All the information about each nutrient, vitamin and mineral you need to keep in check!

In case you are like me - and want to understand the research behind nutrition - I’ve read and taken notes on many original research articles pertaining towards vegan diets and athletes. (References at end)
You will also find a chart about how much vegan athletes need each day as well as the specific content in foods! (This helps me get it all in one day!) –coming soon–

Undoing the myth:
Many are still skeptical and concerned whether vegan diets can sustain an athlete, and even more to allow them to perform as well as their non-vegan peers. However, there is already a lot of evidence proving that a well-balanced diet can be just as good, or even better!

Benefits:
Vegan diets have many health benefits: lower risk of heart disease, lower LDL cholesterol (the bad one), lower blood pressure, lower rates of type 2 diabetes stroke and hypertension, lower body mass index and lower rates of some cancers. This isn’t accounted for solely by the avoidance of animal products, but also due to the increased consumption of whole plant foods and fewer processed foods.

Be careful:
Despite these benefits, vegans and especially vegan athletes must pay better attention to ensure they are consuming enough micronutrients and vitamins. The major deficiencies linked to vegan diets include calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids as well as creatine in muscles. I will go through each of these, their importance, how much you need, and which vegan-friendly foods have the highest content.

Energy:
The three sources of energy are carbohydrates (CHO), protein, and fat. They should be in a ratio of 45-65% CHO, 20-35% protein, and 10-35% fat. (percent of total daily calories). The large ranges are due to requirements based on body size, composition, gender as well as training type.

Protein:
Protein is required for muscle maintenance, growth and recovery. Timing of protein intake is also important for recovery. Endurance athletes (such as us) don’t require as much as strength athletes. It also depends on your training volume and intensity. It is estimated that a 150lb endurance athlete that trains 4hr/day on average, will require 3600kcal per day, which will include about 120g of protein. This you will get primarily from whole foods (tofu, nuts, seeds, and soy products). It is occasionally hard to get enough protein, especially during heavy training weeks, thus I have found it useful to supplement using vegan protein powders, such as Vega.

Calcium:
Calcium is required for blood clotting, nerve transmission, muscle stimulation (contraction) and bone structure. It is recommended to intake 400-500mg per day. Foods such as arugula, tofu, almonds, kidney beans, seeds and kale are high in calcium. Actually kale has higher bioavailable calcium than milk (cow)! Due to these foods, calcium deficiency is not usually a concern for vegans, despite the myths of requiring cow-milk.

Iron
Iron is required for the synthesis of haemoglobin and myoglobin, which transport and deliver oxygen to the muscles. Iron deficiency in vegans IS a concern, due to the lower bioavailability of iron in plant foods. This is because plants contain non-heme iron, as opposed to animal protein (and ours) which is heme iron. The recommended daily intake is 8mg for men and 18mg for women, or more during heavy menstrual bleeding. Iron rich foods include spinach, asparagus, broccoli, tofu, lentils, pumpkin seeds and soybeans. However, one pound of kale is only 8mg of iron. Therefore, I have found it useful to supplement iron, as with protein, in the form of a high protein-high iron powder, such as Vega.

Zinc:
Zinc is important as both an essential cofactor for many enzymes (especially for metabolism) as well as for the function of the immune system. Zinc deficiency is also prevelant in vegans. This is because plants are high in phytate, which inhibits absorption of both iron and zinc. As a result, vegans should intake 50% more zinc than nonvegans, and should be around 16.5mg/day for men and 12mg/day for women. High zinc foods include pumpkin or hemp seeds. To get an idea, a 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds only contain 5mg of zinc. In addition, techniques such as soaking and sprouting beans and seeds increases the zinc bioavailability.

Iodine:
Iodine is important for the proper function of the thyroid, which is the regulator of metabolic rate, growth and development through the body.  A recent study found that 80% of vegans are iodine deficient. The main source, especially in a Western diet, is from iodized salt, but it can also be found in kelp and seaweed. The daily intake should be about 120-150ug. One teaspoon of iodized salt is sufficient, or about 0.5g of kelp (high-salt seaweed) or 5.0g of wakame.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
These help attenuate inflammation and oxidative stress caused by exercise (in addition to high antioxidant foods such as dark berries), and also blood fluidity. There are 3 kinds, ALA which is broken down into PA and DHA. High-ALA containing foods are flaxheeds, walnuts and leafy greens. However, if you genetically have a lower concentration of the enzyme that converts ALA to DHA and EPA, you may need to intake more omega-3.

Vitamin D:
Vitamin D is required for bone growth and development, immune funtion and calcium uptake. Vitamin D is especially important in atheletes due to it’s role in calcium regulation (which is essential for muscle contraction). Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in the general population, and thus the daily required intakes are under revision. It can be obtained from sunlight, but north of 35 degrees, it is not sufficient. Other sources include fortified soymilk, juices and breakfast cereals. However, about 1000-2000 IU per day are needed, and thus supplements may be needed.

Muscle Creatine:
Muscle creatine is important for athletes as it increases muscle formation and maximum power. It is often low in vegan athletes, and thus supplementation may be of potential interest.

*Caffeine:
For those of you who rely on a boost of caffeine in the morning, you should note that caffeine partially inhibits the absorption of some essential nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, iron, and B-vitamins. However, studies show that this effect for calcium may be offset increasing your calcium uptake (about 40mg calcium more per 177.5mL or 6oz. of coffee) up to a maximum of 300mg caffeine (or about 2 cups of regular coffee, or 4-5 cans of coke). So be careful if you plan to uptake most of your vitamins in the morning, this effect of caffeine can last a few hours after consumption. I’ve found it useful to have a vitamin-enhanced smoothie in the morning, and wait until lunch-time to have my coffee.

References:
1. Venderley and Campbell 2006
2. Furhman and Ferreri 2010.
3. Winston and Craig 2010.
4. Craig et al. 2009.
5. Barger-Lux and Heaney 1995. Caffeine and the calcium economy revisited.