What Plant-Based Athletes Need to Know about Protein, Iron, and More
Can plant-based athletes really get all the nutrients they need to support health and performance?
With this style of eating getting so much hype in documentaries and on social media, it can be tough to know what’s evidence-based and what’s marketing.
To be clear, you don’t need to be plant-based to be healthy or perform your best. But if you choose to eat this way, you can absolutely fuel yourself well. It just takes a little more planning.
In Episode 148 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, sports dietitian Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, joins me to talk about how plant-based athletes can meet their nutrition needs. Natalie brings both personal and professional experience to this topic: she eats this way herself and specializes in plant-based eating for athletes through her practice, Greenletes.
Natalie and I discuss:
What plant-based actually means, and why you don't need to eliminate every single animal product to benefit
Common mistakes we see, like relying too heavily on processed meat alternatives and not eating enough nutrient-dense foods
How to balance a high-fiber diet with GI tolerance and increased energy needs
How to get enough protein by combining different plant sources
Iron considerations for vegan and vegetarian athletes, including ways to improve absorption
Other nutrients that require extra attention, such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and omega-3s
How to know if plant-based eating is right for you, plus tips for getting started
Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or simply plant-curious, listen to the full episode to learn how to fuel effectively!
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What Does Plant-Based Actually Mean?
“Plant-based” means different things to different people. It can mean fully vegan (no animal products at all), vegetarian (including dairy and eggs), or a more plant-forward approach that includes fish, chicken, or other animal foods from time to time.
As Natalie puts it, “That’s the beauty of plant-based...you can decide what it means to you, but it’s primarily plants.”
Research in the general population consistently links eating more plants with better health outcomes, like lower risk of chronic disease. But that doesn’t mean you need to cut out animal products. An omnivorous diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds can be just as health-promoting.
When it comes to performance, research on plant-based athletes is limited, but so far it doesn’t show that following a vegan or vegetarian diet gives athletes an edge over a well-balanced omnivorous one. What matters most is meeting your energy and nutrient needs, however you choose to eat.
Whether you’re already plant-based or considering it, find an approach that feels enjoyable, sustainable, and supportive of your training.
How to Get Enough Protein on a Plant-Based Diet
Many plant-based athletes underestimate how much protein they’re actually getting. Plant foods do contain protein, but a typical serving often provides less than you may be used to getting from animal foods.
For example, three ounces of chicken breast provides around 20 grams of protein, while three ounces of tofu provides considerably less. If you're making that switch without adjusting your portions or including other protein sources, your total intake may fall short.
This is where I like to think about layering protein sources. You don’t need one food to do all the work, and depending on your appetite, combining sources is often more practical than eating a large serving of one food. A bowl with beans, rice, broccoli, and pumpkin seeds might not seem protein-heavy at first glance, but together those foods add up.
Some useful plant-based protein sources include:
Soy foods: tofu, tempeh, edamame, and soy milk
Beans and other legumes: black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and split peas
Grains and other foods: oats, quinoa, and whole-grain bread
Nuts and seeds: peanut butter, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds
Protein shakes can also help, especially for athletes with high training volumes or busy schedules. But they work best as part of an overall fueling plan, not as a substitute for eating enough food.
Plant-based eating requires some planning and intention, but that doesn’t mean every meal needs to be carefully calculated.
I love how Natalie put it:
“You don't have to think about branched-chain amino acids...essential amino acids, incomplete proteins, or complete proteins. All of that stuff is really covered if you start eating a variety of proteins at most meals.”
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Key Nutrients for Plant-Based Athletes
Getting enough protein is important, but it isn’t the only consideration. Many athletes I work with, plant-based or not, struggle to meet their overall energy needs while also falling short on several key nutrients.
Energy Needs, Carbs, and Fiber
A diet can contain plenty of nutritious foods and still not provide enough total energy. Many plant foods are high in fiber and very filling, which can make it harder to eat enough when training demands are high.
Carbohydrates are especially important for fueling training. Some plant-based athletes focus so heavily on eating “clean” whole foods that they avoid lower-fiber carbs, added sugars, and sports fuel. But these quick-digesting carbs play an important role before and during long or intense workouts.
