The diet of great athletes was once full of carbohydrates derived from cereals and, of course, meat proteins that “offered power” to their muscles. But that has changed noticeably to the present, where many athletes are vegetarians or vegans . Thus, the diet of the stars of the NBA may also surprise us, but the best players of the moment take a diet based on plant foods.

The advantages of eating a vegetarian diet

When we start a vegetarian diet many times we expect a weight loss, but in reality, to achieve the kilos loss you need an adequate planning , so the benefits of a vegetarian diet go beyond the body weight or fat stored in the same.

Since we will begin to consume many more fruits and vegetables as well as preparations that include them, the vegetarian or vegan diet can offer us all the benefits of regular consumption of these foods , including positive effects on a physical, mental and emotional level.

On the other hand, we will reduce the intake of many processed and ultra processed ones if we really look for a vegetarian or vegan diet of quality, which will result in more fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and less trans fat , refined flours and sugars.

If we also think that we will look for vegetarian alternatives to hamburgers, hot dogs, meatballs and other meat or animal-based preparations, we probably consume more legumes to satisfy ourselves and obtain other benefits, as well as more seeds and nuts than in the context of a balanced vegetarian diet benefits health.

Finally, opting for a well-planned vegetarian diet to achieve a healthy diet can also have a positive impact at the environmental level , since we will opt for locally produced and seasonal food and always fresh instead of processed.

Vegetarian diet: Suitable for athletes?

A long time ago we would have answered with a NO to this question, because, how were going to lack meats and eggs in an NBA player? Well now it is important to note that not only is it suitable but a vegetarian diet can be beneficial for athletes .

Of course, we talk about a healthy diet and properly planned , because otherwise we can cause many failures and harm us.

First, the vegetarian diet can help us achieve a healthier weight , and lower weight more agility and speed as experienced by NBA stars now, on the other hand, many nutrients that predominate in foods of plant origin such as Antioxidants can reduce the incidence of injuries as well as the recovery time of them according to American scientists.

On the other hand, a study published earlier this year indicates that we can experience more vitality and motivation in the face of greater consumption of fruits and vegetables, hence a vegetarian diet could be helpful in delaying fatigue at the time of physical exertion or even, at the time of training giving the best of us. In fact, Elena Congost, champion paralympic marathon, confessed to experience more energy, strength and strength after moving to veganism, something that many stars of the NBA match.

In addition, a review published in the journal Nutrition points out that as long as enough vegetable proteins are included in order to face the muscle wasting caused by physical effort, the impact on physical performance will be similar to that offered by animal proteins.

On the other hand, an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet proved to have similar effects on endurance athletes omnivorous diet, but offer a higher concentration of nutrients, which can certainly provide an extra benefit.

All this leads us to think that a vegetarian diet is not incompatible with being an athlete but if we plan it properly in order to include in the daily food quality food and enough quantity we can achieve great success at the sport level as a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The key proper planning

Not every vegetarian (or omnivorous) diet is useful at the time of achieving good sports performance, but the key is in an adequate planning that meets the needs of each athlete .

Thus, it is essential to achieve a healthy vegetarian diet pay attention to the proteins that must be guaranteed both in quality and quantity by plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds, legumes such as soy or other and derivatives and the combination of proteins vegetables to obtain all the essential amino acids.

On the other hand, we must ensure adequate intake of iron and promote its absorption in the body with vitamin C for example, supplements may be necessary in particular cases, as well as, always requires supplementation with vitamin B12 to prevent anemia especially.

Achieving a complete vegetarian or vegan diet that provides quality nutrients and meets the caloric demands of each athlete can obtain many benefits, achieving success in terms of physical performance.