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Plant-Based Sports Nutrition
Expert fueling strategies for training, recovery, and performance
by D. Enette Larson-Meyer and Matt Ruscigno
344 Pages
In Plant-Based Sports Nutrition, registered dietitians Enette Larson-Meyer and Matt Ruscigno combine decades of evidence-based research with personal experience working with—and as—vegan and vegetarian athletes to offer you a reliable and complete explanation of how, when, and why you need to plan your nutrient intake to maximize nutrition and get the best results. They will help you make smart decisions about properly fueling your body so you have the energy and stamina to boost your training and excel during competition.
Learn how to get proper amounts of all essential macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals, taking into account your personal caloric needs. Draw inspiration from athletes who share how they succeed in their sports while following a plant-based way of eating. Enjoy plenty of recipes to use for training, event, and everyday nutrition needs and utilize the tailored meal plans and training strategies to properly fuel your body. Understand nutrient timing and relative energy deficiency syndrome (RED-S) as well as how to meet protein and amino acid requirements while doing light, moderate, or intense training for your sport. Get information on keto diets, tips for optimizing bone health and iron intake, and instructions for making your own fluid-replacement beverage.
Whether you are a dedicated vegetarian or vegan looking to add variety to your diet or you are an athlete searching for a plant-based competitive edge, Plant-Based Sports Nutrition will help you maximize your diet for optimal performance!
Earn continuing education credits/units! A continuing education course that uses this book is also available. It may be purchased separately or as part of a package that includes both the book and exam.
Chapter 2. Getting Adequate Calories From Plant Sources
Chapter 3. Finding the Right Carbohydrate Mix
Chapter 4. Choosing Smart Fat Over No Fat
Chapter 5. Building Muscle Without Meat
Chapter 6. Optimizing Bone Health
Chapter 7. Boosting Iron Intake and Absorption
Chapter 8. Breaking Free of Multivitamin Dependence
Chapter 9. Prioritizing Food and Fluids Before, During, and After Events
Chapter 10. Choosing Whether to Supplement
Chapter 11. Reducing Muscle Cramps and Inflammation
Chapter 12. Creating a Customized Meal Plan
Chapter 13. Adapting the Plan to Manage Weight
Chapter 14. Whipping Up Quick Plant-Based Meals and Snacks
Chapter 15. Recipes
Appendix A. Energy Costs of Physical Activity
Appendix B. Food Guidance Systems
Appendix C. Foods Containing FODMAPs
Appendix D. Glycemic Index of Common Foods
Appendix E. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamins and Minerals
Appendix F. Metric Conversions for Common Measures
Enette Larson-Meyer, PhD, RD, CSSD, FACSM, is a professor at Virginia Tech and is a well-respected researcher in the area of sports and exercise metabolism. Her research centers on how nutrition influences the health and performance of active individuals at all stages of the life cycle and at all levels of performance—from the casual exerciser to the elite athlete.
Larson-Meyer is the author of Vegetarian Sports Nutrition (Human Kinetics, 2007) and has also authored over 80 scientific journal articles and book chapters. She served on the 2011 International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sports Nutrition Consensus Panel and on the IOC Consensus Panel for Supplementation in the Elite Athlete. She is a board certified specialist in sports dietetics, is a former sports dietitian for the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and is active in SCAN (the sports, cardiovascular, and wellness nutrition practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) and the American College of Sports Medicine, where she serves as an associate editor for medicine and science in sports and exercise. She is also a past chair of both SCAN and the vegetarian nutrition (VN) practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Personal interests include trail running, flat water kayaking, Irish step dancing, yoga, and being the number-one fan of her one semi-vegetarian and two vegetarian children.
Matt Ruscigno, MPH, RD, is a leading expert in plant-based nutrition and has followed a vegan diet for more than 20 years. He has a nutritional science degree from Pennsylvania State University, a public health nutrition master’s degree from Loma Linda University, and certification as a registered dietitian. He is a coauthor of the No Meat Athlete book with Matt Frazier and Appetite for Reduction with Isa Moskowitz and is lead author of Cacao, Superfoods for Life. He is the past chair of the vegetarian nutrition (VN) practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and currently is the chief nutrition officer at Nutrinic, a start-up health-care company using plant-based nutrition for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Recreationally, he has raced ultramarathons, Ironman races, and 24-hour mountain bike races, and he has bike toured over 15,000 miles. He is a long-time resident of Los Angeles, California.
“Five decades ago, when I won the Boston Marathon as a vegetarian runner, few knew or cared about my diet. Since then, I've encountered increasing interest year after year. At every runner’s clinic, someone asks me: ‘What do you think of a vegetarian diet, and how can I learn more?’ The answer is simple: Vegetarian and plant-based diets are great for your health as well as the health of the planet. And to learn everything you need to know, just read Plant-Based Sports Nutrition. Enette Larson-Meyer and Matt Ruscigno are as informed on the subject as they are passionate and experienced. There's no better source than this book.”
—Amby Burfoot, 1968 Boston Marathon Winner and Author of Run Forever: Your Complete Guide to Healthy Lifetime Running and Other Books
“Whether you’re an elite athlete or newbie exerciser, Plant-Based Sports Nutrition dispels the myths of plant-based nutrition while providing the knowledge to optimize your athletic performance. Plants are the athletic fuel of the future!”
—Scott Jurek, Vegan Ultramarathon Legend and Author of North and the New York Times–Bestselling Eat and Run
Considering protein supplements for plant-based athletes
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone.
Considering Protein Supplements
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone. For convenience, however, many vegetarian athletes supplement their diets on occasion with protein-containing nutrition beverages or bars, which include soy protein isolate, pea protein,24 hemp protein, or whey protein. Many brands and varieties are available from both large pharmaceutical companies and small or local “ma and pa” businesses. Although this is fine on occasion, these food products should not replace real food and real meals, despite some companies' marketing ploys to convince you otherwise. While some evidence suggests that heavily processed isolated proteins are more rapidly digested and promote greater protein retention (at least over the short term), evidence that this affects the gain of muscle or strength in well-trained athletes in the long run does not exist. In fact, a recent study in rats found that the slower-absorbed milk protein casein nicely complemented the faster-absorbed whey protein in prolonging the muscle protein synthesis response to exercise,25 perhaps making milk protein in its natural form a better overall source of protein.
