1. Sports Nutrition & the Vegetarian Athlete www.hsenetwork.org

2. www.hsenetwork.org Objectives  Define vegetarian  Discuss types of vegetarian diets  List reasons for choosing vegetarian diets  Review calorie and nutrient needs  List possible vitamin & mineral concerns

3. www.hsenetwork.org 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

4. www.hsenetwork.org 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

5. www.hsenetwork.org 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

6. www.hsenetwork.org 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

7. www.hsenetwork.org Reasons for Vegetarian Diets  Health  Ecological  Religious  Spiritual  Economical  Ethical

8. www.hsenetwork.org

9. Calorie Needs  Athlete calorie needs vary depending on:  Body size  Body composition  Gender  Training regimen  Activity pattern

10. www.hsenetwork.org 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

11. www.hsenetwork.org 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

12. www.hsenetwork.org Carbohydrate Content of Foods (grams)  Spinach (raw), 1 cup2  Peanut butter, 1 TBSP3  Cabbage (red), 1 cup4  Tangerine, 1 small9  Strawberries, 1 cup10  Skim milk, 1 cup12  Wheat bread, 1 slice12  Cantaloupe, ½ melon22  Grape nuts cereal, 1 oz23  Banana, 1 medium27  Spaghetti (cooked), 1 cup32

13. www.hsenetwork.org 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

14. www.hsenetwork.org 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.

15. www.hsenetwork.org Protein Content of Foods (grams)  ¼ cup almonds7  ¼ cup flaxseed5  ¼ cup soy nuts10  1 cup garbanzo beans15  1 cup pinto beans14  1 cup soybeans29  1 Boca Burger patty13  1 small baked potato w/skin5  1 cup skim milk8  3 oz Halibut18

16. www.hsenetwork.org 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

17. www.hsenetwork.org 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 fat- rich plant foods

18. www.hsenetwork.org Vitamins & Minerals  A vegetarian diet that restricts certain foods may increase the needs for certain vitamins and minerals  Calcium  Vitamin D  Iron  Vitamin B 12

19. www.hsenetwork.org 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

20. www.hsenetwork.org 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

21. www.hsenetwork.org Calcium Content of Foods (mg)  Cereal (Total), 1 cup345  Bread (calcium fortified), 1 slice170  Broccoli (cooked), ½ cup45  Turnip greens (cooked), ½ cup100  Rhubarb (cooked), ½ cup235  Figs (dried), 5 each135  Orange juice (calcium fortified), 1 cup285  American Cheese (fat free), 1 slice200  Cow’s Milk, 1 cup300  Almonds, 2 oz150

22. www.hsenetwork.org 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

23. www.hsenetwork.org 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

24. www.hsenetwork.org Vitamin D Content of Foods (IU)  Quaker Nutrition for Women Instant Oatmeal, 1 packet140  Cow's milk, 1 cup100  Orange juice, Vit. D fortified, 1 cup100  Cereal, fortified, 1 cup 40-50  Egg yolk, 1 medium 25

25. www.hsenetwork.org 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

26. www.hsenetwork.org Iron  Two sources of iron  Heme iron – from meat sources  Non-heme iron – from plant sources  Heme iron is absorbed more efficiently than non- heme sources  Vitamin C can enhance iron absorption when consumed with iron rich foods (i.e, eating legumes with a fruit juice beverage)

27. www.hsenetwork.org Iron  Vegetarian sources of Iron include  Tofu  Potato skins and yams  Nuts and seeds  Most beans and peas  Green leafy vegetables  Whole grains and enriched breads  Raisins

28. www.hsenetwork.org 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

29. www.hsenetwork.org Iron Content of Foods (mg)  Corn flakes, 1 cup8.1  Cheerios, 1 cup10.3  Macaroni, 1 cup cooked2.0  Raisins, ¼ cup0.7  Apricots, 5 halves0.9  Baked potato, medium2.2  Sweet potato, medium1.1  Pumpkin seeds, 1 oz4.2

30. www.hsenetwork.org Vitamin B 12  According to the USDA, strict vegetarians and people above 50 are at the highest risk of not getting enough vitamin B 12  B 12 is involved in energy metabolism  Helps the body release energy from CHO, PRO and FATS  Lack of vitamin B 12 causes poor nerve function, anemia, and fatigue

31. www.hsenetwork.org Vitamin B 12  Recommended B 12 requirements:  Males & Females Age 14 and older = 2.4 mcg/day  Vegetarian food sources of vitamin B 12 include:  Dairy foods  Eggs  Tempeh  Fortified foods (cereals, breads, and Red Star Nutritional Yeast)

32. www.hsenetwork.org Vitamin B 12 Content of Foods (mcg)  Egg (poached), 1 large0.4  Milk, 1 cup0.9  Brie (cheese), 1 oz0.5  Tempeh, 3.5 oz0.4  Red Star Yeast, 2 TBSP8.0

33. www.hsenetwork.org 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.”

34. www.hsenetwork.org Questions?