Among athletes, “turning vegan” (or vegetarian) is not a passing fad. Given the most popular ages for embarking upon a vegan lifestyle are 19, 20 and 21, many college athletes are asking me how to eat a meatless sports diet.

First, I want to understand why they are choosing to cut out animal-based foods. The standard reasons are:

1. Vegan and vegetarian diets tend to be healthier than a diet based on burgers and bacon. Indeed, plant-based meals with beans, veggies, and whole grains are nutrient dense, fiber-rich, and abundant in healthful phytochemicals and healthy fats. (Yet, vegan diets are not always healthier. Coke, Oreos, Skittles, Doritos are vegan-friendly…)

2. Vegans/vegetarians are leaner than omnivores, so some athletes embark upon a vegan lifestyle in hopes of losing weight. That might happen if your vegan/vegetarian diet coincides with limiting your intake of calories. Knocking off 300 calories of ice cream and replacing it with 100 calories of berries creates a significant calorie reduction.

3. Plant-based diets address concerns about animal rights and the environment. Hence, vegan/vegetarian diets appeal to animal lovers and folks who want to help save the planet. Reducing animal agriculture is one small way to curb global warming (and every little bit helps). But according to Frank Mitloehner PhD professor and air quality specialist at UC-Davis, industry and transportation are far bigger polluters— as is wasted food. (Forty percent of food we produce never gets to the table.) This podcast with Dr. Mitloehner offers science-based climate-change facts.

4. Though not verbalized as a reason to go vegan, meatless diets, unfortunately, are a popular way for athletes with anorexia to cut out chicken, beef, fish, eggs, dairy… to the point they are living on little more than fruits and veggies. Eating disorders can change healthy vegan meals into diets deficient in not only protein, but many nutrients, including iron, calcium, zinc, B-12, vitamin D, iodine, and omega-3 fats. Within a few months, good health can dwindle into injuries, hair falling out in clumps, low energy, and poor athletic performance.

Considerations when building a vegan sports diet

The busy lifestyle of vegan athletes can create nutrition challenges. For example, when eating on the run, vegans may find Oreos are more readily available than, let’s say, roasted chickpeas. Grab-and-go snacks of just a bagel or a banana should get balanced with some protein — but is hummus or soymilk readily available? All this means vegan athletes have to be responsible and plan ahead.

When listening to my vegan/vegetarian clients, I often hear “red flag” statements that signal misinformation. Let’s take a look at some common misconceptions and correct some myths related to vegan/vegetarian sports diets.

“Carbs” are fattening, a waste of calories? False! 

Plants are carbs! While you want to limit nutrient-poor carbs (like Frosted Flakes, Pop-Tarts, ramen), wholesome carbs (preferably called grain-foods) should be the foundation of every meal to fully fuel muscles. Athletes who train one to three hours a day can easily end up with needless fatigue if they try to thrive on fruit and salads. Grains (and all “carbs”) are NOT inherently fattening. Excess calories of any food can be fattening.

As a vegan/vegetarian athlete, you would be wise to eat grains (such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, brown rice) as the foundation of each meal/snack. Combine them with a colorful assortment of fruits and/or vegetables for more muscle-fuel, and of course, a dose of protein.

Lunchtime salads are a healthy vegan meal? Sometimes.

While salads can be nutrient-rich, they can also be protein and carb-poor—but high in calories given a “little bit” of olive oil on a big salad ends up being a lot of dressing. Filling up on calories from fat will not refuel depleted muscle glycogen. Vegan athletes could better refuel their muscles with a grain-protein combination such as a hummus wrap or beans and rice.

Quinoa can be the “protein” in a vegan meal? No!

Quinoa is reputed to be a protein-rich grain, containing all the essential amino acids needed to build muscle. It is not a stand-along protein-rich food. If you compare quinoa to other grains, you’ll see it offers only 6 grams of protein per 200 calories, similar to rice (4 g), and less than pasta (7 g). Most athletes should target 15 to 25 grams of protein at each meal. That means, you want to add more than just quinoa to your salad. How about tofu? beans? lentils?