The idea of consuming isolated protein also interferes with my philosophy on healthy vegetarian eating because it ignores the way protein is typically consumed: in a mixed meal from whole foods. Even if there were a small grain of truth to the benefit of isolated-protein consumption, consistently giving up the pleasures of Thai-cooked tofu, savory split pea soup, or a bit of French cheese on a fresh baguette for a protein bar containing isolated soy, pea, or whey seems like a tragedy. These processed products serve their purpose but should not regularly replace the pleasures of eating real food. Many of us will also have to grapple with our acceptance of products such as the Impossible Burger that, because of genetic engineering, looks, tastes, and nearly bleeds like real meat.16,26
Indeed, adequate protein—which is easily provided by a vegetarian diet—is necessary for gaining muscle strength and muscle mass through athletic training.
Ideas for grab-and-go breakfasts
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
- Homemade muffins, made with grapeseed or canola oil and whole or unmilled grains
- Trail mix or granola in portion-sized baggies
- Whole-grain English muffin with low-trans-fat margarine or nut butter and jam (making a sandwich using both halves reduces the mess)
- Fresh or toasted bagels with nut butter or Neufchatel cheese
- Fruit bread such as pumpkin, zucchini, or banana, made with canola oil
- Toaster sticks or waffles (hold the syrup); some versions now add flax
- Fruit smoothie with added flax or flaxseed oil (see table 14.5)
- Dairy or soy yogurt, fruit, and granola parfait (made the night before in a to-go container)
- Breakfast cookies (Make your favorite oatmeal cookies with half the sugar, orange juice as the liquid, and added dried fruit and ground flaxseed. Who said you can't have cookies for breakfast? See recipe in chapter 15.)
- Healthier granola or breakfast bars made with whole grains and healthy oils and without high-fructose corn syrup (usually available at health food stores)
- Cereal and soy milk in a large portable cup (Believe it or not, I used to run down a huge hill in Brookline, Massachusetts, with cereal and sliced banana in a cup to catch the mass-transit train. I then devoured it seated or standing. Don't try this while driving, however.)
- Overnight oatmeal in a to-go container (Toss in nuts, dried fruit, and a splash of sweetener right before you eat.)
Why athletes need carbohydrates
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors.
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors. Carbohydrate is also the preferred fuel for the brain and central nervous system and the only fuel these systems can use without weeks of adaptation that allows the brain to use products of fat metabolism, called ketones or ketone bodies.
As most athletes know, carbohydrate can be stored in skeletal muscle and liver in a starchlike form called glycogen. The body's glycogen stores, however, are limited. Glycogen can become depleted during continuous steady-state exercise lasting at least 60 minutes and during intense intermittent activities that include stop-and-go running, intense court play, and brisk hiking on difficult terrain. In fact, glycogen levels are likely depleted at the end of an intense soccer, basketball, or hockey game in team members who play the majority of the game.
Research has shown time and time again that muscle and whole-body fatigue develop at about the same time that glycogen stores become low. The reasons are relatively simple. First, active muscles that have been exhausted of their carbohydrate stores are forced to rely primarily on fat for fuel. Fat cannot be “burned” as rapidly or efficiently as carbohydrate, so you are forced to slow your pace and eventually stop exercising. What this means for you is that you produce less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy for a given amount of oxygen consumed when fat instead of carbohydrate is used as fuel. Second, the liver—exhausted of its carbohydrate stores—is now unable to serve as a storage reservoir for blood sugar and must struggle to maintain blood sugar level by converting protein (amino acid) sources to blood sugar. This process, termed gluconeogenesis, which means new-sugar formation, is slow and typically cannot keep pace with the rate at which the exercising muscle takes up sugar. The result is often low blood sugar, which is characteristically accompanied by lightheadedness, lethargy, and overall fatigue.
Although the body's enzymes—machinery for making blood sugar from amino acids—are typically regulated through training, athletes at any level can experience low blood sugar. Most likely you have experienced this feeling yourself—at least once—which in some athletic circles is called bonking or hitting the wall.
Considering protein supplements for plant-based athletes
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone.
Considering Protein Supplements
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone. For convenience, however, many vegetarian athletes supplement their diets on occasion with protein-containing nutrition beverages or bars, which include soy protein isolate, pea protein,24 hemp protein, or whey protein. Many brands and varieties are available from both large pharmaceutical companies and small or local “ma and pa” businesses. Although this is fine on occasion, these food products should not replace real food and real meals, despite some companies' marketing ploys to convince you otherwise. While some evidence suggests that heavily processed isolated proteins are more rapidly digested and promote greater protein retention (at least over the short term), evidence that this affects the gain of muscle or strength in well-trained athletes in the long run does not exist. In fact, a recent study in rats found that the slower-absorbed milk protein casein nicely complemented the faster-absorbed whey protein in prolonging the muscle protein synthesis response to exercise,25 perhaps making milk protein in its natural form a better overall source of protein.
The idea of consuming isolated protein also interferes with my philosophy on healthy vegetarian eating because it ignores the way protein is typically consumed: in a mixed meal from whole foods. Even if there were a small grain of truth to the benefit of isolated-protein consumption, consistently giving up the pleasures of Thai-cooked tofu, savory split pea soup, or a bit of French cheese on a fresh baguette for a protein bar containing isolated soy, pea, or whey seems like a tragedy. These processed products serve their purpose but should not regularly replace the pleasures of eating real food. Many of us will also have to grapple with our acceptance of products such as the Impossible Burger that, because of genetic engineering, looks, tastes, and nearly bleeds like real meat.16,26
Indeed, adequate protein—which is easily provided by a vegetarian diet—is necessary for gaining muscle strength and muscle mass through athletic training.
Ideas for grab-and-go breakfasts
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
- Homemade muffins, made with grapeseed or canola oil and whole or unmilled grains
- Trail mix or granola in portion-sized baggies
- Whole-grain English muffin with low-trans-fat margarine or nut butter and jam (making a sandwich using both halves reduces the mess)
- Fresh or toasted bagels with nut butter or Neufchatel cheese
- Fruit bread such as pumpkin, zucchini, or banana, made with canola oil
- Toaster sticks or waffles (hold the syrup); some versions now add flax
- Fruit smoothie with added flax or flaxseed oil (see table 14.5)
- Dairy or soy yogurt, fruit, and granola parfait (made the night before in a to-go container)
- Breakfast cookies (Make your favorite oatmeal cookies with half the sugar, orange juice as the liquid, and added dried fruit and ground flaxseed. Who said you can't have cookies for breakfast? See recipe in chapter 15.)
