The Performance of Vegan Sports Stars & Clubs
by Natasha Christou Digital Marketing ConsultantOnline takeaway service Just Eat found recently that
veganism was a top trend among their customer base. Although it’s important to
understand that veganism is not a trend and instead a lifestyle choice, the
brand also noted that there was a 94% increase in healthy food ordered at the
time. For sporting athletes, lifestyle is essential for performance and
veganism is an increasingly popular option for some of the biggest names in the
field. With this new information in mind, join Traidcraft, suppliers of fair trade vegan chocolate, and take
a look at how successful a plant-based diet has proven for those who are under
constant pressure to perform.
Jermain Defoe
As veganism has grown in popularity over the years,
documentaries on the topic have become readily available to educate audiences
on the realities of the meat industry. One person to make the conversion to
veganism in light of one of these programs is Jermain Defoe, an English
professional footballer playing for a string of successful teams including
Tottenham Hotspur. In a recent interview, he confessed that his lifestyle
change came as a result of watching ‘What
The Health’ on streaming service Netflix, an expose of the cruelty and
environmental consequences of a carnivorous diet. While many footballers retire
before they hit their mid-30’s, Jermain is 36 and still actively playing the
beautiful game for Scottish Premiership team Rangers F.C.
In an interview discussing his new dietary choices in 2018,
he said “Now I feel like I’ve got more energy. I feel completely different –
I’m able to train every day, I don’t get injuries, it’s helped with my game.
That, for me, is the most important thing”, demonstrating a whole host of
benefits from excluding dairy and animal products. With 57 caps for his country
and 162 goals in the English Premier League, Defoe is a great model for any
aspiring vegan athletes.
Venus Williams
Venus Williams has been a professional tennis player since
the age of 14, and she was the first African American woman to become World
No.1 in the Open Era in 2002. Her career is a force to be reckoned with, and
she has remained unshaken by many opponents; but in 2011, Venus was diagnosed
with Sjögren’s syndrome and pulled out of the U.S Open later that year to
recoup. As a result, she made the switch to follow a raw, plant-based diet and
she slowly began playing again. She has regularly stated in interviews that
making the lifestyle change was the sole reason that she could take to the
court again, and she is often pictured armed with a carton of milk substitute
in between sets.
She has celebrated her new relationship with food, “I fell in
love with the concept of fuelling your body in the best way possible”, and she
is testament against the common misconception of vegan diets as being
restrictive and inadequate for those in sport. Protein is often a key focus for
athletes, and many people believe that the protein content of a plant-based
diet cannot compete with meat products. However, some of the best vegan
friendly protein dense options include tofu, lentils, almonds, spirulina and
chia seeds.
Forest Green Rovers
Fans of the Gloucestershire side do not enjoy the
traditional steak pie or beef burger before kick-off, as the pre-match snacks
are made with meat substitutes. In fact, meat has been entirely benched, as
even the players must adhere to a veggie diet to don a Forest Green Rovers
shirt. In terms of performance, they are currently fifth in League Two after a triumphant
promotion in 2017. They cite their reasoning for implementing veganism into the
club as environmentally linked, with the damaging consequences of livestock
farming a key motivator behind the meat-free squad. They have also recently
qualified for the 2019 English Football League play-offs, which could see them
soar into the next tier up, League One.
The club chairman Dale Vince is also a green energy pioneer
as the founder of Ecotricity, and he brought veganism onto the pitch at Forest
Green Rovers in 2014. On the topic, he has said “Personally, I’m a vegan and
have very strong views on the environment, animal welfare and human health”,
and these concerns have been transformed in a sport setting as Forest Green
Rovers set their sights on promotion glory.
So, do vegan athletes outperform their carnivorous competitors?
Veganism has been subjected to a lot of criticism for a variety of reasons, but
we could be underestimating it as a valid way to fuel our bodies. As these
plant-based victories show, there is a substantial amount of bodily fuel that
can be derived from following a plant-only diet, and perhaps athletes should
try the switch themselves in order to determine the benefits.
Sources:
o
https://www.health.com/nutrition/venus-williams-raw-vegan-diet
o
https://www.clearlyveg.org/blog/2017/01/16/venus-williams-plant-based-diet-changed-my-life/
o
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321474.php
o
https://www.premierleague.com/players/1526/Jermain-Defoe/overview
o
https://www.fgr.co.uk/our-ethos/100-vegan
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Created on Sep 4th 2019 03:22. Viewed 453 times.