Almond milk is a replacement for dairy milk? No way!

Almond juice (it is not milk) has far fewer nutrients than dairy milk. Milk’s 8 grams of high-quality protein is life-sustaining. The 1 gram of low-quality protein in almond beverages is not. Soy or pea milk are acceptable dairy-free alternatives to cows’ milk.

Soy causes cancer and man-boobs? Wrong.

The latest research indicates soy is cancer preventive and is safe— even for women with breast cancer. As for man-boobs, the one case study about unusual male breast development refers to a person who routinely drank three quarts of soymilk a day. That is a LOT of soymilk. For the latest soy updates, enjoy this podcast.

Protein bars and powders can replace real foods? Not really.

Protein-rich foods are preferable to highly processed bars and shakes. Nutrients in natural foods interact synergistically Instead of yet-another bar or shake for a meal or snack, how about cereal + (soy) milk, crackers + hummus, or banana + nut butter? Aren’t these real foods more in keeping with the spirit of veganism?

Sports Nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD counsels both casual and competitive athletes in the Boston-area. Her updated (2019) Sports Nutrition Guidebook can help you optimize your eating. Visit NancyClarkRD.com for information about appointments, books, and teaching materials.

With the recent rising health concerns and increasing awareness for the benefits of organic produce, organic products have become more popular in recent years, especially considering the ongoing battle with obesity and diabetes faced by a large population of the United States. There are so many benefits to choosing organic products.

What does organic actually mean?

Organic products are grown under a natural agricultural system without the influence of synthetic fertilizers or chemicals (1). The regulations vary from country to country, but generally speaking, organic farming means growing crops without the use of any synthetic pesticides, GMOs, and certain toxic fertilizers; for raising livestock for meat, eggs, or dairy, the livestock must be fed organic products, have regular access to natural outdoor areas, and they cannot be given any growth hormones or antibiotics.

Monocropping

Monocropping is the term for planting a single crop type in a large area of farmland, which is a widely used technique in non-organic agriculture. This leaves this crop very vulnerable to being quickly wiped out by a bug or a disease. Consequently, farmers must spray chemicals to kill these diseases/bugs, filling the crop with these toxins which are not designed for human consumption.

Organic farmers practice planting a variety of different crops in one area to attract a range of bugs and other wildlife, which will naturally keep the plants healthy.

Norma Brault, a food blogger at Big Assignments and Research Papers(2), states “Herbicides and pesticides aren’t able to differentiate between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ insects, so simply wipe out everything but the crop. Organic farming practices do not use these toxins, so they don’t negatively affect biodiversity and promote healthy growing techniques to maintain the living organisms the crops need to grow and keep the soil healthy and rich in nutrients.”

Pesticides, Insecticides, Fungicides, Herbicides…

Such toxic chemicals are commonly used in more conventional, non-organic agriculture and can end up being ingested when we eat these foods. The residues of these chemicals end up in the food we eat.

Environmental Impact

Organic farming is unquestionably better for the environment, by reducing pollution, energy usage, water usage, and soil erosion, and increasing soil health and fertility.

Local food production and markets are also better for the environment by reducing emissions and unnecessary plastic packaging.

Organic agricultural techniques don’t harm the community surrounding the farmland, it keeps harmful toxins out of the air, the soil, and even the drinking water – protecting the farmers, local people, and wildlife.

These chemicals will even end up in the ocean (3) – as everything eventually does – whether by leaking through the soil into aquifers, blowing into nearby bodies of water, or running off into the sea in the rain, and can be damaging to ocean life.

Keeping Livestock Healthy and Happy

Livestock raised organically are never given animal byproducts, growth hormones, or antibiotics, which keeps them much healthier and happier and at lower risk of diseases and infections. They are also given plenty of space to roam outdoors.

David Green, a health writer at  Boomessays and Studydemic (4), says “It’s well-known that the meat of stressed animals tastes worse – organic practices ensure the meat tastes as best it can, since the livestock is well taken care of.” The same also applies to crops! Healthy, happy crops will taste better than monocropped, herbicide-filled crops.

Better Tasting Food!