- Healthier granola or breakfast bars made with whole grains and healthy oils and without high-fructose corn syrup (usually available at health food stores)
- Cereal and soy milk in a large portable cup (Believe it or not, I used to run down a huge hill in Brookline, Massachusetts, with cereal and sliced banana in a cup to catch the mass-transit train. I then devoured it seated or standing. Don't try this while driving, however.)
- Overnight oatmeal in a to-go container (Toss in nuts, dried fruit, and a splash of sweetener right before you eat.)
Why athletes need carbohydrates
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors.
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors. Carbohydrate is also the preferred fuel for the brain and central nervous system and the only fuel these systems can use without weeks of adaptation that allows the brain to use products of fat metabolism, called ketones or ketone bodies.
As most athletes know, carbohydrate can be stored in skeletal muscle and liver in a starchlike form called glycogen. The body's glycogen stores, however, are limited. Glycogen can become depleted during continuous steady-state exercise lasting at least 60 minutes and during intense intermittent activities that include stop-and-go running, intense court play, and brisk hiking on difficult terrain. In fact, glycogen levels are likely depleted at the end of an intense soccer, basketball, or hockey game in team members who play the majority of the game.
Research has shown time and time again that muscle and whole-body fatigue develop at about the same time that glycogen stores become low. The reasons are relatively simple. First, active muscles that have been exhausted of their carbohydrate stores are forced to rely primarily on fat for fuel. Fat cannot be “burned” as rapidly or efficiently as carbohydrate, so you are forced to slow your pace and eventually stop exercising. What this means for you is that you produce less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy for a given amount of oxygen consumed when fat instead of carbohydrate is used as fuel. Second, the liver—exhausted of its carbohydrate stores—is now unable to serve as a storage reservoir for blood sugar and must struggle to maintain blood sugar level by converting protein (amino acid) sources to blood sugar. This process, termed gluconeogenesis, which means new-sugar formation, is slow and typically cannot keep pace with the rate at which the exercising muscle takes up sugar. The result is often low blood sugar, which is characteristically accompanied by lightheadedness, lethargy, and overall fatigue.
Although the body's enzymes—machinery for making blood sugar from amino acids—are typically regulated through training, athletes at any level can experience low blood sugar. Most likely you have experienced this feeling yourself—at least once—which in some athletic circles is called bonking or hitting the wall.
Considering protein supplements for plant-based athletes
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone.
Considering Protein Supplements
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone. For convenience, however, many vegetarian athletes supplement their diets on occasion with protein-containing nutrition beverages or bars, which include soy protein isolate, pea protein,24 hemp protein, or whey protein. Many brands and varieties are available from both large pharmaceutical companies and small or local “ma and pa” businesses. Although this is fine on occasion, these food products should not replace real food and real meals, despite some companies' marketing ploys to convince you otherwise. While some evidence suggests that heavily processed isolated proteins are more rapidly digested and promote greater protein retention (at least over the short term), evidence that this affects the gain of muscle or strength in well-trained athletes in the long run does not exist. In fact, a recent study in rats found that the slower-absorbed milk protein casein nicely complemented the faster-absorbed whey protein in prolonging the muscle protein synthesis response to exercise,25 perhaps making milk protein in its natural form a better overall source of protein.
The idea of consuming isolated protein also interferes with my philosophy on healthy vegetarian eating because it ignores the way protein is typically consumed: in a mixed meal from whole foods. Even if there were a small grain of truth to the benefit of isolated-protein consumption, consistently giving up the pleasures of Thai-cooked tofu, savory split pea soup, or a bit of French cheese on a fresh baguette for a protein bar containing isolated soy, pea, or whey seems like a tragedy. These processed products serve their purpose but should not regularly replace the pleasures of eating real food. Many of us will also have to grapple with our acceptance of products such as the Impossible Burger that, because of genetic engineering, looks, tastes, and nearly bleeds like real meat.16,26
Indeed, adequate protein—which is easily provided by a vegetarian diet—is necessary for gaining muscle strength and muscle mass through athletic training.
Ideas for grab-and-go breakfasts
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
- Homemade muffins, made with grapeseed or canola oil and whole or unmilled grains
- Trail mix or granola in portion-sized baggies
- Whole-grain English muffin with low-trans-fat margarine or nut butter and jam (making a sandwich using both halves reduces the mess)
- Fresh or toasted bagels with nut butter or Neufchatel cheese
- Fruit bread such as pumpkin, zucchini, or banana, made with canola oil
- Toaster sticks or waffles (hold the syrup); some versions now add flax
- Fruit smoothie with added flax or flaxseed oil (see table 14.5)
- Dairy or soy yogurt, fruit, and granola parfait (made the night before in a to-go container)
- Breakfast cookies (Make your favorite oatmeal cookies with half the sugar, orange juice as the liquid, and added dried fruit and ground flaxseed. Who said you can't have cookies for breakfast? See recipe in chapter 15.)
- Healthier granola or breakfast bars made with whole grains and healthy oils and without high-fructose corn syrup (usually available at health food stores)
- Cereal and soy milk in a large portable cup (Believe it or not, I used to run down a huge hill in Brookline, Massachusetts, with cereal and sliced banana in a cup to catch the mass-transit train. I then devoured it seated or standing. Don't try this while driving, however.)
- Overnight oatmeal in a to-go container (Toss in nuts, dried fruit, and a splash of sweetener right before you eat.)
Why athletes need carbohydrates
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors.
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors. Carbohydrate is also the preferred fuel for the brain and central nervous system and the only fuel these systems can use without weeks of adaptation that allows the brain to use products of fat metabolism, called ketones or ketone bodies.
