In spite of the myths surrounding a vegan diet, some of the world’s top sporting stars have adopted it as a way of life, fueling up by plants using some of the best natural sources of protein to keep them top of their game.
From F1 to tennis, boxing to power lifting, a plethora of sporting heroes have blown the myths out of the water, showing we no longer need animal proteins to support a healthy diet. Even cutting down on meats and combining a few vegan meals and plant-based meats here and there can help lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart disease.
INN certified nutrition coach, Abeer Almutlaq, founder of vegan restaurant chain, Wabi Sabi, in Saudi and now the UAE, said there is growing evidence that going vegan will not affect performance.
“The key for any diet is variety and ensuring that we consume and absorb the right food groups for our bodies,” Almutlaq explained.
“Many people today have poor gut health, and this can prohibit the absorption of vital nutrients so whatever the diet, they may well remain unhealthy. The best thing someone can do for their health is ensure they have good gut health to promote digestion.”
In today’s world of mass-produced meat, often with added chemicals, hormones and more, she said quality food is key.
“The best way to eat is whole, natural foods, and in today’s meat production market, we simply don’t know what we are eating any more. With a plant-based diet, we eat what is grown in the ground which is the healthiest way to fuel our bodies,” says Almutlaq.
There are many sources of protein in a vegan diet, we just need to understand how and where to source these which is why the help of a nutritionist is a great way to ease into the vegan way of life, according to Wabi Sabi’s founder.
“So many veggies like asparagus and spinach are packed full of protein so we just need to create a diet that supports sport and get beyond the concept that we need meat to do this,” Almutlaq.
Wabi Sabi offers a wide range of wholesome and healthy meals, that are full of nutrition and all the elements of a well-balanced diet for example their signature and iconic ATM Burger includes brown rice, mushrooms, pea protein, fresh onion, tomatoes, pickles, jalapenos and homemade vegan cheese; or the Quinoa Avocado Salad with greens, quinoa, finely-chopped mangoes, avocado and citrus dressing.
Not only is a vegan diet good for our bodies, but it’s good for the planet, says Almutlaq, and here are some of the superstars leading the way in the plant-based world and showing us how they do it.
1. F1 star Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton famously went vegan after watching the Netflix documentary, What The Health. A vocal animal rights activist, he has put his money where his mouth is, setting up a hit chain of vegan burger outlets, Neat Burger, which have proved a massive inspiration for many looking to find a transition to a more plant-based diet. He claims he is in the best shape of his life, sleeping and recovering better, with other noticeable changes including better skin.
2. Olympic cyclist Dotsie Bausch
Just like Hamilton, American Olympic silver medalist Dotsie Bausch has turned her passion for plant-based eating into a successful new business, founding the not-for-profit Switch4Good to help make the trend become more mainstream. She claims the plant-based diet helped her stamina and breathing as well as improving her recovery time, meaning she could train more often, harder and faster.
3. Tennis star Novak Djokovic
Grand slam champion and former world number one, Novak Djokovic, says he follows a plant-based diet for optimal performance and with a lengthy career to show for it, it’s easy to see why. Though he steers away from the vegan label, he claims the way of eating has helped support him in his world-topping career. Taking an ethical stance, he said in a press conference: “It’s a lifestyle more than just a diet because you have ethical reasons as well, being conscious of what is happening in the animal world. The slaughtering of animals and farming and everything, that’s obviously also a huge impact on climate change which maybe people don’t talk about as much. It’s more than a performance reason for me, it’s a lifestyle, it’s something I’m really proud of.”
4. Powerlifter Patrik Baboumian
Patrik Bouboumian came to the fore in the vegan world when he appeared in The Game Changers documentary. In 2011, he was crowned Germany’s strongest man – the first-ever vegan to do so. He also won the 2012 European Powerlifting Championships in Finland, beating strongmen from across the continent. If his size and prowess doesn’t convince you that vegan can still mean strong, nothing will.
5. Tennis bad-boy Nick Kyrgios
Inspired to turn vegan for the sake of animal welfare following the Australian bush fires of 2020, Kyrgios says he turned vegan for nature, and hasn’t looked back. Still top of his game, on and off the court, he has now partnered with US firm, Beyond Meat, to help promote the way of life around the world.
For tasty vegan meals and inspiration in Dubai and Sharjah, check out the UAE’s latest vegan eatery, Wabi Sabi: https://www.instagram.com/wabisabi_uae