Organic farming produces food that is richer in nutrients, so it is much better for your health and wellbeing. The soil is nutrient-rich as a result of sustainable farming practices, while farmers are forced to spray chemicals on crops in non-organic agriculture, since the soil is not naturally being replenished.

There are countless benefits to organic produce, helping improve the health of the earth, the sea, drinking water, local wildlife, the environment, farmers, local communities, and you and your family. By choosing to eat organically produced and certified organic food products, you are actively choosing to help keep the world healthy.

References

(1) https://ota.com/organic-101/how-organic-food-grown

(2) Norma Brault, food blogger at Big Assignments and Research Papers

(3) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080216095740.htm

(4) David Green, a health writer at Boomessays and Studydemic

Photo credits: Fuzzy Rescue; Elle Hughes

The main reason to eat meat of any kind is the top quality Heme-Iron that isn’t present in plants (Non-Heme Iron).

Beef also contains a big dose of stress-reducing B vitamins as well as Zinc. Anytime we eat foods high in Zinc, our bodies produce Super Oxide Dimutase, or SOD. This is a supercharged anti-aging antioxidant! And, your body does all the work for you.

Once upon a time (before WWII), daily life revolved around structured meals: enjoying a hearty breakfast, dinner (at noon), and supper (at night). When women entered the workforce, eating patterns changed — lighter breakfasts and lunches, with bigger family-focused dinners. Fast forward to pre-COVID 2020, youth sports and life’s busy-ness totally disrupted dinner-times; structured meals got lost in the shuffle.

Today (week #8 of COVID shut-down), our stay-at-home lifestyle has gifted many of us with time to cook breakfast, enjoy lunch, and have family dinners. Yet, many athletes are feeling confused and/or uneasy about how they are eating:

“I’m sleeping until 11:00 a.m. Should I eat breakfast — or lunch — when I get up?”

“I now have easy access to food given I’m working at home. I spend too much time grazing. Seems like I am hungry all the time.”

“My eating habits are weird. How should I be eating? What is “normal” eating?”

Sound familiar? To add a supportive framework, joy to meals, and answer the question What is normal eating?, I turn to eating authority Ellyn Satter, author of Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family (a book every parent should read; EllynSatter-Institute.org).

Here is her definition of “normal eating”:

Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it — not stopping eating just because you think you should.

That is, did you stop eating breakfast today because the oatmeal in your bowl was all gone? Or were you truly satiated? At the end of lunch, did you stop at your one-sandwich allotment, even though you wanted more? If you are “feeling hungry all the time,” you likely ARE hungry; your body is requesting more fuel. Trust it. You’ll end up eating more sooner or later, so please honor that hunger and eat more now.

Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food. That is, have you put yourself in food jail and banned “fun foods” like cookies, cupcakes, and chips, out of fear of over-eating them? Ideally, your meal plan includes 85-90% quality foods, with 10-15% fun foods. You need not eat a perfect diet to have an excellent diet. Some “fun food” in the midst of a pandemic can be, well, fun!

Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad, or bored, or just because it feels good. Yes, food is a way we celebrate, mourn, and entertain ourselves. Sometimes we even need a hug from food, despite being not hungry. One bowl of ice cream will not ruin your waistline nor your health forever. That said, routinely overindulging in ice cream as a means to distract yourself from life’s pain will not solve any problem. If you are using food as a drug, to not start eating can be easier than stopping once you have started.

Normal eating is mostly three meals a day, or four or five, or it can be choosing to munch along the way. Most athletes require fuel at least every 3 to 4 hours. Those who “graze all day” commonly under-eat at meals. If you stop eating because you think you should, not because you are satiated, you will feel the urge to graze. Solutions: eat the rest of your breakfast-calories for a mid-morning snack, eat an earlier lunch, or better yet, give yourself permission to eat enough satiating food at breakfast. Living hungry all the time puts a damper on your quality of life, to say nothing of impairs athletic performance.