As most athletes know, carbohydrate can be stored in skeletal muscle and liver in a starchlike form called glycogen. The body's glycogen stores, however, are limited. Glycogen can become depleted during continuous steady-state exercise lasting at least 60 minutes and during intense intermittent activities that include stop-and-go running, intense court play, and brisk hiking on difficult terrain. In fact, glycogen levels are likely depleted at the end of an intense soccer, basketball, or hockey game in team members who play the majority of the game.
Research has shown time and time again that muscle and whole-body fatigue develop at about the same time that glycogen stores become low. The reasons are relatively simple. First, active muscles that have been exhausted of their carbohydrate stores are forced to rely primarily on fat for fuel. Fat cannot be “burned” as rapidly or efficiently as carbohydrate, so you are forced to slow your pace and eventually stop exercising. What this means for you is that you produce less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy for a given amount of oxygen consumed when fat instead of carbohydrate is used as fuel. Second, the liver—exhausted of its carbohydrate stores—is now unable to serve as a storage reservoir for blood sugar and must struggle to maintain blood sugar level by converting protein (amino acid) sources to blood sugar. This process, termed gluconeogenesis, which means new-sugar formation, is slow and typically cannot keep pace with the rate at which the exercising muscle takes up sugar. The result is often low blood sugar, which is characteristically accompanied by lightheadedness, lethargy, and overall fatigue.
Although the body's enzymes—machinery for making blood sugar from amino acids—are typically regulated through training, athletes at any level can experience low blood sugar. Most likely you have experienced this feeling yourself—at least once—which in some athletic circles is called bonking or hitting the wall.
Considering protein supplements for plant-based athletes
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone.
Considering Protein Supplements
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone. For convenience, however, many vegetarian athletes supplement their diets on occasion with protein-containing nutrition beverages or bars, which include soy protein isolate, pea protein,24 hemp protein, or whey protein. Many brands and varieties are available from both large pharmaceutical companies and small or local “ma and pa” businesses. Although this is fine on occasion, these food products should not replace real food and real meals, despite some companies' marketing ploys to convince you otherwise. While some evidence suggests that heavily processed isolated proteins are more rapidly digested and promote greater protein retention (at least over the short term), evidence that this affects the gain of muscle or strength in well-trained athletes in the long run does not exist. In fact, a recent study in rats found that the slower-absorbed milk protein casein nicely complemented the faster-absorbed whey protein in prolonging the muscle protein synthesis response to exercise,25 perhaps making milk protein in its natural form a better overall source of protein.
The idea of consuming isolated protein also interferes with my philosophy on healthy vegetarian eating because it ignores the way protein is typically consumed: in a mixed meal from whole foods. Even if there were a small grain of truth to the benefit of isolated-protein consumption, consistently giving up the pleasures of Thai-cooked tofu, savory split pea soup, or a bit of French cheese on a fresh baguette for a protein bar containing isolated soy, pea, or whey seems like a tragedy. These processed products serve their purpose but should not regularly replace the pleasures of eating real food. Many of us will also have to grapple with our acceptance of products such as the Impossible Burger that, because of genetic engineering, looks, tastes, and nearly bleeds like real meat.16,26
Indeed, adequate protein—which is easily provided by a vegetarian diet—is necessary for gaining muscle strength and muscle mass through athletic training.
Ideas for grab-and-go breakfasts
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
- Homemade muffins, made with grapeseed or canola oil and whole or unmilled grains
- Trail mix or granola in portion-sized baggies
- Whole-grain English muffin with low-trans-fat margarine or nut butter and jam (making a sandwich using both halves reduces the mess)
- Fresh or toasted bagels with nut butter or Neufchatel cheese
- Fruit bread such as pumpkin, zucchini, or banana, made with canola oil
- Toaster sticks or waffles (hold the syrup); some versions now add flax
- Fruit smoothie with added flax or flaxseed oil (see table 14.5)
- Dairy or soy yogurt, fruit, and granola parfait (made the night before in a to-go container)
- Breakfast cookies (Make your favorite oatmeal cookies with half the sugar, orange juice as the liquid, and added dried fruit and ground flaxseed. Who said you can't have cookies for breakfast? See recipe in chapter 15.)
- Healthier granola or breakfast bars made with whole grains and healthy oils and without high-fructose corn syrup (usually available at health food stores)
- Cereal and soy milk in a large portable cup (Believe it or not, I used to run down a huge hill in Brookline, Massachusetts, with cereal and sliced banana in a cup to catch the mass-transit train. I then devoured it seated or standing. Don't try this while driving, however.)
- Overnight oatmeal in a to-go container (Toss in nuts, dried fruit, and a splash of sweetener right before you eat.)
Why athletes need carbohydrates
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors.
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors. Carbohydrate is also the preferred fuel for the brain and central nervous system and the only fuel these systems can use without weeks of adaptation that allows the brain to use products of fat metabolism, called ketones or ketone bodies.
As most athletes know, carbohydrate can be stored in skeletal muscle and liver in a starchlike form called glycogen. The body's glycogen stores, however, are limited. Glycogen can become depleted during continuous steady-state exercise lasting at least 60 minutes and during intense intermittent activities that include stop-and-go running, intense court play, and brisk hiking on difficult terrain. In fact, glycogen levels are likely depleted at the end of an intense soccer, basketball, or hockey game in team members who play the majority of the game.
Research has shown time and time again that muscle and whole-body fatigue develop at about the same time that glycogen stores become low. The reasons are relatively simple. First, active muscles that have been exhausted of their carbohydrate stores are forced to rely primarily on fat for fuel. Fat cannot be “burned” as rapidly or efficiently as carbohydrate, so you are forced to slow your pace and eventually stop exercising. What this means for you is that you produce less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy for a given amount of oxygen consumed when fat instead of carbohydrate is used as fuel. Second, the liver—exhausted of its carbohydrate stores—is now unable to serve as a storage reservoir for blood sugar and must struggle to maintain blood sugar level by converting protein (amino acid) sources to blood sugar. This process, termed gluconeogenesis, which means new-sugar formation, is slow and typically cannot keep pace with the rate at which the exercising muscle takes up sugar. The result is often low blood sugar, which is characteristically accompanied by lightheadedness, lethargy, and overall fatigue.
Although the body's enzymes—machinery for making blood sugar from amino acids—are typically regulated through training, athletes at any level can experience low blood sugar. Most likely you have experienced this feeling yourself—at least once—which in some athletic circles is called bonking or hitting the wall.
