Being Vegan means to be one with Nature, to be as pure as possible, this is the notion that carries the Vegan Movement on its shoulders.
This “movement” has take the world by storm and has garnered millions of followers given the benefits over the resting health markers and the purity or sense of belonging that one experiences by supporting mother nature and supporting the animal right movement at the same time.
The basic idea behind a vegan diet is to abstain from all meat and animal based products. This means and includes not consuming any chicken, eggs, mutton, fish, milk, milk products like paneer and yoghurt to name a few.
If we are to use the animal proteins as a yardstick to assess how well the proteins are absorbed and utilized (protein efficiency ratio) then we can easily say that being on a vegan diet can have can some repercussions on the performance and recovery of an athlete or an avid lifter (fitness enthusiast) to say the least.
To nip this problem in the bud , we need to understand how we can work around the dilemma, so we should focus on the resources that we can consume that are a combination of two incomplete proteins to make one complete protein or ingest those sources that are excellent examples of complete vegetarian proteins.
Have you ever heard of RAJMAH and CHAWAL combo that people all over India go bananas for? Well you read that right, for starters it the staple meal of the average resident of the Punjab region.
It is an excellent source of protein as well as fiber because of the awesome duo that comes out when we add rice to the mix.
But something as redundant as Rajmah Chawal makes one’s life very monotonous, so what are some of the resources that one can focus on to get the benefit of complete proteins while performing like a professional.
Hitting it right off the bat is the most potent source a vegetarian has in his/her arsenal are CHIA Seeds, they are one of the most complete protein sources on the planet and at the same time they have omega 3s too, making them a very complete source of very potent protein and healthy fats.
SEITAN comes in the second spot that is sometimes also known as the vegetarian’s meat, it is a preparation from wheat gluten, only drawback being a person suffering from celiac disease cannot consume it. It has around 25 grams of protein from 100 grams of a serving.
TEMPEH, a derivative of fermented soy is used to satisfy the taste buds of a veganist, it can be used to make sautéed salads, can be cooked on a grill, used with mushroom sauce etc to be accompanied by a cereal.
SOY, as we all know was the only option that one could’ve relied on since no milk product derivative can be used like Cottage Cheese or Yoghurt, people resorted to Soy Milk, Soya Chunks and it’s various other forms, but Soy really has its repercussions too, as and when a person who has Thyroid Disorder or imbalances, this famous food source will wreak havoc on your system, so steer clear of this protein packed source to avoid any hormonal imbalances. It packs 10 grams pf protein per 100 grams of a serving so it is a good source to get your aminos in.
SPIRULINA, is a concentrated form of vegetable protein, reaching 60 grams of protein per 100 grams of serving, so that is to this date the most power packed, pound for pound, most potent vegetarian protein for fuelling the athlete’s performance.
It is a must to have dynamism in one’s diet to break the monotony both mentally and physically, and when we look at being a vegetarian and that too a vegan this mould becomes so concrete that one feels trapped as to how he/she must go about their diet to combat this. This article focused on the root cause of the problem and gave the readers to explore new sources of vegan proteins to continue their fitness journey towards their definition of perfect.
So go on and explore these resources, play with different combinations and cook to your heart’s content, to be a healthier and happier version of yourself.
References: www.vitonica.com
American Council on Exercise Sports Nutrition for
Health Professionals by Natalie Digate Muth
American Council on Exercise Certified Personal
Trainer Manual by ACE
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