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Vegan and Vegetarian Athletes
10 Athletes Who Went Meat-Free
No need to beef up on animal protein to set a world record or score an Olympic medal. Vegetarian and vegan diets led these superstar athletes to the top of their games
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Image: Getty Images
If the word “vegan” brings to mind the image of a listless string bean of a human being, consider this: Seven-feet-tall basketball stars, ultramarathoners, and even heavyweight boxers and bodybuilders have ditched meat without sacrificing performance—or their powerful physiques.
Not only do vegetarian and vegan athletes—and the average Joe—live longer and have lower risk of diseases, but they may also perform better. A 2010 review published in Current Sports Medicine Reports concluded that plant-based diets not only were suitable for serious athletes, but also maximized performance, recovery time, endurance, and resistance to illness when they upped their intake of beans, greens, seeds, nuts, whole grains, and colorful fruits and veggies. Here, a look at athletes who reportedly follow or have followed meat-free diets during their careers.
More: The Vegetarian’s Dilemma
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