Considering protein supplements for plant-based athletes
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone.
Considering Protein Supplements
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone. For convenience, however, many vegetarian athletes supplement their diets on occasion with protein-containing nutrition beverages or bars, which include soy protein isolate, pea protein,24 hemp protein, or whey protein. Many brands and varieties are available from both large pharmaceutical companies and small or local “ma and pa” businesses. Although this is fine on occasion, these food products should not replace real food and real meals, despite some companies' marketing ploys to convince you otherwise. While some evidence suggests that heavily processed isolated proteins are more rapidly digested and promote greater protein retention (at least over the short term), evidence that this affects the gain of muscle or strength in well-trained athletes in the long run does not exist. In fact, a recent study in rats found that the slower-absorbed milk protein casein nicely complemented the faster-absorbed whey protein in prolonging the muscle protein synthesis response to exercise,25 perhaps making milk protein in its natural form a better overall source of protein.
The idea of consuming isolated protein also interferes with my philosophy on healthy vegetarian eating because it ignores the way protein is typically consumed: in a mixed meal from whole foods. Even if there were a small grain of truth to the benefit of isolated-protein consumption, consistently giving up the pleasures of Thai-cooked tofu, savory split pea soup, or a bit of French cheese on a fresh baguette for a protein bar containing isolated soy, pea, or whey seems like a tragedy. These processed products serve their purpose but should not regularly replace the pleasures of eating real food. Many of us will also have to grapple with our acceptance of products such as the Impossible Burger that, because of genetic engineering, looks, tastes, and nearly bleeds like real meat.16,26
Indeed, adequate protein—which is easily provided by a vegetarian diet—is necessary for gaining muscle strength and muscle mass through athletic training.
Ideas for grab-and-go breakfasts
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
- Homemade muffins, made with grapeseed or canola oil and whole or unmilled grains
- Trail mix or granola in portion-sized baggies
- Whole-grain English muffin with low-trans-fat margarine or nut butter and jam (making a sandwich using both halves reduces the mess)
- Fresh or toasted bagels with nut butter or Neufchatel cheese
- Fruit bread such as pumpkin, zucchini, or banana, made with canola oil
- Toaster sticks or waffles (hold the syrup); some versions now add flax
- Fruit smoothie with added flax or flaxseed oil (see table 14.5)
- Dairy or soy yogurt, fruit, and granola parfait (made the night before in a to-go container)
- Breakfast cookies (Make your favorite oatmeal cookies with half the sugar, orange juice as the liquid, and added dried fruit and ground flaxseed. Who said you can't have cookies for breakfast? See recipe in chapter 15.)
- Healthier granola or breakfast bars made with whole grains and healthy oils and without high-fructose corn syrup (usually available at health food stores)
- Cereal and soy milk in a large portable cup (Believe it or not, I used to run down a huge hill in Brookline, Massachusetts, with cereal and sliced banana in a cup to catch the mass-transit train. I then devoured it seated or standing. Don't try this while driving, however.)
- Overnight oatmeal in a to-go container (Toss in nuts, dried fruit, and a splash of sweetener right before you eat.)
Why athletes need carbohydrates
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors.
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors. Carbohydrate is also the preferred fuel for the brain and central nervous system and the only fuel these systems can use without weeks of adaptation that allows the brain to use products of fat metabolism, called ketones or ketone bodies.
As most athletes know, carbohydrate can be stored in skeletal muscle and liver in a starchlike form called glycogen. The body's glycogen stores, however, are limited. Glycogen can become depleted during continuous steady-state exercise lasting at least 60 minutes and during intense intermittent activities that include stop-and-go running, intense court play, and brisk hiking on difficult terrain. In fact, glycogen levels are likely depleted at the end of an intense soccer, basketball, or hockey game in team members who play the majority of the game.
Research has shown time and time again that muscle and whole-body fatigue develop at about the same time that glycogen stores become low. The reasons are relatively simple. First, active muscles that have been exhausted of their carbohydrate stores are forced to rely primarily on fat for fuel. Fat cannot be “burned” as rapidly or efficiently as carbohydrate, so you are forced to slow your pace and eventually stop exercising. What this means for you is that you produce less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy for a given amount of oxygen consumed when fat instead of carbohydrate is used as fuel. Second, the liver—exhausted of its carbohydrate stores—is now unable to serve as a storage reservoir for blood sugar and must struggle to maintain blood sugar level by converting protein (amino acid) sources to blood sugar. This process, termed gluconeogenesis, which means new-sugar formation, is slow and typically cannot keep pace with the rate at which the exercising muscle takes up sugar. The result is often low blood sugar, which is characteristically accompanied by lightheadedness, lethargy, and overall fatigue.
Although the body's enzymes—machinery for making blood sugar from amino acids—are typically regulated through training, athletes at any level can experience low blood sugar. Most likely you have experienced this feeling yourself—at least once—which in some athletic circles is called bonking or hitting the wall.
Considering protein supplements for plant-based athletes
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone.
Considering Protein Supplements
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone. For convenience, however, many vegetarian athletes supplement their diets on occasion with protein-containing nutrition beverages or bars, which include soy protein isolate, pea protein,24 hemp protein, or whey protein. Many brands and varieties are available from both large pharmaceutical companies and small or local “ma and pa” businesses. Although this is fine on occasion, these food products should not replace real food and real meals, despite some companies' marketing ploys to convince you otherwise. While some evidence suggests that heavily processed isolated proteins are more rapidly digested and promote greater protein retention (at least over the short term), evidence that this affects the gain of muscle or strength in well-trained athletes in the long run does not exist. In fact, a recent study in rats found that the slower-absorbed milk protein casein nicely complemented the faster-absorbed whey protein in prolonging the muscle protein synthesis response to exercise,25 perhaps making milk protein in its natural form a better overall source of protein.