Normal eating is leaving cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful. If you are banning fun foods from your house because you can’t eat just one cookie, think again. Denying yourself permission to enjoy a few cookies boosts the urge to eat the whole plateful. I call that “last chance eating.” You know, “last chance to have cookies, because tomorrow I am back on my cookie-free diet.” Depriving yourself of cookies leads to binge-eating. Try planning in forbidden foods every day. They will soon lose their power.

Normal eating is overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. And it can be undereating at times and wishing you had more. Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating. Yes, even normal eaters overeat. It’s normal to have too much birthday cake, too much Sunday Brunch, too much ice cream. When competent eaters overeat, they listen to their body’s signals – and notice they take longer to get hungry again. That is, if you have a hearty brunch, you will be less hungry that evening. Trust me. Rather, trust your body.

Hunger is your body’s way of telling you it has burned off what you gave it, and now it is ready for more fuel. You want to honor hunger and eat intuitively, like kids do. Kids eat matter-of-factly; they stop eating when they are content. Adults (especially weight-conscious athletes), don’t eat when they are hungry, then don’t stop when content. Rather, they “cheat” and guiltily stuff themselves with forbidden foods —last chance before the diet starts again!

Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life. If you are spending 90% of your time thinking about food, you are likely hungry 90% of the time. (If humans didn’t think about food, they would never think to eat.) If you eat until you are satisfied, you will stop incessantly thinking about food. That said, food-thoughts can be a way to distract yourself from stuff you really don’t want to think about. In that case, talking with a counsellor might be helpful. Smothering your feelings with chocolate will not solve any of your problems.

In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food, and your feelings. Many athletes very rigidly eat the same foods every single day. A sports nutritionist can help add variety (more nutrients), flexibility, and more joy to eating. Food can and should be one of life’s pleasures, both when training and in the midst of the pandemic.

Boston-area sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD counsels both casual and competitive athletes, helping them learn how to eat competently. Her best-selling Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a helpful resource. For more information, visit NancyClarkRD.com.

This salad is perfect as the weather warms up. The taste and health benefits are amazing. Bone building, hormone balancing, and heart health are just a few of the wonderful “side effects” of one of my most requested recipes. It’s a fresh and vibrant side dish to liven up any BBQ, picnic, or potluck.

Ingredients

• 1 cup jicama, julienne
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup purple onion, minced
• ¾ cup grapeseed oil mayonnaise (Follow Your Heart brand)
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tsp fresh horseradish, shredded
• 1 Tbsp honey

Directions

Toss first four ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Combine Grapeseed oil mayo, lemon juice, fresh horseradish and honey in a separate bowl.  Pour over vegetables and toss to coat.  Chill and serve.

Phyte Bites

Horseradish relieves pain, reduces inflammation, and stimulates the metabolism.

Broccoli is a powerful weapon against hormone-based cancers (prostate, cervical, breast, and lung.)

Parsley is high in Apigenin and is a great bone strengthener. Harvard School of Medicine thinks Apigenin may possibly lead to a cure for ovarian cancer.

All of the ingredients listed contribute to strong bones, ligaments, and tendons. Grapeseed oil is the only oil we know of that actually clears plaque from our arteries. This combination of ingredients is a powerhouse of antioxidant activity.

Get more great recipes from Tina Martini — her book, Delicious Medicine: The Healing Power of Food is available to purchase on Amazon. More than a cookbook, combining 20+ years of experience, along with her love of coaching, cooking and teaching, Tina offers unexpected insights into the history and healing power of clean eating, along with recipes to help reduce your risk of disease and improve overall wellness so you can enjoy life!

Affectionately referred to as The Walking Encyclopedia of Human Wellness, Fitness Coach, Strength Competitor and Powerlifting pioneer, Tina “The Medicine Chef” Martini is an internationally recognized Naturopathic Chef and star of the cooking show, Tina’s Ageless Kitchen. Tina’s cooking and lifestyle show has reached millions of food and fitness lovers all over the globe. Over the last 30 years, Tina has assisted celebrities, gold-medal athletes and over-scheduled executives naturally achieve radiant health using The Pyramid of Power: balancing Healthy Nutrition and the healing power of food, with Active Fitness and Body Alignment techniques. Working with those who have late-stage cancer, advanced diabetes, cardiovascular and other illnesses, Tina’s clients are astounded at the ease and speed with which they are able to restore their radiant health. Tina believes that maintaining balance in our diet, physical activity, and in our work and spiritual life is the key to our good health, happiness and overall well being. Visit her website, themedicinechef.com

