Vegetarianism is growing more popular in the sports industry, with current as well as former athletes giving up the animal based proteins and turning to the alternate option that is vegetables and other plant-based food.
There have been many debates over the subject, as some believe that it’s a disadvantage. Nonetheless, athletes who have won endless medals and competitions have proved otherwise, going down in history as some of the most memorable and talented in their sports regardless of their diet choices. Many famous Olympians and highly respected athletes are either vegan, vegetarian of cutting meat out of a lot of their daily diets. Therefore, contrary to what many believe, it really is possible to succeed in the highly intensive world of sports on a vegetarian diet.
Walter “Killer” Kowalski, a former Canadian professional wrestler, world tag team champion and US tag team champion, becoming vegetarian was initially for athletic purposes.
Bill Walton is remembered as one of the greatest players in NBA history. He has won the College Player of the Year Awards three times straight with UClA and continued to impress as he became MVP in his NBA career. Throughout his entire basketball career, the Hall of Fame athlete committed to a plant-based diet, which only added to his athleticism.
Being one of the most respected UK practitioners of Savate, James Southwood is a self-funded and proud vegetarian athlete kept within strict weight limits for his sport.
Ricky Williams was one of the first footballers in the NFl to choose a vegetarian diet because he felt that it was an overall healthier lifestyle. The famous athlete also opened a vegetarian-friendly restaurant to support his beliefs and share the benefits of vegetarianism with the world.
The first baseman for the Texas Rangers and one of the most respected vegetarian athletes, Prince Fielder has followed a strict vegetarian diet since the beginning of 2008 and hasn’t looked back.
Venus Williams changed into a full vegan diet after being diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune condition, in 2011. Williams claimed that her diet has only affected her athleticism positively, improving her health and assisting in the management of her Sjorgren’s symptoms.
Competing for years in the brutal and high-demanding sport that is MMA, Mac Danzig’s vegan diet has made him stand out immensely in the world of professional fighting.
Regardless of his vegetarian diet, Robert Parish became a part of history, being one of the greatest NBA basketball players of all time.
Former sports car champion and NASCAR driver, Andy lally moved from vegetarian to vegan in 2013, considering it an ethical choice. Hannah Teter is an athlete with an impressive sporting career. The US snowboarder is a famous two-time Olympic medalist, US snowboard Overall Grand Prix half-pipe champion and X Games super-pipe champion who has an intense love for animals. So much so that she became extremely motivated to take the world of sports by storm as a vegetarian.
The ‘Flying Finn’, also known as Paavo Nurmi, is one of the greatest distance runners in history. Not only did Nurmi have a successful career with nine gold medals in long-distance running during the 1924 and 1928 Olympics, but the famous runner had his extensive and impressive career on a vegetarian diet, which he had started at the age of 12.
The world famous Carl lewis decided to change his diet in the middle of his impressive career in track running. In 1991, after winning four gold medals in 1984, he restricted his diet, adopting a vegan diet in preparation for the World Championships in 1991, where he won the ABC’s Wide World of Sports Athlete of the year at the age of 30.
Former Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons tight end and possibly NFl’s most famous vegetarian, Tony Gonzalez admits that fellow teammates often doubted his dietary choices whilst they fueled their bodies with meaty foods. Nonetheless, Gonzalez is a prime example of the benefits of vegetarianism for athletes.
The famous Mike Tyson is a retired US boxer and former heavyweight champion who indulges in his vegan diet and believes that it gives him explosions of energy. Although the legendary boxer was extremely carnivorous when training for fights, his diet was forced to change as he got older, having joint problems and weight issues.
US bodybuilder, Bill Pearl gave up on meat after a bad restaurant experience, where he decided that the excess female hormones chicken were fed wasn’t something he wanted in his system. He proudly admits to being vegetarian for almost 35 years and states that he can still carry enough muscle mass to win another Mr Universe title.
Billie Jean King has 39 Grand Slam titles to her name and was ranked Number 1 in the world at one point in her career – she is also a long time vegetarian.
Jason ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie: Not afraid to speak out for animals, Jason “Dizzy” Gillespie is a proud vegan and animal rights activist. He scored a double century coming as night watchman, a record in cricket history.
Most of our famous south Indian batsmen, fast bowlers and spinners are vegetarian. Most of the Sri-lanka players are vegetarian. Indian team dreaded opening bowler Ishant Sharma is a strict vegetarian. Our most aggressive and best Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi is a strict vegetarian. There are many famous athletes and sportsman who turned vegetarian in life. The world famous singer and actress, Madonna is a vegetarian.
The list goes on and on. If eating beef could produce super athletes then how many from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Middle East or beef eating Indians won gold in athleticsIJ Eating beef does not produce Bolt or Gayle but it depends on who is winning after eating beef.