Being an athlete involves many components: a natural athletic ability, the right mindset, fierce determination, confidence, commitment to training – and, of course, fueling your body with food that keeps you firing on all cylinders! Simply Delish shares why these athletes are making the switch and how YOU can too!
Athletes are Moving to a Plant-Based Diet – Lately, there has been a big move for athletes to go plant-based, here’s why:
- Excellent health benefits – a plant-based diet is HIGH in nutrients and LOW in fats. Lots of fruits, veggies, beans, and nuts contain lots of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and protein.
- Research says plant-based eating can improve heart health, protect against cancer, and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
So why wouldn’t that enhance physical performance as well? That’s precisely what many athletes that have “made the switch” are finding out!
Fact: Plant-based food can be packed with protein – some have even more protein than meat. Take lentils, for example – a 100-gram serving only has 116 calories total but is 31% protein. Pretty incredible that lentils have more protein than a hamburger! Many athletes choose a plant-based keto diet – substituting animal protein with plant protein can have high-impact benefits.
The best of the best are believing it! Tom Brady even partnered with Purple Carrot, a veggie food delivery company, to get people to “Eat Like A Goat” and follow his plant-based diet. And we all know he is an athlete that takes his nutrition and conditioning VERY seriously! It’s not just Tom – tennis player Venus Williams and basketball player Kyrie Irving rave about the results of their plant-based eating.
Reasons Why Plant-based Eating Works
- A plant-based diet might help with recovery times. Evidence from Harvard Medical School found that plant-based eating delays the onset of muscle soreness, lessens joint pain, and enables quicker healing.
- Why? Plants have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is the cause of many of our ailments. It’s an immune response that is natural – but can often go too far and lead to health problems like heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and even cancer.
- And, of course, bringing down inflammation is a vital part of recovery and feeling good for athletes.
- Another factor may be that plant-based diets have been shown to improve blood viscosity, which helps deliver oxygen around the body, promoting healing efficiently.
A Great Addition to a Healthy Lifestyle: Simply Delish Puddings and Jels are so Versatile
Here’s the thing: A plant-based diet must be easy – for athletes and all of us. And tasty, too, right? If you are following a low-carb, keto lifestyle, then you need to know about Simply Delish gelatin Free Jels and Puddings.
Simply Delish is a dessert company that believes in tasty AND healthy – and is tackling the low carb/KETO, vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free movement. Our plant-based natural jels and puddings are the perfect addition to anyone’s diet that is looking to “have it all”!
Here’s a great raspberry Chia seed recipe to start you off! (pictured)
