Many diets fall under the umbrella of vegetarian eating. The term vegetarian is used more broadly than its true definition, describing diets based exclusively on plant based foods to diets including some flesh foods. The table below outlines the different types of vegetarian diets that exist. If your diet falls somewhere within these definitions of vegetarian eating, the following information will assist you to ensure your dietary intake is suitable in providing adequate energy and nutrients to promote optimal sports performance.

Why do athletes choose a vegetarian diet?

Vegetarian or near-vegetarian eating is common amongst certain groups of athletes. Studies typically report that 1.9 of athletes follow a vegetarian diet, with considerably more athletes (37%) following a diet specifically excluding red meat. Reasons for choosing a vegetarian or near-vegetarian diet among athletes may differ to those commonly given in the general population such as the proposed health benefits, cultural and religious beliefs, or animal right and environmental issues.

Some athletes adopt a vegetarian diet or near-vegetarian diet to meet increased carbohydrate requirements for training, or to assist in weight control. This is commonly seen among endurance athletes such as runners, cyclists and triathletes - athletes who have a daily challenge to refuel muscle carbohydrate stores, yet maintain a low body weight. These athletes will typically replace the meat on their plate with bulky, high fibre carbohydrate foods. Other athletes will simply describe their dietary intake as vegetarian, to hide a restrictive dietary intake and or mask a disordered eating behaviour. For instance, some athletes will eliminate red meat from their diet on the premise it is high in fat and then describe their intake as vegetarian. For these athletes the failure to include suitable vegetarian meat alternatives in their daily meal plan places them at risk of eating an inadequate dietary intake.

Will a vegetarian diet improve exercise performance?

Currently, it is unclear as to whether a vegetarian diet will improve athletic performance. To date, studies have failed to examine the true benefit, if any, of a vegetarian diet on exercise performance. Studies have either controlled for the inherent differences seen between vegetarian diets and non-vegetarian diets, or have used populations that are not representative of well trained athletes. As many studies typically report vegetarians consume a diet higher in carbohydrate than non-vegetarians, further research is required to determine the possible training and competition benefits of following such a diet.

Is a vegetarian diet suitable for athletes?

Numerous studies have reported both short and long term health benefits of vegetarian eating, but the question remains - is a vegetarian diet conducive to promoting optimal sports performance? Generally speaking, vegetarian eating can support optimal sports performance. Studies have demonstrated that a well-chosen vegetarian diet contains adequate energy and protein, is high in carbohydrate and low in fat - making it ideal for athletes striving to meet the dietary guidelines encouraged for sport.

Previously, it has been suggested that vegetarians should combine plant protein foods at individual meals to ensure all essential amino acids are provided. The American Dietetic Association have stated that combining plant sources of protein in such a way as to meet the requirements for all the essential amino acids, is unnecessary. As long as a variety of proteincontaining, plant foods are consumed over the course of the day and the energy requirements of the athlete are met, the protein intake of the athlete will adequately meet their daily protein requirements.

Certain vitamins and minerals that are commonly found in animal based foods such as iron, riboflavin, vitamin B12, calcium and zinc can be provided in adequate quantities provided suitable vegetarian meat alternatives are included in the diet. A key issue for athletes who are vegetarian or near-vegetarian is to explore vegetarian alternatives to replace the nutrients normally provided by meat and other foods excluded from their daily intake.

Nutrition Tips for vegetarian athletes:

• Be sure to eat a variety of food choices including protein-rich and carbohydrate-rich foods at each meal. Vegetarian sources of protein and minerals typically found in meat include lentils, dried beans and peas (ready-to-use products are available), tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable (or soy) protein, and ready-made nut, soy or wheat-derived alternatives. Many supermarkets now provide vegetarian styles of mince, sausages or "luncheon meats" ("salami" or "ham").

• You may need help to experiment with vegetarian meat alternatives. Specialist vegetarian cookbooks can provide recipe ideas and special tips for cooking with legumes, soy and other meat alternatives.

• If you have recently converted to a vegetarian diet, you may find that you lose weight that you didn't intend to lose. This is a common result when bulky, high-fibre foods such as beans and legumes are used as a replacement for meat, chicken and fish. Athletes in heavy training or undergoing growth spurts have very high-energy requirements. It is sometimes difficult to eat enough when meals are based on bulky food requiring lots of chewing. In this situation, it is good to find more compact and energy-dense vegetarian foods - for example gluten meat alternatives, textured vegetable protein, tempeh, tofu, fruit juices, dried fruits, nuts, peanut or nut butter, honey and jams. For lacto-ovo-vegetarians, low-fat milk, reduced-fat cheese and other low-fat dairy products are also low in bulk and energy dense. Soy alternatives to these dairy products are available for vegan athletes.

• Be sure to include protein rich foods at meals, especially at the midday meal. Many lacto-ovo-vegetarians use cheese as a convenient meat alternative, whereas vegans may fail to use suitable protein alternatives altogether. As an athlete you may have limited time for meal preparation, particularly at lunch. Convenient meat alternatives for lunch include ready-prepared beans (eg. baked beans), nut and seed spreads, such as peanut butter, tahini and almond spread and ready-made luncheon meats, derived from wheat gluten.

