Vegetarian Diets and Sports Performance

Introduction

A vegetarian diet, characterized by a primary or exclusive consumption of plant-based foods, can offer both health benefits and challenges. The extent of these advantages and disadvantages often depends on the degree of dietary restriction and the individual's specific circumstances, such as age, pregnancy, or engagement in sports. This blog post aims to delve into the complexities of vegetarian diets, particularly in relation to physical activity and intense sports, outlining the potential benefits and controversies associated with different nutritional intakes.

Vegetarian Diets: An Overview

Vegetarian diets can take on various forms, typically categorized based on the inclusion or exclusion of certain foods. However, a more nuanced differentiation could be made based on philosophical or ethical considerations. Some common types of vegetarian diets include:

• Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet: Allows all vegetables, fungi, microorganisms, milk and derivatives, eggs and derivatives, honey. Excludes all animal organisms and parts of them.
• Vegan diet: Permits all vegetables, fungi, and microorganisms. Prohibits all animal derivatives.
• Raw food diet: A vegan diet consisting only of raw products.
• Sattvic diet: A plant-based diet that may also include dairy products and honey, but excludes eggs, red lentils, durians, mushrooms, alliums, blue cheeses, fermented foods or sauces, and alcoholic beverages.
• Macrobiotic diet: Primarily includes whole grains and beans, following Zen philosophy to balance yin and yang elements.
• Fruitarian diet and Jain vegetarianism: Allows only fruits, oilseeds, starchy seeds, and other vegetables that can be harvested without harming the plant. Jain also includes dairy products.
• Buddhist vegetarian diet: Interprets the precept "thou shalt not kill" as abstinence from meat, but not all. In Taiwan, vegetables from the Allium family are excluded.

While these diets vary in their restrictions, the concept of a vegetarian diet that aligns closely with nutritional balance is likely flexitarianism. This diet includes fish products, eggs, milk, and yogurt 2 or 3 times a week, meat 1 or 2 times, cheese once, and unlimited vegetables within caloric intake limits.

Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

The adoption of a predominantly vegetarian nutritional style is considered a preventive approach towards various diseases and uncomfortable conditions, often referred to as "diseases of well-being". This is because vegetarian diets typically offer lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal proteins, while providing higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, and various antioxidants.

These diets have been associated with a decrease in obesity and related complications, replacement diseases (largely related to obesity), digestive system dysfunctions, certain types of cancer, and osteo-articular problems. However, the health effects of vegetarian diets can vary significantly depending on the specific type of diet adopted.

Controversies Surrounding Vegetarian Diets

While vegetarian diets can offer numerous health benefits, they can also lead to certain health challenges. These include potential deficiencies in vitamin B12 and low bone mineral density, a greater risk of dental erosion due to the higher intake of fruits and vegetables, and a potential association with eating disorders among adolescents.

Vegetarian Diets and Physical Activity

Regular engagement in physical activity contributes to increased psycho-physical well-being and improved general health. However, an athlete's diet cannot be identical to that of a sedentary person, as moving more than normal requires greater effort from the body, leading to increased nutritional needs. Therefore, athletes who choose to adopt a vegetarian diet must ensure that their nutritional needs are sufficiently met.

Nutritional Needs of Athletes

Athletes require more energy, amino acids, minerals and water, vitamin and mineral antioxidants, and precursors and enzymatic components. The specific nutritional needs of an athlete depend on the type of activity they engage in. For instance, strength athletes require a higher protein intake compared to endurance athletes.