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Am J Clin Nutr. Ahmad Fuzi SF, et al. A 1-h time interval between a meal containing iron and consumption of tea attenuates the inhibitory effects on iron absorption: a controlled trial in a cohort of healthy UK women using a stable iron isotope. Grosso G, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids and depression: scientific evidence and biological mechanisms.

Oxid Med Cell Longev. Shei RJ, et al. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the optimization of physical performance. Mil Med. Okuyama H, et al. Omega3 fatty acids effectively prevent coronary heart disease and other late-onset diseases—the excessive linoleic acid syndrome.

World Rev Nutr Diet. Simopoulos AP. Omega-3 fatty acids in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. J Am Coll Nutr. Davis BC, et al. Achieving optimal essential fatty acid status in vegetarians: current knowledge and practical implications.

Kawabata F, et al. Supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid-rich fish oil improves exercise economy and reduces perceived exertion during submaximal steady-state exercise in normal healthy untrained men. Sources of protein that contain all nine essential amino acids are called complete proteins, and ones that do not are called incomplete proteins.

It is critical for all people to ensure they are getting all essential amino acids in their diet, either by consuming complete sources of protein OR multiple, complementing sources of incomplete protein.

Below is a list of plant-based sources of complete protein and good combinations of incomplete proteins to help provide vegan athletes all the essential amino acids their bodies need:.

Incomplete protein combinations: nuts and seeds with whole grain, grains and beans, beans and nuts or seeds. It important to understand that, as long as you eat a variety of incomplete proteins in a day, you are getting all of the essential amino acids your body requires.

These also do not have to be eaten at the same time i. within the same meal , but can be consumed throughout the day. In addition to protein, it is important to understand the role of other macronutrients in your diet and how they contribute to athletic performance and recovery.

While it is critical to get both carbohydrates and protein in your diet, it is equally important to understand the purpose of each nutrient to help determine how much you should consume, whether you are a vegan or a meat-eating athlete.

Myth: Vegans need to take a multivitamin or supplements to make sure they are getting enough iron and other nutrients. Almost all of these nutrients — with the exception of vitamins D and B12 — can be readily found in many different plant products.

It is highly recommended by the American Dietetics Association and the American College of Sports Medicine that all athletes try to get the nutrients they need in their diet from whole foods first, before resulting to supplements.

Whole foods are generally safer to consume, and nutrients are more readily absorbed by the body from whole foods than from powders or pills. in their normal diet, then they might need to consider taking a supplement, but the first goal should be to obtain these nutrients through whole foods.

Below are lists of several great plant-based sources of all of the above nutrients:. Iron : lentils, chickpeas, beans, tofu, cashew nuts, chia seeds, ground linseed, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, kale, dried apricots and figs, raisins, quinoa and fortified breakfast cereal. Zinc : beans, chickpeas, lentils, tofu, walnuts, cashew nuts, chia seeds, ground linseed, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, wholemeal bread, quinoa, and green leafy vegetables.

Calcium : kale, pak choi, okra, spring greens, dried figs, chia seeds, and almonds; many milk and yogurt alternatives and certain types of tofu are also calcium-fortified.

Vitamin D : mushrooms; most soy and almond milks are also fortified with vitamin D, as is cows milk be sure to check the labels and nutrition facts to see how much is added ; our bodies can also synthesize vitamin D from appropriate levels of sun exposure, so getting outdoors can be a great way to supplement this in your diet.

Just 15 minutes of sun on the face and arms provides the amount of vitamin D a person needs in a day! Vitamin B12 : vitamin B12 is the one nutrient that cannot be obtained sufficiently from a solely plant-based diet, as it is not made by either plants or animals naturally.

In its acute form, like after spraining an ankle, coming down with a bacterial infection, or recovering from a workout, inflammation is an immediate and necessary part of the healing process.

Left unchecked, or further intensified, inflammation can prolong healing time from injuries or sickness, and also increase soreness and swelling, slowing recovery between workouts and competitions.

Chronic inflammation often begins with the same cellular response, but shifts in nature when the immune system fails to heal the injury effectively, eliminate the foreign invaders, or continues to respond to a threat that no longer exists.

Once it reaches this stage, inflammation often begins damaging healthy tissues, including muscles and joints Taking all of this into account, unnecessary inflammation can have a significant negative impact on our physical performance Fortunately, diet can be a powerful tool to get us through acute inflammation faster and combat chronic inflammation as well.

But it can also have the opposite effect. Animal-based diets fall into the latter category. Extensive research has shown that meat and other animal products contain or lead to the formation of a wide range of pro -inflammatory compounds and molecules, including bacterial endotoxins, trimethylamine N-oxide TMAO , nitrosamines, heterocyclic amines HCAs , N-Glycolylneuraminic acid Neu5Gc , and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs Plants fall on the opposite end of this spectrum, coming naturally packed with high doses of anti -inflammatory compounds, including thousands of powerful antioxidants.

The contrast between these two classes of food is dramatic, with plants having on average 64 times the antioxidant content of animal foods This helps explain why switching to a plant-based diet can help reduce measures of inflammation by 29 percent in just three weeks Not surprisingly, numerous studies have shown that the anti-inflammatory nature of plant foods can help decrease soreness, reduce muscle damage, and support recovery — all of which contribute to improved performance Eating plants also combats the inflammation caused by animal foods 27, Therefore, decreasing animal foods while increasing plant foods has a dual effect: it not only replaces pro-inflammatory compounds with anti-inflammatory ones, but also frees up the beneficial plant compounds to address the inflammation caused by exercise, injury, and sickness The reduction in both acute and chronic inflammation reveals why so many plant-based athletes, including those featured in The Game Changers , report reduced DOMS delayed onset muscle soreness , quicker recovery times after workouts and competitions, faster healing from injuries, reduced tendonitis and joint pain, improved immunity, and significantly increased career longevity.

For more on the effect plant-based eating can have on specific areas of performance and fitness, please visit Gaining Muscle and Strength , Going the Distance , and Getting and Staying Lean. American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement.

Nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. High-quality carbohydrates and physical performance: Expert panel report.

Nutr Today. Many non-elite multisport endurance athletes do not meet sports nutrition recommendations for carbohydrates. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. Pre- and post-season dietary intake, body composition, and performance indices of NCAA division I female soccer players.

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