Athletes may follow a “vegetarian” diet for a variety of reasons, although these reasons are usually based on personal convictions rather than on health factors. Because of that, “vegetarian” may mean different things to different people. One “vegetarian” may eat only plant products, while another may include milk products and/or eggs in their diets. People sometimes refer to themselves as “vegetarian” when the only food eliminated from the diet is red meat. Regardless of the “vegetarian” restrictions adopted, a carefully planned diet with limit or no animal protein can still provide adequate proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals to sustain activity, and even growth in children. And the principles employed are much the same as those used in planning any healthy person’s diet.
According to the experts E. Coleman and S.N. Steen, vegetarian athletes should choose a wide variety of foods and consume enough calories to fulfill their energy requirements. This is obviously an appropriate recommendation for any athlete. It is just a bit more of a challenge for a vegetarian since some of the options have been limited. Many of the other recommendations Coleman and Steen make for vegetarians are similarly applicable to all athletes
1.The intake of low nutrient-dense foods (e.g. sweets and fatty foods) should be kept to a minimum
2.Whole and unrefined grain products should be chosen instead of refined products whenever possible. Fortified or enriched cereal products are the next best choice
3.A variety of fruits and vegetables should be consumed, including a good food source of Vitamin C.
4.Low-fat and non-fat varieties of milk should be included
5.Egg yolks should be limited to three per week (if they are if dairy products are consumed. eaten).
6.Vegans (those consuming no milk or egg products) should have a reliable source of vitamin B12, such as fortified soy beverages, or a cyanocobalamin supplement. If exposure to sunlight is limited, a vitamin D supplement may be indicated. For adolescent athletes who follow a vegan diet, great care needs to be taken to provide adequate calories and protein, as well as other nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, zinc, iron, and B12. Any additional individual food restrictions make it more difficult to plan a diet that provides adequate nutrients. Professional consultation with a dietitian is strongly recommended for any adolescent vegan, as they require nutri¬ents not only for energy and performance, but also for growth and development.
Finally, when planning a vegetarian diet, many people work at “balancing” or “combining” proteins. A crucial point in this prac¬tice is that the DAILY diet, not a single meal, is what must be “bal¬ance” or “combined” properly. In other words, the proteins over the course of a day need to complement each other. This is much the same way that the diet of a non-vegetarian needs to be bal¬anced over the course of a day and/or week.