Is veganism the key to superhuman strength?
Follow @Mazana17
"The world's strongest animals are plant-eaters. Gorillas, buffaloes, elephants and me".
It was with these words that, earlier this week, Barnabas du Plessis revealed himself to be the new spokesperson for animal rights and vegan advocacy organisation PETA. A world-renowned body-builder and former Mr Universe, du Plessis cut meat, fish, eggs and all dairy products from his diet almost one year ago – and says he hasn't looked back since.
"It's the best, happiest, healthiest choice I ever could have made," du Plessis tells me, claiming that his new purely plant-based diet has gifted him more energy, fewer aches and a clear conscience. But can a vegan lifestyle really be sustainable for a sportsman? With some of the necessary proteins and minerals only occurring naturally in meats and other dairy products, how does du Plessis maintain his imposing physique?
It was with these words that, earlier this week, Barnabas du Plessis revealed himself to be the new spokesperson for animal rights and vegan advocacy organisation PETA. A world-renowned body-builder and former Mr Universe, du Plessis cut meat, fish, eggs and all dairy products from his diet almost one year ago – and says he hasn't looked back since.
"It's the best, happiest, healthiest choice I ever could have made," du Plessis tells me, claiming that his new purely plant-based diet has gifted him more energy, fewer aches and a clear conscience. But can a vegan lifestyle really be sustainable for a sportsman? With some of the necessary proteins and minerals only occurring naturally in meats and other dairy products, how does du Plessis maintain his imposing physique?
"The thing about protein," explains the 41 year-old bodybuilder, "is
that on a molecular level, it makes no difference where it comes
from. The body doesn't discriminate between animal and plant-based
sources, so building muscle on a vegan diet is easy.
"The most important elements of my diet are fresh organic vegetables such as spinach, kale and broccoli. They are essential for my vitality, health and well-being – I like to think of plant-based foods as a nutrition bomb packed full of goodness! In addition to the fresh vegetables, my protein comes from lentils, beans, seeds, nuts, quinoa, oats, rice, legumes and a good quality vegan blended protein shake."
A typical day for du Plessis sees the former Mr Universe consume a mammoth amount of food. He begins the day with coffee, coconut oil and a beetroot shot. After training, he eats super-greens, a raw date bar, tapioca, rice flakes, quinoa, mixed seeds, cacao and stevia. For lunch it's brown rice and mixed lentils, followed by more rice, more lentils and a large quantity of vegetables. Finally, his evening meal consists of seeds and oats.
Alongside this smorgasbord of plant-based foodstuffs, du Plessis consumes daily supplements, including nutritional yeast product that is high in protein and contains B vitamins. "It's something that a lot of people do these days, old and young," he says.
"The most important elements of my diet are fresh organic vegetables such as spinach, kale and broccoli. They are essential for my vitality, health and well-being – I like to think of plant-based foods as a nutrition bomb packed full of goodness! In addition to the fresh vegetables, my protein comes from lentils, beans, seeds, nuts, quinoa, oats, rice, legumes and a good quality vegan blended protein shake."
A typical day for du Plessis sees the former Mr Universe consume a mammoth amount of food. He begins the day with coffee, coconut oil and a beetroot shot. After training, he eats super-greens, a raw date bar, tapioca, rice flakes, quinoa, mixed seeds, cacao and stevia. For lunch it's brown rice and mixed lentils, followed by more rice, more lentils and a large quantity of vegetables. Finally, his evening meal consists of seeds and oats.
Alongside this smorgasbord of plant-based foodstuffs, du Plessis consumes daily supplements, including nutritional yeast product that is high in protein and contains B vitamins. "It's something that a lot of people do these days, old and young," he says.
Interestingly, du Plessis is not
the only vegan strongman. Patrik Baboumian, Germany's strongest man and
the holder of various world weightlifting records, follows a meat- and
diary-free diet, as do a burgeoining group of amatuer bodybuilders.
And then there's NFL defensive lineman David Carter, who uses his
considerable 300lb bulk to repel opposing attackers, and women's tennis
superstar Serena Williams, whose game is built on the sheer strength of
her shots.
So, could veganism be the key to superhuman strength? Nutritionist Steve Grant isn't convinced.
"A vegan diet actually has the potential for a number of nutritional shortfalls," warns Grant, "especially in those competing and training at an international level, whose energy and nutrient demands are much higher than the general population.
"Veganism can make it harder to reach optimal protein levels and can often result in a less than favourable balance of essential fatty acids in the diet, resulting in a dominance of omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
"A vegan diet actually has the potential for a number of nutritional shortfalls," warns Grant, "especially in those competing and training at an international level, whose energy and nutrient demands are much higher than the general population.
