Transcript Sports Nutrition & the Vegetarian Athlete www.hsenetwork.org Objectives  Define vegetarian  Discuss types of vegetarian diets  List reasons for choosing vegetarian diets  Review calorie and.

Sports Nutrition &
the Vegetarian
Athlete
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Objectives
 Define vegetarian
 Discuss types of vegetarian diets
 List reasons for choosing vegetarian
diets
 Review calorie and nutrient needs
 List possible vitamin & mineral concerns
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Define Vegetarian
 Vegetarianism is the practice of not
consuming meat, with or without the use
of other animal derivatives, such as dairy
products or eggs
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Types of Vegetarian Diets
 Vegan – does not eat meat, eggs, or
dairy products
 Lacto-ovo vegetarian – follows vegan diet
but eats dairy foods and eggs
 Lacto – eats dairy foods but no eggs
 Ovo – eats eggs but no dairy foods
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Types of Vegetarian Diets
 Semi-vegetarian
 Pollo-vegetarian - will only eat chicken and
turkey as part of vegan diet
 Pesco - will only eat fish as part of vegan
diet
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Types of Vegetarian Diets
 Other types
 Raw foods – does not eat food heated
above a certain temperature
 Macrobiotic – eats mostly whole grains and
beans
 Fruitarian – eats only fruit, nuts, seeds, and
other plant matter that can be gathered
without harming the plant
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Reasons for Vegetarian
Diets
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Health
Ecological
Religious
Spiritual
Economical
Ethical
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Calorie Needs
 Athlete calorie needs vary depending on:
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Body size
Body composition
Gender
Training regimen
Activity pattern
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Calorie Needs Cont…
 Vegetarian athletes eat mainly plant
based foods which are lower in calories
 Many vegetarians (especially vegans)
may have difficulty meeting calorie needs
 Needs will vary depending on goals of
the individual
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Carbohydrates
 Main source of energy for athletes
 Maximizes glycogen stores for energy
demands during endurance exercise
 Sources: grains, cereals, pasta, dairy, fruits
and vegetables
 Recommend 6 to 10 grams/kg of body weight
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Carbohydrate Content of
Foods (grams)
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Spinach (raw), 1 cup
Peanut butter, 1 TBSP
Cabbage (red), 1 cup
Tangerine, 1 small
Strawberries, 1 cup
Skim milk, 1 cup
Wheat bread, 1 slice
Cantaloupe, ½ melon
Grape nuts cereal, 1 oz
Banana, 1 medium
Spaghetti (cooked), 1 cup
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2
3
4
9
10
12
12
22
23
27
32
Protein
 Protein is made up of amino acids
 Responsible for building and repairing
muscle tissue, producing hormones and
assisting with muscle contraction
 Sources: nuts, seeds, legumes and grains
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Protein Cont…
 Recommendations:
 Endurance athletes: 1.2 to 1.4 grams/kg
 Strength training athletes: 1.6 to 1.7 grams/kg
 Vegetarian athletes: 1.3 to 1.8 grams/kg
 Including a PRO source at each meal is an easy way
to meet PRO needs
 Example: 70 kg vegetarian athlete would require 91
to 126 grams of PRO each day.
