A vegan diet for athletes and sportspeople

 Nutrition plays a key role in athletic prformance. A vegan diet has numerous advantages for athletes and sportspeople, allowing them to optimise their results. If planned correctly, plant-based eating can provide the full range of nutrients required by an active body.

A balanced diet is crucial for athletic succes. Whether for endurance training, muscle building or body toning,proper nutrition and calorie intake are key components of any successful training regime.

Food supplements are not necessary for recreational sports

People who do sports in their free time have roughly the same nutritional needs as non-athletes,vegan or otherwise.Even people who exercise for up to one hour a day can usually compensate for the increased energy demands through regular food intake, making supplements unnecessary for this level of activity.Although everyone engaging in physical exercise should ensure they are properly hydrated.

Loss of fluids and minerals through perspiration

The body loses between 0,5 and 1 litre of sweat per hour of moderate exercise. In addition to water, sweat also contains minerals such as sodium, potasium,calcium, and magnesium. The lost fluid and minerals need to be replenished after or during exercise. Consuming fruit and vegetable juices diluted with mineral water in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3 helps replenish the loss.

Frequent nutritional mistakes in athletes' diets 

Sportspeople often make the same dietary mistakes as the general population, consuming too few complex carbohydrates,paying too little attention to the compostion of fatty acids in their diet, and eating too much animal protein.A growing number of reaserchers in the field of sports science recommend a vegan diet to resolve these issues.

Recommendations for competitive athletes 

The basic recommendations of a balanced diet,as presented in the guidelines provided by our vegan food plate, apply to the needs of competitive athletes as well,although they have higher nutrient requirements than the general population. Exact recommendations cannot be made since the precise nutrional needs depend on the discipline,intensity,duration,and frequency of exercise, as well as on the age and gender of the athlete.Preparing for competitions also has an influence on individual requirments. The macronutrients,vitamins,minerals,and trace elements mentioned below should provide the basis of a balanced diet and play an especially important role for people engaging in physical activity.

Carbohydrates improve athletic performance 

Complex carbohydrates should form the foundation of vegan/vegetarian nutrition for athletes,as these nutrients are vital for the functioning of muscles as well as nerve and brain cells.Complex carbohydrates are found mainly in fruits and vegetables as well as in wholegrain products(pasta,bread,oat flakes,muesli,couscous , brown rice), potatoes and pulses.In addition, these foods contain a high proportion of dietary fibre, which prevents blood sugar levels from rising too quickly, thus ensuring stable performance. Complex carbohydrates are also beneicial for weight management as they stave off feeling of hunger.Other good sources of carbohydrates include millet and pseudo -cereals such as quinoa and amaranth,

Fats bolster energy reserves

Like carbohydrates,fats are source of energy and play an important role in athletic success. However, the dietary recommendations for fats do not vary accordnig to the level of exercise.The share of fats in one's diet should constitute about 30-35% of overall calories, wich means that a daily requirement of about 2,000 Kcal should be met with 66 grams of fat(as well as calories from other sources) The German Nutrition Society, along with researchers in the field of nutrional science,states that fats should come primarily from plant based sources.

Saturated fatty acids(contained primarily in dairy and meat products) should be replaced with polyunsaturated fatty acids. These can be found in rapeseed and walnut oil, for example. Walnuts, shredded linseeds, and chia seeds are ideal sources of fat and can easily be added to one's daily diet by adding them to smoothies or cereal. Microalgae oil is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids can guard against inflammatory responses in muscles and joints and are thus especially important for people who exercise a lot. Puffy pastry and fried foods should be avoided as far as possible since they generaly contain trans fatty acids, which increase the risk of fat metabolism disorders.


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