Photo credit:
Ben_Nelson, flickr
Are fruits, veg and grains—and not one morsel of meat, eggs or cheese—strong enough to power pro athletes? Can a strict vegan diet stand up to prolonged periods of intense physical activity? Just ask Tony Gonzalez, an (un)beefy (247-pound!) vegan NFL tight-end, preferably after he’s slammed a mammoth soy smoothie.
So far, locker room razzing aside, going meatless works for him … and his team, the Kansas City Chiefs. Not for the opponents he routinely mows down (basically with his pinky finger).
Two stereotypes sacked:
1. Vegans are not wussy Skinny Bitches
2. They're definitely fueled by more than shallow Rice Dreams.
Gonzalez is only one in a growing team of professional sports players who reject fish, meat and poultry as tasty "things" and yet still manage to healthfully cram thousands of calories and more than enough protein. And I’m not talking cheese-dabbling vegetarians here. These guys (and girls) diss ALL animal byproducts, right down to their cleats.
So, here they are, our top five meanest, leanest, meatless(-est?) pro athletes, starting with all six-feet, five-brawny inches of Mr. Gonzalez, a self-confessed former cheeseburger addict.
1. Tony Gonzales, pro football player
He de-boned his diet after hearing about “The China Study.” The research-heavy tome contends that herbivores suffer significantly fewer chronic diseases than meat-eaters … and a whole lot more (if you have the stomach for it). Gonzalez’s fav vegan power foods: soy protein powder; organic oatmeal; soy milk; Brazilian acai juice and banana bread smothered in whipped soy cream.
2. Carl Lewis, Olympic track and field star
Lewis, who captured 10 Olympic medals, 9 of them gold, used to skip meals to control his weight. In 1990, he digested his final carnivorous meal (Spanish sausage) and never looked back. See him explain how he struck vegan gold. He leans on high-calorie fresh juices to amplify energy and add in extra calories for endurance.
3. Katie Coryell, pro surfer
A high school Upton Sinclair (novel: The Jungle) assignment inspired Katie to quit red meat, chicken and other "dead things," as she calls them. The U.S. Surfing Team member later cut out seafood and her beloved ice cream and cheese. "By eating lower on the food chain I am
helping contribute to environmental sustainability while eliminating
many harmful chemicals from my diet," she says.
4. Ricardo Moreira, ultimate fighter
Only one of two pros (the other is Mac Danzig) in worldwide cage fighting, Moreira "upgraded" from vegetarian to vegan after seeing vegan bodybuilders flex their way to victory without meat. "I choose to get in the cage, but animals don't have a choice," Moreira tells AnimalRighter. We still wouldn't want to be locked in a cage with him, though.
5. Christine Vardaros, pro cyclist
After dissecting a pig in junior high, Vardaros saw E.B. White's Wilbur in her pork chops and swore off of bacon forever. "One by
one," she says,"I eliminated the various two-eyed creatures from my menu as each
moral dilemma arose." Her favorite fruit: pomegranate. Veggie: broccoli.
As yet there’s no clear-cut scientific evidence that forgoing foods that moo and cluck (and pucker?) makes humans faster, better, stronger. But if shafting meat and dairy doesn’t sap even the toughest vegan sports pros, chances are it won’t be a factor for Average Joes (like me) either. Egg-less pasta doesn't taste so bad before the big game anyway. Just make sure to chase it with an iron-rich vitamin.
Want more proof that vegans have what it takes to compete with the big dogs? Check out this impressive list of sporty vegans. I can't be the only one who stands corrected.
How we can green our Summer
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its one thing to discuss the reasons that today's athletes have for choosing to eat the way they do, and i am not judging it -most of them have the money, time and motivation to get the nutrition they need from vegetarian or vegan food sources. i do get really tired of lists from other lists from other lists of supposed vegetarians throughout history, that don't properly source and cite the information the posit. whether or not a couple of our most famous greek philosophers chose to be meat free bears little relevance on the simple fact that a vegan diet takes tremendous energy and attention to actualize into full nutritional compensation for the body's needs. ask any of the five athletes how much money and in what quantities they supplement. i don't think that suggesting someone cut out animal sources, altogether, without promoting the effective ways to get adequate nutrition is very responsible. i think its very risky with children. i am, personally, much more concerned by people (children especially) that subsist on chemical laden meats, flavorings and condiments, refined sugar and bleached grains and flours that have been leached of all nutritional value, etc. so i am not overly invested in the debate about people who choose to eat healthy things but not all healthy things.
as an individual born with a pretty straight forward euro-western heritage, i will say that my ancestors have been eating meat and animal proteins for centuries. the further back you go, you learn that meats were preserved in healthy ways, and prepared for ultimate nutritional gain by the consumer -including organ meats, etc. grains were usually soaked or lacto-fermented, as were vegetables. pregnant women were expected to consume organ meats but also eggs from land, air and water species were especially regarded -as the nutritional demands on a pregnant or nursing woman's body are significant. when the body/fetus does not get what it needs, during pregnancy, from food, it takes from the host's vital organs -first fat deposits (if there are any, which are loaded with toxins) and then from the heart, etc.
you bet i think its risky to trust a child to get a complete intake of all important proteins, vitamins and minerals -i think its hard to do if you include animal proteins. i think lots of things are risky though, and like i said, my real concerns lie with the sugars and so forth that effectively deplete what nutritional value the food source, animal or not, could have provided. if i had my way, it wouldn't be that people eat meat, or not, it would be that people revert to a chemical free, preservative free, free range, low sugar, native diet complete in the nutrients that allow us to do meet the demands we put on our bodies. should a monk fast as part of the practice and type of work it takes to move beyond suffering and do no harm with the goal of attaining enlightenment? sure. should a pregnant woman fast? i generally don't think so. i think she should do everything in her power to eat a nutrient rich, chemical and sugar free diet that meets the new demands for proteins her body requires to grow a healthy baby and will be required to feed her baby the ultimate of animal proteins -breastmilk.