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Protein Content of Foods
(grams)
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¼ cup almonds
¼ cup flaxseed
¼ cup soy nuts
1 cup garbanzo beans
1 cup pinto beans
1 cup soybeans
1 Boca Burger patty
1 small baked potato w/skin
1 cup skim milk
3 oz Halibut
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7
5
10
15
14
29
13
5
8
18
Fat
 Provides some energy
and essential fatty acids
 Needed for absorption of
fat soluble vitamins
 Choose fats high in mono
and poly unsaturated fats
such as nuts and nut
butters, seeds, avocados,
olives, olive oil, and
sesame oil
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Fat Cont…
 Recommendations:
 Fat should make up remaining calories in diet after
CHO and PRO
 20 to 25% of total calories
 Athletes with high calorie needs may need to
consume 30 to 40% of calories from fat
 Eat a minimum of 2 servings of fat per day from fatrich plant foods
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Vitamins & Minerals
 A vegetarian diet that restricts certain foods
may increase the needs for certain vitamins
and minerals
 Calcium
 Vitamin D
 Iron
 Vitamin B12
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Calcium
 Calcium helps build strong teeth and bones
 Vegans who eliminate dairy foods may be at
higher risk for calcium deficiencies
 Deficiencies in calcium may result in stress
fractures and decreased bone density
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Calcium
 Recommended calcium requirements:
 Age 19 to 50 = 1000 mg/day
 Age 18 or younger = 1300 mg/day
 Age 50 or older = 1200 mg/day
 Food sources of calcium include:
 low fat dairy foods
 dark green vegetables such as spinach, turnips and collard
greens, kale and broccoli
 fortified tofu, soymilk, and fruit juices
 Almonds and blackstrap molasses
 3 servings of dairy foods or 8 servings of calcium
containing plant foods can meet an athletes calcium needs
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Calcium Content of Foods
(mg)
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Cereal (Total), 1 cup
Bread (calcium fortified), 1 slice
Broccoli (cooked), ½ cup
Turnip greens (cooked), ½ cup
Rhubarb (cooked), ½ cup
Figs (dried), 5 each
Orange juice (calcium fortified), 1 cup
American Cheese (fat free), 1 slice
Cow’s Milk, 1 cup
Almonds, 2 oz
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345
170
45
100
235
135
285
200
300
150
Vitamin D
 Vitamin D contributes to the
maintenance of normal levels
of calcium and phosphorus in
the blood
 The body can synthesize
vitamin D when skin is
exposed to the sun for at
least 15 minutes per day
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Vitamin D
 Recommended Vitamin D requirements:
 Males & females
 Age 14 to 50 = 200 IU/day
 Age 50 to 70 = 400 IU/day
 Age 70 and older = 600 IU/day
 Foods fortified with vitamin D include cow’s milk,
some soymilk, some breakfast cereals and
margarines
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Vitamin D Content of
Foods (IU)
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Quaker Nutrition for Women Instant Oatmeal, 1 packet
Cow's milk, 1 cup
Orange juice, Vit. D fortified, 1 cup
Cereal, fortified, 1 cup
Egg yolk, 1 medium
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140
100
100
40-50
25
Iron
 Iron is involved in the transport of oxygen in red
blood cells and helps regulate cell growth
 Low iron stores can decrease endurance and
lower maximal oxygen uptake
 Endurance athletes are at a higher risk for iron
deficiency due to:
 Heavy sweating
 Hemolysis
 Menstrual blood loses
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Iron
 Two sources of iron
 Heme iron – from meat sources
 Non-heme iron – from plant sources
 Heme iron is absorbed more efficiently than nonheme sources
 Vitamin C can enhance iron absorption when
consumed with iron rich foods (i.e, eating
legumes with a fruit juice beverage)
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Iron
 Vegetarian sources of Iron include
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Tofu
Potato skins and yams
Nuts and seeds
Most beans and peas
Green leafy vegetables
Whole grains and enriched breads
Raisins
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Iron
 Recommended iron requirements:
 Females Age 14 to 18 = 15 mg/day
 Females Age 19 to 50 = 18 mg/day
 Females Age 50 and older = 8 mg/day
 Males Age 14 to 18 = 11 mg/day
 Males Age 19 and older = 8 mg/day
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Iron Content of Foods (mg)
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Corn flakes, 1 cup
Cheerios, 1 cup
Macaroni, 1 cup cooked
Raisins, ¼ cup
Apricots, 5 halves
Baked potato, medium
Sweet potato, medium
Pumpkin seeds, 1 oz
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8.1
10.3
2.0
0.7
0.9
2.2
1.1
4.2
Vitamin B12
 According to the USDA, strict vegetarians and
people above 50 are at the highest risk of not
getting enough vitamin B12
 B12 is involved in energy metabolism
 Helps the body release energy from CHO, PRO and
FATS
 Lack of vitamin B12 causes poor nerve function,
anemia, and fatigue
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Vitamin B12
 Recommended B12 requirements:
 Males & Females Age 14 and older = 2.4 mcg/day
 Vegetarian food sources of vitamin B12
include:
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Dairy foods
Eggs
Tempeh
Fortified foods (cereals, breads, and Red Star
Nutritional Yeast)
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Vitamin B12 Content of
Foods (mcg)
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Egg (poached), 1 large
Milk, 1 cup
Brie (cheese), 1 oz
Tempeh, 3.5 oz
Red Star Yeast, 2 TBSP
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0.4
0.9
0.5
0.4
8.0
Position of the ADA
 The position statement of the American Dietetic
Association (ADA) states, “appropriately
planned vegetarian diets are healthful,
nutritionally adequate, and provide health
benefits in the prevention and treatment of
certain diseases” and “can meet the needs of
competitive athletes.”
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Questions?
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