Misconceptions abound regarding vegetarian lifestyles. Lots of people assume that athletes cannot survive on a vegetarian diet because of their nutritional demands. The fact of the matter is, many athletes have already made the switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet. A vegetarian diet can be significant to young athletes because of the positive effects it has on your health and future well-being.
The Protein Myth
The most common myth about vegetarians is that their diets lack protein. This simply is untrue. Being a vegetarian simply means that you don't consume meat, not that you avoid all animal products. Vegetarians have access to an abundance of protein-rich foods, such as eggs, milk, beans, and whole grains. In fact, soy is a complete protein. It naturally contains all of the nine essential amino acids your body needs to digest protein. So, although soy is plant-based protein, it is actually one of the highest quality proteins you can consume.
The B12 Myth
Another common myth about vegetarians is that they all have a vitamin B12 deficiency. The myth stems from the false believe that meat and animal products are the only foods that contain vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 actually comes from bacteria. The easiest to include more vitamin B12 in your diet is by taking a multivitamin or B12 supplement. You can also get vitamin B12 from eating eggs and fortified cereals. Most brands of soy milk also fortify their products with vitamin B12; 1 cup of soymilk contains 50% of your recommended daily value of vitamin B12.
Lower Fat and Cholesterol Levels
Cholesterol is an animal product. It does not exist in any plant-based foods. Few plant-based foods contain any fat at all. Nuts, olives and avocados are all high in fat, but the fat from these foods is actually good for your body. Beans and grains have a nominal amount of fat. For these reasons, vegetarians consume much less fat and cholesterol than omnivores. Vegans, vegetarians who do not eat any animal products, literally consume no cholesterol in their diets.
Higher Levels of Energy and Mental Clarity
Many people who switch to a vegan or vegetarian diet report feeling higher levels of energy and mental clarity. This is most likely due to the large amounts of vitamins and nutrients vegetarians consume. Plant-based foods are also more easily digested and absorbed by the body, and vegetarians tend to have more regular bowel movements than meat eaters, which could also contribute to their higher energy levels.
Shaolin Monks
Shaolin monks are lifelong vegetarians. The children who train under the monks become vegetarians the moment they enter the temple. These children, who begin their training at about 5-years-old, practice Shaolin Kung Fu and train harder on a daily basis than most professional athletes. They are living proof that a vegetarian diet is a healthy choice for young athletes.
You're Less Likely to Get Sick
A study at the German Cancer Research Center compared the blood of male vegetarians, aged 28 to 50, to omnivores. The study found that vegetarians had higher levels of the vitamin carotene, a natural antioxidant, and were at a lower risk for cancer. The study revealed that vegetarians have "natural killer cells," white blood cells that are particularly effective at fighting cancer-causing cells.
Help the Environment
By switching to a vegetarian diet at a young age, you're doing your part to help the environment and make the world a better place for you and your children when you get older. In 2006, the United Nations released a report stating that the production of meat, namely beef, contributes one-fifth of the greenhouse gas emissions and livestock take up 30 percent of the Earth's land surface.
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