I'm really into sports. Is it unhelathy if i go vegeterian?

Question

My parents say there is no way i can be the best athlete i can be without protein and b14 from meat. I know this can be resolved in some way. Any advice?

Answer 1

Here is a link to a list of vegan athletes. There are so many sources of vegetarian protien it is rediculous. Here is a site with a list of vegetables and the amount of protien per serving. As for B12, which I'm sure is what you meant, you can get 50%of your daily B12 in one cup of soy milk. You can also get vitamin B12 from seaweed, yeast, and roots. Vitamin B12 is actually a microbe and is composed centrally of cobalt which is what the body actually needs. Neither plants or animals contain vitamin B12 but the microbes found in soil do. If you want to take a vitamin supplement GNC has a very good vegetarian supplement.

Answer 2

Are you going to be a Vegetarian or a VEGAN? Big difference. You could easily be a pesco-ovo-lacto vegetarian, and still maintain a healthy life style, but if you become a vegan, there is a very difficult road ahead for you. While veggies do provide excellent sources of nutrition, they lack in some vitamins that you need. B12 is a big one that most vegans suffer from, because in order to take even a supplement you will consume animal product.

If your eating vegetarian because you want to promote a healthy lifestyle, then there is no reason that you should exclude things like fish from your diet. Great source of protein, although meat will help keep the protein levels etc up. If you had a change in mind about not eating any animal product what so ever and you want to become vegan, every day will be a new challenge of balancing a diet.

Answer 3

I'm not specifically an athlete, but I have quite an athletic build. I've been a health buff for a year, and a vegan for 3 months, and I'm much leaner and healthier than before I was vegan. My muscles have not lost mass and I have more endurance for running. I don't take any supplements other than a daily multivitamin. Don't be fooled by people who are just spouting off what they think they know about the human body.

Answer 4

I recommend this site: http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vegetarian_athletes.html for lots of health info about veg diets and athletes.

There are so many veg sources of protein and other nutrients - see http://www.tryveg.com/cfi/toc/?v=08sources

Vitamin B12 is important. Good veg sources include all common multiple vitamins (including vegetarian vitamins), fortified cereals, some brands of nutritional yeast, and fortified soymilk. Look for the word "cyanocobalamin" in the ingredients list; this form of B12 is absorbed the best.

Good luck!

Answer 5

You'd just have to do a lot of research about what kinds of vegetables and how much can give you the nutrition you need as an athlete.

Answer 6

Hey. I play 4 sports through out the year and I'm a vegitarian. Take vitamins and eat your veggies.

Answer 7

Well these people have been successful
http://www.gotohealth.com/athletes/veg_athletes.cfm?cat=1

Carl Lewis chose to go to a vegan diet and even though he was competing against people ~10 years younger he still won gold medals.

Answer 8

Not to burst your bubble honey, but your parents aren't being 100% honest with you. I suggest a talk with your doctor about nutrition just so you hear it from someone who knows what they are talking about.

Answer 9

Thats not 100% true.there r other good source of protein other than meat.

Answer 10

Your parents are absolutely right. You need the nutrient and energy from meat for sure. However, if you insist as a vegetarian, there's another solution to this matter which is by popping pills, if that's what you enjoy doing and that's gonna costs your parents alot. You can definitely find all sorts of nutrients you need from the shelves today. So you can think about it.