The idea of consuming isolated protein also interferes with my philosophy on healthy vegetarian eating because it ignores the way protein is typically consumed: in a mixed meal from whole foods. Even if there were a small grain of truth to the benefit of isolated-protein consumption, consistently giving up the pleasures of Thai-cooked tofu, savory split pea soup, or a bit of French cheese on a fresh baguette for a protein bar containing isolated soy, pea, or whey seems like a tragedy. These processed products serve their purpose but should not regularly replace the pleasures of eating real food. Many of us will also have to grapple with our acceptance of products such as the Impossible Burger that, because of genetic engineering, looks, tastes, and nearly bleeds like real meat.16,26
Indeed, adequate protein—which is easily provided by a vegetarian diet—is necessary for gaining muscle strength and muscle mass through athletic training.
Ideas for grab-and-go breakfasts
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
- Homemade muffins, made with grapeseed or canola oil and whole or unmilled grains
- Trail mix or granola in portion-sized baggies
- Whole-grain English muffin with low-trans-fat margarine or nut butter and jam (making a sandwich using both halves reduces the mess)
- Fresh or toasted bagels with nut butter or Neufchatel cheese
- Fruit bread such as pumpkin, zucchini, or banana, made with canola oil
- Toaster sticks or waffles (hold the syrup); some versions now add flax
- Fruit smoothie with added flax or flaxseed oil (see table 14.5)
- Dairy or soy yogurt, fruit, and granola parfait (made the night before in a to-go container)
- Breakfast cookies (Make your favorite oatmeal cookies with half the sugar, orange juice as the liquid, and added dried fruit and ground flaxseed. Who said you can't have cookies for breakfast? See recipe in chapter 15.)
- Healthier granola or breakfast bars made with whole grains and healthy oils and without high-fructose corn syrup (usually available at health food stores)
- Cereal and soy milk in a large portable cup (Believe it or not, I used to run down a huge hill in Brookline, Massachusetts, with cereal and sliced banana in a cup to catch the mass-transit train. I then devoured it seated or standing. Don't try this while driving, however.)
- Overnight oatmeal in a to-go container (Toss in nuts, dried fruit, and a splash of sweetener right before you eat.)
Why athletes need carbohydrates
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors.
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors. Carbohydrate is also the preferred fuel for the brain and central nervous system and the only fuel these systems can use without weeks of adaptation that allows the brain to use products of fat metabolism, called ketones or ketone bodies.
As most athletes know, carbohydrate can be stored in skeletal muscle and liver in a starchlike form called glycogen. The body's glycogen stores, however, are limited. Glycogen can become depleted during continuous steady-state exercise lasting at least 60 minutes and during intense intermittent activities that include stop-and-go running, intense court play, and brisk hiking on difficult terrain. In fact, glycogen levels are likely depleted at the end of an intense soccer, basketball, or hockey game in team members who play the majority of the game.
Research has shown time and time again that muscle and whole-body fatigue develop at about the same time that glycogen stores become low. The reasons are relatively simple. First, active muscles that have been exhausted of their carbohydrate stores are forced to rely primarily on fat for fuel. Fat cannot be “burned” as rapidly or efficiently as carbohydrate, so you are forced to slow your pace and eventually stop exercising. What this means for you is that you produce less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy for a given amount of oxygen consumed when fat instead of carbohydrate is used as fuel. Second, the liver—exhausted of its carbohydrate stores—is now unable to serve as a storage reservoir for blood sugar and must struggle to maintain blood sugar level by converting protein (amino acid) sources to blood sugar. This process, termed gluconeogenesis, which means new-sugar formation, is slow and typically cannot keep pace with the rate at which the exercising muscle takes up sugar. The result is often low blood sugar, which is characteristically accompanied by lightheadedness, lethargy, and overall fatigue.
Although the body's enzymes—machinery for making blood sugar from amino acids—are typically regulated through training, athletes at any level can experience low blood sugar. Most likely you have experienced this feeling yourself—at least once—which in some athletic circles is called bonking or hitting the wall.
Considering protein supplements for plant-based athletes
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone.
Considering Protein Supplements
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone. For convenience, however, many vegetarian athletes supplement their diets on occasion with protein-containing nutrition beverages or bars, which include soy protein isolate, pea protein,24 hemp protein, or whey protein. Many brands and varieties are available from both large pharmaceutical companies and small or local “ma and pa” businesses. Although this is fine on occasion, these food products should not replace real food and real meals, despite some companies' marketing ploys to convince you otherwise. While some evidence suggests that heavily processed isolated proteins are more rapidly digested and promote greater protein retention (at least over the short term), evidence that this affects the gain of muscle or strength in well-trained athletes in the long run does not exist. In fact, a recent study in rats found that the slower-absorbed milk protein casein nicely complemented the faster-absorbed whey protein in prolonging the muscle protein synthesis response to exercise,25 perhaps making milk protein in its natural form a better overall source of protein.
The idea of consuming isolated protein also interferes with my philosophy on healthy vegetarian eating because it ignores the way protein is typically consumed: in a mixed meal from whole foods. Even if there were a small grain of truth to the benefit of isolated-protein consumption, consistently giving up the pleasures of Thai-cooked tofu, savory split pea soup, or a bit of French cheese on a fresh baguette for a protein bar containing isolated soy, pea, or whey seems like a tragedy. These processed products serve their purpose but should not regularly replace the pleasures of eating real food. Many of us will also have to grapple with our acceptance of products such as the Impossible Burger that, because of genetic engineering, looks, tastes, and nearly bleeds like real meat.16,26
Indeed, adequate protein—which is easily provided by a vegetarian diet—is necessary for gaining muscle strength and muscle mass through athletic training.
Ideas for grab-and-go breakfasts
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
- Homemade muffins, made with grapeseed or canola oil and whole or unmilled grains
- Trail mix or granola in portion-sized baggies
- Whole-grain English muffin with low-trans-fat margarine or nut butter and jam (making a sandwich using both halves reduces the mess)
- Fresh or toasted bagels with nut butter or Neufchatel cheese
- Fruit bread such as pumpkin, zucchini, or banana, made with canola oil
- Toaster sticks or waffles (hold the syrup); some versions now add flax
- Fruit smoothie with added flax or flaxseed oil (see table 14.5)
- Dairy or soy yogurt, fruit, and granola parfait (made the night before in a to-go container)
- Breakfast cookies (Make your favorite oatmeal cookies with half the sugar, orange juice as the liquid, and added dried fruit and ground flaxseed. Who said you can't have cookies for breakfast? See recipe in chapter 15.)