• If you use soy milk instead of cow's milk, be sure to choose a calcium fortified option, since many soy milks are low in calcium. Read the nutrition analysis panel and choose a soy milk that contains at least 100mg of calcium per 100ml of fluid. If you don't drink cow's milk or a calcium fortified soy milk, other suitable non-dairy calcium-rich alternatives include tofu, soy yoghurts and soy custards. Breakfast cereals and low oxalate green vegetables such as broccoli, and bok choy also provide calcium, but it is important to have an everyday eating plan that provides at least 3 serves of calcium-rich foods. For most people, "milks", "yoghurts" and "cheeses" are the easiest foods to include in their eating plan.

• For the Vegan: Vitamin B12 deficiency is a concern for strict vegan athletes. Dairy foods and eggs provide sufficient vitamin B12 for athletes following a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet. Vegan athletes should include a known source of vitamin B12 such as fortified soy milks or consider Vitamin B12 supplementation.

• For the Vegan: Dietary intake of riboflavin may be limited for vegan athletes, particularly those who avoid consuming soy milk and soy milk products. Rich sources of riboflavin for the vegan athlete include fortified breakfast cereals, grains, textured vegetable protein, soy milks, soy yoghurts, soy custards, soy cheeses and yeast extract spreads such as Marmite and Vegemite.

• There are two forms of iron in the diet - haem iron which is found in animal derived foods such as red meat, chicken, liver and eggs, and non-haem iron found in breakfast cereals, bread, legumes, textured vegetable protein, nuts and green leafy vegetables. Haem iron is well absorbed by the body (15-35%) whereas non-haem iron is more poorly absorbed (2-8%). As many athletes have increased requirements for iron and non-haem iron sources are more poorly absorbed by the body compared with haem iron sources, it is important for vegetarian athletes to be aware of iron rich foods and factors that inhibit or enhance iron absorption.

• The best sources of iron in a vegetarian diet include breakfast cereals (especially those commercially fortified with iron - check the nutrition information panel), bread, textured vegetable protein, legumes, dried beans, gluten-based vegetarian meat alternatives, nuts, dried fruits and green leafy vegetables. Including a rich source of vitamin C with meals such as orange juice or salad will enhance the absorption of non-haem iron from these meals. Be sure to avoid drinking tea and coffee with meals or adding unprocessed bran to meals as this will decrease the absorption of non-haem iron from meals.

• Reliable vegetarian websites include:
• • Sanitarium Health Food Company
  • The International Vegetarian Union
  • The Vegetarian Resource Group
  • The Vegan Society

Cooking Tips

• Many traditional meat dishes can be easily converted into a vegetarian dish. Mince is easily replaced in recipes by using either brown or green lentils or textured vegetable protein. Replacing mince in a lasagne with textured vegetable protein or brown lentils provides a suitable alternative to meat.

• Tofu is a great substitute for chicken in most recipes. Although some people complain that tofu is bland and tasteless, there are many seasoned options on the market. You can also season tofu yourself, prior to cooking. Spray a pan with an oil spray, add garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce. Add the tofu, turning frequently and cook until browned.

• Tofu can also be marinated or coated in spices. Once you have cut the tofu into 1cm slabs, marinate in plum sauce, soy sauce and garlic. This is absolutely delicious when barbequed and served on a crusty bread roll with salad.

• Don't be deterred by recipes using beef or chicken stock - vegetable stock is a suitable alternative. There are numerous ready-made vegetable stocks and vegetable stock cubes available in a variety of flavours.

• When using textured vegetable protein in a wet dish such as pasta sauce, don't rehydrate it before use. To cut down on preparation time, simply add it straight to the recipe. You will need to add additional fluid to the recipe as the textured vegetable protein will absorb fluid and dry out the dish.

• Nutmeat is a great substitute for beef in a stir-fry. Simply slice the nutmeat and then cut into cubes. As this is a ready prepared meat alternative it requires minimal cooking and should be added at the end of cooking.

• Canned lentils, kidney beans and three bean mixes are nutritious options that are great to use in cooking. If you have the time to soak them, dried lentils and beans are a cheaper option. If you decide to soak lentils or beans, make a double batch and freeze half. They will keep for up to three months. Canned options are more expensive however definitely decrease the recipe preparation time. They are found in the canned vegetable aisle in most supermarkets.

• The health food section of most supermarkets often provides an excellent array of vegetarian food options. Also check the fridge section for tofu, vegetarian sausages and luncheon slices.

• Try some of the vegetarian recipes on the AIS Sports Nutrition website:
• • Spicy bean burritos
  • Spirals with pumpkin & pesto
  • Quick vegetarian curry

Adapted from: Cox, G. Special needs: the vegetarian athlete.  In: Clinical Sports Nutrition (2nd ed.), edited by L. Burke and V. Deakin. Sydney: McGraw-Hill, 2000, p. 656-671.

Written by Greg Cox and the Department of Sports Nutrition, AIS © Australian Sports Commission 2004