Has anyone else heard the call of their refrigerator nonstop during lockdown? It’s bad enough that we can’t go to the gym anymore and can wear stretchy loungewear all day, but to have access to your own fridge 24/7? It will be truly impressive if anyone can come out of this without having put on weight… 

Luckily, there are a few simple tricks to try to keep the unhealthy cravings at bay throughout isolation and preserve both your figure and your overall well being. Here’s what to consider the next time you reach for that Sub-Zero handle:

Avoid Snacking

When we’re bored, we naturally gravitate towards eating. It’s something to do that gives a hit of instant gratification and we’re all guilty of eating when we’re not hungry from time to time. Snacks are the worst because it’s hard to know when to stop and before we know it we’ve polished off that bag of Doritos and two tubs of Ben & Jerry’s. Oops.

We’re not saying no snacks are allowed, but instead of letting yourself go wild in the snack cupboard, try cutting back to one morning snack and one afternoon snack and leave it at that. If you simply must nibble on something every hour, opt for healthy choices like raw almonds or dried fruit. Sounds boring, but you’ll get the hang of it if you stick with it.

Stop Eating Lots of Sugar

If there’s one silent but deadly culprit hiding in just about everything packaged, it’s sugar. You already know it’s bad, but how bad? Let’s put it this way: Sugar can damage your heart, add unwanted belly fat, it’s toxic to your liver, bad for your brain, and is linked to cancer. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you haven’t ever thought about your thrice-daily desserts before, quarantine is actually a great time to do a little research and rethink what you’re putting into your body. You are what you eat! And we don’t mean sweet. 

Don’t Overdo It on Carbs

Carbs will quickly make you put on weight, so it makes sense to cut back during this period where you’re not as active. Of course, your body needs some carbs, but you definitely don’t need a doughnut with breakfast and a roll with dinner. 

Here’s an easy swap: instead of bringing out the tortilla or potato chips to scoop into hummus, exchange them for some crisp raw chopped cucumber, carrot sticks, or red pepper slices. You may not be a fan of the veggies uncooked on their own, but with the hummus it’s actually really tasty. You’ll feel more energized after this snack as well. A win-win.

Don’t Forget About Fruit and Veg

The best way to boost your immunity? Eat lots of food with natural color. We’re talking ripe red strawberries, dark blue blueberries, leafy green spinach; the works. You can also get lots of Vitamin C from oranges or a morning glass of natural OJ. You want to get as many nutrients in as possible to help your body out during this period where we are all particularly susceptible to illness. Natural, healthy nourishment is always a good idea. 

Skip Deep-Fried, Processed Foods

Fried foods like French fries may be a go-to treat for many, but they should, for the most part, be avoided during lockdown. Although it’s tasty, junk food is really bad for your brain as it spikes your sugar levels, but doesn’t provide any real nutrition. We all know they’re not good for us and just because we have a creeping feeling of despair over being locked indoors all the time does not mean that we should indulge in all of the most unhealthy foods. Trust us, it won’t make things better. 

Don’t Make Every Hour Happy Hour

The home bar may always be open, but that doesn’t mean drinking a glass of wine for breakfast everyday is acceptable. Drinking every day is not only terrible on your body – liver, skin, immune system, it’s also bad for your mental health. Plus, alcohol is made from sugar or starch, so you are drinking many calories without even realizing it. It’s ok, it’s not too late; just put down the glass and walk away slowly…

It’s not easy to eat healthy all the time, but if you avoid these toxic habits, you’ll feel a lot better overall during quarantine. Good luck and stay safe and healthy!

Rae Steinbach is a graduate of Tufts University with a combined International Relations and Chinese degree. After spending time living and working abroad in China, she returned to NYC to pursue her career and continue curating quality content. Rae is passionate about travel, food, and writing for Yummie.

Picture courtesy of Pexels.