.”

3. Lions’ Running Back Theo Riddick Credits Vegan Diet For Improved Recovery

Lions’ Running Back Theo Riddick Credits Vegan Diet For Improved Recovery!  “I turned vegan over the summer,” Riddick told The Detroit News in August 2017. “I’ve noticed a difference just with my energy level.” He recently spoke to M Live, and said that his recovery has improved dramatically thanks to his healthy diet. “I just think my recovery level was just phenomenal. I think when I was younger, to be honest I wouldn’t really feel better until probably Friday. And then you go back out there and play on Sunday,” He told M Live. “I can say last year I was feeling good by Tuesday,” he added. “And to have that recovery level on my side and working with me, instead of against me, has given me the chance to play all 16 games.”

Nutrition: 

1. Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods for the Vegan Athlete

Post-workout fuel is crucial for all athletes. After exercising, our bodies are craving (and needing) replenishment and nourishment. Muscle inflammation is extremely common with athletes. This causes swelling which can lead to pain, severe injury, and bulkiness in the body. After a long run, heavy strength training or hours of ballet, athletes’ muscles, bones, and tissues need to be repaired through proper foods to keep going.

Choosing to eat vegan, anti-inflammatory foods after exercising and in the everyday diet will help heal inflammation, and assist in preventing it altogether. Eating anti-inflammatory food is not just beneficial for athletes, but it can also be terrific for those with high blood sugar, body aches, and arthritis. Check out these Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods for the Vegan Athlete! 

2. 5 Clean Muscle-Building Foods for Athletes That Are All-Vegan

Plant-based proteins are so abundant, they’re found almost everywhere you look. You don’t need to worry about combining certain incomplete sources of plant-based proteins either, since your body can efficiently use all forms of protein just fine. Certain foods, however, do contain more muscle-friendly sources of protein than many others do. And not all of these are crazy-high in protein. Many just contribute to lean muscle mass and help assist your body in building lean muscles naturally.  Protein is important and we’re pretty big on the stuff ourselves, however, it’s not the end all, be all, when it comes to achieving muscle. Your body needs quality carbohydrates, clean green foods, and power-packed foods which include vitamins and minerals that contribute to a naturally lean, muscular body. Your body will thank you for these 5 Clean Muscle-Building Foods for Athletes That Are All-Vegan! 

3. Anti-Inflammatory Herbs and Spices for Athletes

One of the best things you can do as an athlete is eating an anti-inflammatory diet, which will help prevent inflammation and with recovery. These foods will create an alkaline state in the body that fight inflammation from the inside out. It’s also important to eat plant-based sources of protein with healthy sources of carbohydrates before and after a workout. Aside from common foods and athletic products like protein powders and vitamins, you may also want to consider adding some of the best herbs and spices into your routine. These provide powerful anti-inflammatory properties in small doses with very little known side effects or digestion difficulties. Check out Anti-Inflammatory Herbs and Spices for Athletes!

4. Sample Meal Plans for the Female Vegan Athlete

Alright ladies, listen up! If you’re an athlete, a gym rat, or just a bonafide yogi, chances are you need a little extra get-up-and-go to Support your active lifestyle and rockin’ body, right? Anyone serious about their health and performance knows the importance of nutrition for overall excellence. You can pump weights, run 10 miles, and do yoga until your joints become as flexible as rubberbands but without proper nutrition, you’ll only get so far. Check out Sample Meal Plans for the Female Vegan Athlete for more information!

5. Plant-Based Foods That Can Help You Build Muscles

Once you have determined your personal recommended daily intake, it’s time to learn the right foods and supplements to buy. Whether your whole food plant-based or vegan for the animals there’s a plethora of protein-packed choices in your local Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s or Sprouts. You can also make your own protein powder at home! Check out Plant-Based Foods That Can Help You Build Muscles for more information!

6. How a Vegan Diet Can Improve Workout Recovery

Check out How a Vegan Diet Can Improve Workout Recovery! As an athlete, you need to recover in between workouts to achieve your best performance. Recovery not only enhances performance and endurance, but it restores the body, preventing fatigue and muscle-related injuries from occurring. Lifestyle choices, mental well-being, and the type of training performed, all play a role in recovery, but quality nutrition is also vital. In fact, recent evidence indicates that following a vegan diet can significantly reduce recovery time between workouts.

7. Post-Workout 101: 5 Nutrient-Rich Whole Foods for Recovery

While many people focus on what they need to eat before a workout or prolonged physical activity, ingesting the right nutrition after your workout is just as important. When you put your body through rigorous activity, your muscles become depleted of certain nutrients. In order to get the most out of your workout, replenishing your muscles and hydrating your body will make the effects of the workout stick longer and more effective. Check out Post-Workout 101: 5 Nutrient-Rich Whole Foods for Recovery!

8. The Vegan Runner: Keeping Your Body Well-Tuned on a Vegan Diet

Running is one of the most globally practiced exercises. Last year alone 64 million Americans took up the practice, while 24 percent stated they did so in order to exercise. Runners have overtaken almost every landscape, from rural areas to city sidewalks. Whether you love it, hate it, or tenure a love-hate relationship with it, running is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise. It has been proven to help increase lean muscle, improve heart health, and possibly add years to your lifespan. Check out The Vegan Runner: Keeping Your Body Well-Tuned on a Vegan Diet for more information!

9. Curing Runner’s Cramps With a High-Potassium Plant-Based Diet

Curing Runner’s Cramps With a High-Potassium Plant-Based Diet is a great read! Stepping out for your first long-distance run in the sun can end in severe leg cramps. These muscle cramps are often caused by a loss of electrolytes, specifically potassium. Potassium is one of the best natural resources to prevent muscle spasms and cramps. This mineral is naturally occurring in fruits and veggies. And it works to keep your muscles hearty and cramp-free!

Recipes: 

1. 15 Plant-Based Muscle Building Recipes!

Hearty 15-Bean and Vegetable Soup

Check out these 15 Plant-Based Muscle Building Recipes! for tons of inspo!  There are a few foods you can add to your diet and meals that will make muscle building as a vegan, easy as pie! Or should we say…easy as protein pancakes! Check out these 15 recipes from our Food Monster App and get building!

2. 10 High-Carb, Low Fat Plant-Based Recipes For Runners!

Breakfast Stuffed Sweet Potato With Coconut Date Crunch

Pre-run, your body needs quality nutrition, so give it what it needs whether you’re running a marathon, taking a twenty-minute run, or just getting started with a new running regimen. The truth of the matter is, however, eating a plant-based diet can serve as an enormous advantage to an endurance athlete. So, check out this 10 high-carb, low-fat recipes for runners from our Food Monster App! Check out 10 High-Carb, Low Fat Plant-Based Recipes For Runners! for more information.

We also highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 15,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to new recipes every day. Check it out!

For more Vegan Food, Health, Recipe, Animal, and Life content published daily, don’t forget to subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter!

Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. Please support us!