- Healthier granola or breakfast bars made with whole grains and healthy oils and without high-fructose corn syrup (usually available at health food stores)
- Cereal and soy milk in a large portable cup (Believe it or not, I used to run down a huge hill in Brookline, Massachusetts, with cereal and sliced banana in a cup to catch the mass-transit train. I then devoured it seated or standing. Don't try this while driving, however.)
- Overnight oatmeal in a to-go container (Toss in nuts, dried fruit, and a splash of sweetener right before you eat.)
Why athletes need carbohydrates
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors.
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors. Carbohydrate is also the preferred fuel for the brain and central nervous system and the only fuel these systems can use without weeks of adaptation that allows the brain to use products of fat metabolism, called ketones or ketone bodies.
As most athletes know, carbohydrate can be stored in skeletal muscle and liver in a starchlike form called glycogen. The body's glycogen stores, however, are limited. Glycogen can become depleted during continuous steady-state exercise lasting at least 60 minutes and during intense intermittent activities that include stop-and-go running, intense court play, and brisk hiking on difficult terrain. In fact, glycogen levels are likely depleted at the end of an intense soccer, basketball, or hockey game in team members who play the majority of the game.
Research has shown time and time again that muscle and whole-body fatigue develop at about the same time that glycogen stores become low. The reasons are relatively simple. First, active muscles that have been exhausted of their carbohydrate stores are forced to rely primarily on fat for fuel. Fat cannot be “burned” as rapidly or efficiently as carbohydrate, so you are forced to slow your pace and eventually stop exercising. What this means for you is that you produce less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy for a given amount of oxygen consumed when fat instead of carbohydrate is used as fuel. Second, the liver—exhausted of its carbohydrate stores—is now unable to serve as a storage reservoir for blood sugar and must struggle to maintain blood sugar level by converting protein (amino acid) sources to blood sugar. This process, termed gluconeogenesis, which means new-sugar formation, is slow and typically cannot keep pace with the rate at which the exercising muscle takes up sugar. The result is often low blood sugar, which is characteristically accompanied by lightheadedness, lethargy, and overall fatigue.
Although the body's enzymes—machinery for making blood sugar from amino acids—are typically regulated through training, athletes at any level can experience low blood sugar. Most likely you have experienced this feeling yourself—at least once—which in some athletic circles is called bonking or hitting the wall.
Considering protein supplements for plant-based athletes
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone.
Considering Protein Supplements
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone. For convenience, however, many vegetarian athletes supplement their diets on occasion with protein-containing nutrition beverages or bars, which include soy protein isolate, pea protein,24 hemp protein, or whey protein. Many brands and varieties are available from both large pharmaceutical companies and small or local “ma and pa” businesses. Although this is fine on occasion, these food products should not replace real food and real meals, despite some companies' marketing ploys to convince you otherwise. While some evidence suggests that heavily processed isolated proteins are more rapidly digested and promote greater protein retention (at least over the short term), evidence that this affects the gain of muscle or strength in well-trained athletes in the long run does not exist. In fact, a recent study in rats found that the slower-absorbed milk protein casein nicely complemented the faster-absorbed whey protein in prolonging the muscle protein synthesis response to exercise,25 perhaps making milk protein in its natural form a better overall source of protein.
The idea of consuming isolated protein also interferes with my philosophy on healthy vegetarian eating because it ignores the way protein is typically consumed: in a mixed meal from whole foods. Even if there were a small grain of truth to the benefit of isolated-protein consumption, consistently giving up the pleasures of Thai-cooked tofu, savory split pea soup, or a bit of French cheese on a fresh baguette for a protein bar containing isolated soy, pea, or whey seems like a tragedy. These processed products serve their purpose but should not regularly replace the pleasures of eating real food. Many of us will also have to grapple with our acceptance of products such as the Impossible Burger that, because of genetic engineering, looks, tastes, and nearly bleeds like real meat.16,26
Indeed, adequate protein—which is easily provided by a vegetarian diet—is necessary for gaining muscle strength and muscle mass through athletic training.
Ideas for grab-and-go breakfasts
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
- Homemade muffins, made with grapeseed or canola oil and whole or unmilled grains
- Trail mix or granola in portion-sized baggies
- Whole-grain English muffin with low-trans-fat margarine or nut butter and jam (making a sandwich using both halves reduces the mess)
- Fresh or toasted bagels with nut butter or Neufchatel cheese
- Fruit bread such as pumpkin, zucchini, or banana, made with canola oil
- Toaster sticks or waffles (hold the syrup); some versions now add flax
- Fruit smoothie with added flax or flaxseed oil (see table 14.5)
- Dairy or soy yogurt, fruit, and granola parfait (made the night before in a to-go container)
- Breakfast cookies (Make your favorite oatmeal cookies with half the sugar, orange juice as the liquid, and added dried fruit and ground flaxseed. Who said you can't have cookies for breakfast? See recipe in chapter 15.)
- Healthier granola or breakfast bars made with whole grains and healthy oils and without high-fructose corn syrup (usually available at health food stores)
- Cereal and soy milk in a large portable cup (Believe it or not, I used to run down a huge hill in Brookline, Massachusetts, with cereal and sliced banana in a cup to catch the mass-transit train. I then devoured it seated or standing. Don't try this while driving, however.)
- Overnight oatmeal in a to-go container (Toss in nuts, dried fruit, and a splash of sweetener right before you eat.)
Why athletes need carbohydrates
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors.
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors. Carbohydrate is also the preferred fuel for the brain and central nervous system and the only fuel these systems can use without weeks of adaptation that allows the brain to use products of fat metabolism, called ketones or ketone bodies.
As most athletes know, carbohydrate can be stored in skeletal muscle and liver in a starchlike form called glycogen. The body's glycogen stores, however, are limited. Glycogen can become depleted during continuous steady-state exercise lasting at least 60 minutes and during intense intermittent activities that include stop-and-go running, intense court play, and brisk hiking on difficult terrain. In fact, glycogen levels are likely depleted at the end of an intense soccer, basketball, or hockey game in team members who play the majority of the game.
