Plant-Based Athlete Nutrition: 3 Key Nutrients You Might Be Missing (and How to Optimize Them)

The post is based on my experience as a sports dietitian that has worked with many vegan, vegetarian, and plant-forward athletes in my private practice + as a vegan athlete myself. This is post is considered general advice versus personalized nutritional guidance. 

1. Omega-3s

The problem: Athletes have higher omega-3 needs than the general population. Plant-based diets (vegetarian, vegan, and mostly plant-based) tend to be rich in ALA omega-3 rich foods and devoid of DHA and EPA omega-3s rich foods. ALA can be converted to EPA and DHA, but the conversion is poor and therefor many of the athletes I see are falling short on their needs.

Possible solutions:

• Increase the consumption of ALA rich plant foods further. This includes foods such as:
  • hemp seeds
  • flax seeds
  • chia seeds
  • tofu
  • tempeh
  • walnuts
  • soybean and canola oil
• Take an algae oil omega-3 supplement rich in DHA and EPA. Fish get their omega-3s from consuming algae, so why not just cut out the middle fish and go straight to the source? Not all supplements are created equal, so pick a quality vegan omega-3 supplement with your sports dietitian.

2. Calcium

The problem: many athletes are not meeting their calcium needs and calcium is vital for bone health, muscle and nerve function, and cardiovascular function. Most adults need 1,000 mg of calcium daily, but women over 50 should get 1,200 mg daily. A lot of the veggie athletes I’ve worked with consume plant based milk 1-3 times per day, but tend to pick ones that aren’t fortified with calcium. Many of them are eating calcium rich foods a few days per week, rather than daily.

Possible solutions:

• Consume a plant milk that is fortified with calcium. Silk soy milk has ~450 mg of calcium which is nearly half of your daily needs. Almond Breeze almond milk and Ripple Pea milk are also high in calcium. There are many more options- check the label!
• Cook or make salads with leafy greens, such as kale and bok choy
• Drink a cup of calcium fortifed orange juice with breakfast
• Make a stiry fry with broccoli and calcium set tofu
• Top your breakfast with dried figs and almonds
• Eat edamame for a snack
• Cook with amranth instead of rice a few days per week
• Make a soup with white beans or lentils

3. Iron

The problem: Plant-based iron sources are not as bioavailable (non-heme) and athletes, especially endurance athletes, have general higher needs than the general population. Individuals who menstruate, as well as participate in endurance sports, are especially vulnerable to low iron levels or anemia. Of course, low iron can happen in non-menstruating athletes too.

Possible solutions:

• Increase daily iron intake from foods to ~30 mg/day for plant-based females and ~15 mg/day for plant-based males, which is ~1.8 higher than the RDA of iron to account for the lower bioavailibility of plant-based sources.
• Pair iron rich plant-foods with vitamin C rich foods
  • Some iron rich plant-foods: tofu. leafy greens, beans, almonds, cashews, tempeh, peas, millet, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oatmeal, and tahini
  • Some vitamin C rich foods: bell peppers, broccoli, lemon, oranges, brussel sprouts, clementines, and berries
• Consume coffee or tea 90 minutes away from meals because both beverage decrease iron absoprtion
• Cook meals with a cast iron skillet
• Use a lucky iron leaf or fish also made of cast iron when cooking soups, stews, grains, etc. on the stovetop.

If you are struggling to consume these nutrients as an athlete (you don’t need to be vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based, all eater are welcome! ) fill out the contact form or email amanda@amandawagnernutrition.com to learn more.

I’m in network with many Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Healthcare insurance plans + I have self-pay options if you have a different insurance or your insurance doesn’t cover dietitian visits. Most of my insurance clients have paid $0 out of pocket to work with me, which has been amazing! Please share your location when inquiring.

You do not have to wing it when it comes to meeting your needs as an athlete. I’m happy to help!