Too much fiber before exercise can also cause GI distress. A few strategies that can help:
Choose easy-to-digest carbs like white rice or plain pasta at some meals
Time higher-fiber meals away from workouts (for example, later in the day if you train in the morning, or earlier if you train in the evening)
Try cooked vegetables instead of raw
For more ideas, check out my blog posts on what to eat before a long run and what to eat during a long run.
Here are a few micronutrients that need extra attention on a plant-based diet.
Iron
Plant-based athletes (especially those who menstruate) are at higher risk of iron deficiency. Plant foods like lentils, beans, oats, quinoa, and spinach contain iron, but this non-heme iron isn’t absorbed as well as the heme iron found in animal foods. That’s why iron recommendations for vegetarians and vegans are higher than for people who eat meat.
A few ways to improve absorption:
Pair iron-rich plant foods with vitamin C, like adding bell peppers or tomatoes to a bean-based meal
Avoid eating calcium-rich foods (like dairy) at the same time as iron-rich foods
Drink coffee and tea between meals rather than with them
If you’re experiencing persistent fatigue or suspect low iron, talk with your healthcare provider about bloodwork. Don’t automatically start an iron supplement just because you eat a plant-based diet, since excess iron can be harmful.
As Natalie says: "I never tell anyone to supplement with iron unless we have looked at some labs and see that they are iron deficient."
Learn more about iron in Episode 140 of The Eat for Endurance podcast. You can also check out my iron mini guide!
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 isn’t reliably found in unfortified plant foods, which makes it a key consideration for vegans and many vegetarians. Fortified plant milks and nutritional yeast can help, but many plant-based athletes benefit from a supplement. Bloodwork can tell you whether you need one.
Vitamin D, Calcium, and Omega-3s
These nutrients also deserve attention when planning a plant-based diet.
Vitamin D: few foods provide much, and most of those are animal-based. Our main source is sun exposure, so many athletes benefit from a supplement. Get your levels checked to know for sure.
Calcium: soy foods are a great source, especially tofu, which is often made with calcium. Fortified plant milks and leafy greens help too.
Omega-3s: nuts and seeds like walnuts, chia, and flax provide ALA. DHA and EPA come mainly from fish, so algal oil is a good option for anyone who doesn't eat fish.
Thankfully, you can plan for all of these. You don’t need to make your diet complicated, but it helps to know where your usual food choices are meeting your needs and where you may need to make adjustments.
How to Make Plant-Based Eating Practical
You don’t need to overhaul your diet or spend hours meal prepping to make plant-based eating work for you.
Convenience foods like canned beans, frozen edamame, precooked lentils, and store-bought lentil or vegetable soups make it easy to pull together quick, balanced meals.
Here are a few more simple ideas:
Add baked or air-fried tofu and/or edamame to a rice bowl with vegetables and your favorite sauce
Make tacos with black beans or lentils, and top them with salsa for a vitamin C boost
Toss canned beans or precooked lentils into salads, soups, and grain bowls
Swap ground meat for lentils in pasta sauce
Use fortified soy milk in smoothies or oatmeal
Rotate your protein sources throughout the week rather than relying on the same one every day
For more practical tips, listen to the full episode!
Ready for More Personalized Sports Nutrition Support?
Whether you're fully plant-based, experimenting with more plant-based meals, or simply trying to improve your fueling, I can help you figure out what works for your nutrition needs and training.
Here are a few ways we can work together:
Fill out my new client inquiry form to apply for virtual 1:1 nutrition coaching
Join my Fuel for Life Crew membership for $39/month and get access to live Q&As, masterclasses, downloads, and a private community
Browse my sports nutrition masterclasses, all of which are included in the membership
Check out my Nutrition Mini Guides, also included in the membership
Here’s what one client had to say about our 1:1 work together:
"Claire has been helping me with my nutrition over long endurance rides and balancing every day eating too. She is one of a kind! She was able to adapt to my unique preferences and get me to peak performance. :) Extremely recommended!"
-Gilad M.
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Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
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