Research has shown time and time again that muscle and whole-body fatigue develop at about the same time that glycogen stores become low. The reasons are relatively simple. First, active muscles that have been exhausted of their carbohydrate stores are forced to rely primarily on fat for fuel. Fat cannot be “burned” as rapidly or efficiently as carbohydrate, so you are forced to slow your pace and eventually stop exercising. What this means for you is that you produce less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy for a given amount of oxygen consumed when fat instead of carbohydrate is used as fuel. Second, the liver—exhausted of its carbohydrate stores—is now unable to serve as a storage reservoir for blood sugar and must struggle to maintain blood sugar level by converting protein (amino acid) sources to blood sugar. This process, termed gluconeogenesis, which means new-sugar formation, is slow and typically cannot keep pace with the rate at which the exercising muscle takes up sugar. The result is often low blood sugar, which is characteristically accompanied by lightheadedness, lethargy, and overall fatigue.
Although the body's enzymes—machinery for making blood sugar from amino acids—are typically regulated through training, athletes at any level can experience low blood sugar. Most likely you have experienced this feeling yourself—at least once—which in some athletic circles is called bonking or hitting the wall.
Considering protein supplements for plant-based athletes
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone.
Considering Protein Supplements
Vegetarian and vegan athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone. For convenience, however, many vegetarian athletes supplement their diets on occasion with protein-containing nutrition beverages or bars, which include soy protein isolate, pea protein,24 hemp protein, or whey protein. Many brands and varieties are available from both large pharmaceutical companies and small or local “ma and pa” businesses. Although this is fine on occasion, these food products should not replace real food and real meals, despite some companies' marketing ploys to convince you otherwise. While some evidence suggests that heavily processed isolated proteins are more rapidly digested and promote greater protein retention (at least over the short term), evidence that this affects the gain of muscle or strength in well-trained athletes in the long run does not exist. In fact, a recent study in rats found that the slower-absorbed milk protein casein nicely complemented the faster-absorbed whey protein in prolonging the muscle protein synthesis response to exercise,25 perhaps making milk protein in its natural form a better overall source of protein.
The idea of consuming isolated protein also interferes with my philosophy on healthy vegetarian eating because it ignores the way protein is typically consumed: in a mixed meal from whole foods. Even if there were a small grain of truth to the benefit of isolated-protein consumption, consistently giving up the pleasures of Thai-cooked tofu, savory split pea soup, or a bit of French cheese on a fresh baguette for a protein bar containing isolated soy, pea, or whey seems like a tragedy. These processed products serve their purpose but should not regularly replace the pleasures of eating real food. Many of us will also have to grapple with our acceptance of products such as the Impossible Burger that, because of genetic engineering, looks, tastes, and nearly bleeds like real meat.16,26
Indeed, adequate protein—which is easily provided by a vegetarian diet—is necessary for gaining muscle strength and muscle mass through athletic training.
Ideas for grab-and-go breakfasts
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
Keep fresh or dried fruit and juice in small reusable containers on hand, ready to grab along with one of the following:
- Homemade muffins, made with grapeseed or canola oil and whole or unmilled grains
- Trail mix or granola in portion-sized baggies
- Whole-grain English muffin with low-trans-fat margarine or nut butter and jam (making a sandwich using both halves reduces the mess)
- Fresh or toasted bagels with nut butter or Neufchatel cheese
- Fruit bread such as pumpkin, zucchini, or banana, made with canola oil
- Toaster sticks or waffles (hold the syrup); some versions now add flax
- Fruit smoothie with added flax or flaxseed oil (see table 14.5)
- Dairy or soy yogurt, fruit, and granola parfait (made the night before in a to-go container)
- Breakfast cookies (Make your favorite oatmeal cookies with half the sugar, orange juice as the liquid, and added dried fruit and ground flaxseed. Who said you can't have cookies for breakfast? See recipe in chapter 15.)
- Healthier granola or breakfast bars made with whole grains and healthy oils and without high-fructose corn syrup (usually available at health food stores)
- Cereal and soy milk in a large portable cup (Believe it or not, I used to run down a huge hill in Brookline, Massachusetts, with cereal and sliced banana in a cup to catch the mass-transit train. I then devoured it seated or standing. Don't try this while driving, however.)
- Overnight oatmeal in a to-go container (Toss in nuts, dried fruit, and a splash of sweetener right before you eat.)
Why athletes need carbohydrates
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors.
Although carbohydrate, fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein are used to fuel physical effort, carbohydrate is the only fuel that can sustain the moderate- to high-level effort that is required in most sports and athletic endeavors. Carbohydrate is also the preferred fuel for the brain and central nervous system and the only fuel these systems can use without weeks of adaptation that allows the brain to use products of fat metabolism, called ketones or ketone bodies.
As most athletes know, carbohydrate can be stored in skeletal muscle and liver in a starchlike form called glycogen. The body's glycogen stores, however, are limited. Glycogen can become depleted during continuous steady-state exercise lasting at least 60 minutes and during intense intermittent activities that include stop-and-go running, intense court play, and brisk hiking on difficult terrain. In fact, glycogen levels are likely depleted at the end of an intense soccer, basketball, or hockey game in team members who play the majority of the game.
Research has shown time and time again that muscle and whole-body fatigue develop at about the same time that glycogen stores become low. The reasons are relatively simple. First, active muscles that have been exhausted of their carbohydrate stores are forced to rely primarily on fat for fuel. Fat cannot be “burned” as rapidly or efficiently as carbohydrate, so you are forced to slow your pace and eventually stop exercising. What this means for you is that you produce less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy for a given amount of oxygen consumed when fat instead of carbohydrate is used as fuel. Second, the liver—exhausted of its carbohydrate stores—is now unable to serve as a storage reservoir for blood sugar and must struggle to maintain blood sugar level by converting protein (amino acid) sources to blood sugar. This process, termed gluconeogenesis, which means new-sugar formation, is slow and typically cannot keep pace with the rate at which the exercising muscle takes up sugar. The result is often low blood sugar, which is characteristically accompanied by lightheadedness, lethargy, and overall fatigue.
Although the body's enzymes—machinery for making blood sugar from amino acids—are typically regulated through training, athletes at any level can experience low blood sugar. Most likely you have experienced this feeling yourself—at least once—which in some athletic circles is called bonking or hitting the wall.
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