SPORTS NUTRITION
P T
Cang tter
athlete?Threeexpertsgivetheir pointof viewWORDS:SarahIvoryr
ooking for a competitive edge?
A growing number of studies now
show that eating a plant-based diet
is linked to improvements in heart
health, recovery time and endurance
performance among athletes. It’s
a diet that’s being heralded by
many professional sportspeople, including tennis star
Serena Williams, Formula 1 champ Lewis Hamilton and
ultrarunning ace Scott Jurek. Certainly, one study in the
journal Nutrients shows a plant-based diet is high
in the antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation
(something associated with many chronic diseases),
post-exercise muscle soreness and even sports injuries.
For those wanting to build strength, eating meat has
long been synonymous with gaining muscle but not
anymore, as countless experts now say that plant-based
diets could do wonders for muscle-mass goals. What’s
more, eating less meat is one of the top ways to look after
the environment, too. But is it more fad than fact?
We spoke to a panel of experts to find out.