"Veganism can make it harder to reach optimal protein levels and can often result in a less than favourable balance of essential fatty acids in the diet, resulting in a dominance of omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
"It has also been reported that certain nutrients – specifically
iron, zinc and B12 – are often deficient in vegan athletes. And all of
these have a number of crucial functions in performance, in particular
our ability to produce energy."
Grant also cautions that an unbalanced diet can hinder the absorption of nutrients into the body: "Whilst the consumption of grains, legumes, nuts and seeds are important in a vegan diet to support protein and fat intake, these foods are also richest in something called phytates," says the nutritionist. "most phytates are degraded in the digestive system, but unfortunately phytic acid can bind to minerals in the gut and be excreted as waste. This is one of the key reasons why iron deficiency is more common in vegans, even though iron intake is often higher than the general population.
"Veganism can also reduce the absorption of carbohydrates, proteins and fats."
Grant also cautions that an unbalanced diet can hinder the absorption of nutrients into the body: "Whilst the consumption of grains, legumes, nuts and seeds are important in a vegan diet to support protein and fat intake, these foods are also richest in something called phytates," says the nutritionist. "most phytates are degraded in the digestive system, but unfortunately phytic acid can bind to minerals in the gut and be excreted as waste. This is one of the key reasons why iron deficiency is more common in vegans, even though iron intake is often higher than the general population.
"Veganism can also reduce the absorption of carbohydrates, proteins and fats."
"However," Grant continues, "I certainly would not say it is
'dangerous' to adopt a vegan diet when highly active. Like any other
athlete, you simply need to spend time ensuring that your dietary intake
meets the demands of your chosen physical activity.
"With vegan athletes, I would recommend they support their health with specific vegan based protein supplements, such as pea and rice protein and amino acid formulas to support protein status."
There are clearly potential dietary problems for vegan athletes. But, as personal trainer and online fitness coach Scott Laidler points out, as long as they consume the requisite supplements, there is no disadvantage to ditching the meat.
"There is nothing that a vegan can or cannot achieve in comparison to a meat eater – and vice versa," says Laidler. "However, competitive bodybuilders are, by definition, genetically 'gifted' as they can build muscle rapidly whilst staying lean.
"With vegan athletes, I would recommend they support their health with specific vegan based protein supplements, such as pea and rice protein and amino acid formulas to support protein status."
There are clearly potential dietary problems for vegan athletes. But, as personal trainer and online fitness coach Scott Laidler points out, as long as they consume the requisite supplements, there is no disadvantage to ditching the meat.
"There is nothing that a vegan can or cannot achieve in comparison to a meat eater – and vice versa," says Laidler. "However, competitive bodybuilders are, by definition, genetically 'gifted' as they can build muscle rapidly whilst staying lean.
"Any competitive athlete has to remain disciplined enough to stick
to a recommended calorie intake and foods regardless of whether they're a
vegan or not – it may just mean they have to eat more. This is because
the ratios of protein to the mass of food can vary, so vegan athletes
who expect to achieve the same results as a meat eating athlete may well
have to consume a greater mass of food."
"The key here is your aptitude for training. If Joe Bloggs decided to go vegan and continue to train from time to time, he would probably lose muscle pretty quickly because he doesn’t have the discipline of men like Mr Universe. He’d skip meals, do lacklustre training and wouldn’t supplement properly. And – unlike a meat eater – he wouldn’t get the protein sources in by default."
"The key here is your aptitude for training. If Joe Bloggs decided to go vegan and continue to train from time to time, he would probably lose muscle pretty quickly because he doesn’t have the discipline of men like Mr Universe. He’d skip meals, do lacklustre training and wouldn’t supplement properly. And – unlike a meat eater – he wouldn’t get the protein sources in by default."
"I do a lot less cardio – fat burning – now, because I'm on a really lean vegan diet," says du Plessis. "Training is as good as it has always been. Both my fiancée, who went vegan at the same time I did, and I have noticed that we don't ache for days after each workout anymore – our recovery speed is much better.
"We have also both noticed that our skin, hair and nails now reflect how healthy our bodies are inside. I had several hernias when I was eating meat because my stomach acidity and the acidity of my body were too high. My hernias were aggravated big time by my meat intake, but now that I've gone vegan, I no longer have them. No pain and no acid reflux.
"My body is being fed the best food known to mankind and loads of it, and that's why I feel great," says the former Mr Universe. "It's a no-brainer. Eat healthy, organic, natural foods, and you're practically guaranteed to feel the same.
"Think of it this way: if a machine is given the best fuel, then it will run better. The same goes for our bodies. They run better on plant-based foods than when we are clogging them up with fatty foods. You only have one vessel in this lifetime, and I wouldn't put anything but the best in my hot rod – which is why I choose vegan."
For more News and Entertainments, follow Us at our Social Network :
Follow @Mazana17
No comments :
Post a Comment