Plant-Powered Performance: How Plant-Based Eating Supports Your Health and Fitness
- Julian Simpson
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Plant-Powered Performance: How Plant-Based Eating Supports Your Health and Fitness
More athletes and active individuals are turning to plant-based diets, and for good reason. Not only can these eating patterns support endurance, strength, and recovery, but they also provide long-term health benefits. At Health Wise Chiropractic, we’re all about helping you move better and recover faster—and what you eat plays a huge role.
What Is a Plant-Based Diet?
Plant-based eating isn’t just about being vegetarian or vegan—it’s about making plants the focus of your meals. Here’s a simple breakdown:
Omnivore Diet: Includes meat, dairy, eggs, and plant foods. Often high in processed foods.
Vegetarian Diet: Excludes meat but may include eggs or dairy.
Vegan Diet: Excludes all animal products.
Whole-Food Plant-Based (WFPB) Diet: Focuses on whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, and seeds, while minimising processed foods.
Not all plant-based diets are automatically healthy—ultra-processed foods like sugary snacks or “vegan” convenience foods can reduce nutritional quality. For best results, focus on whole, minimally processed plant foods.
Why Plant-Based Eating Works for Athletes
Research shows that plant-based diets can match—or even surpass—omnivore diets in key areas for athletes:
Endurance: Some studies show higher VO₂ max and longer time to exhaustion for plant-based athletes.
Recovery & Oxidative Stress: Plant-rich diets reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, helping muscles recover faster.
Protein: Contrary to myths, plant protein can support muscle growth and repair just as well as animal protein if you eat a variety of sources.
Good plant-based protein sources include: tofu, tempeh, edamame, lentils, chickpeas, beans, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, and powdered nut or seed proteins. Combining different plant proteins over the course of a day ensures you get all essential amino acids for optimal muscle repair.
Smart Protein Strategies
Daily intake: Most active adults benefit from 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day of protein, with higher amounts for power or endurance athletes.
Meal spacing: Aim for 20–30 grams of protein per meal to maximise muscle protein synthesis.
Timing: Total protein intake matters more than timing relative to exercise, though pre- or post-workout protein can be convenient.
Supplements That Can Help
While whole foods are the foundation, certain supplements can support performance and recovery:
Creatine: Especially beneficial for strength, high-intensity activity, and plant-based athletes with lower baseline creatine.
Caffeine: Improves endurance, strength, and alertness.
Beetroot/Nitrate: Supports blood flow and muscle oxygenation.
Protein & Essential Amino Acids: Boost muscle protein synthesis, particularly useful in fasted states or for older adults.
Omega-3s & Polyphenols: Reduce inflammation and support recovery.
Special Considerations for Older Athletes
Master athletes (35+) can benefit from slightly higher protein intake, leucine supplementation, and creatine to offset age-related declines in muscle mass and strength. Combining these with resistance training can help maintain performance and reduce injury risk.
Takeaway
A well-planned plant-based diet is not just sufficient for athletic performance—it can enhance it, while offering significant long-term health benefits. Focus on whole, minimally processed plant foods, include diverse protein sources, and use evidence-based supplements if needed.
At Health Wise Chiropractic, we know that nutrition, movement, and recovery go hand in hand. Eating plant-forward can help you perform better, recover faster, and feel your best—inside and out.
For more information about how we can help YOU with your sports performance and/or injury. Please call Health Wise Chiropractic 03 9467 7889 or book online to see one of our Chiropractors in Sunbury or Melton/Strathtulloh Today!
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Rosenfeld RM, Zinman S, Bonnet JP. Plant-Based Nutrition and Supplements for Optimal Athletic Performance. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2025 Nov 4:15598276251393663. doi: 10.1177/15598276251393663. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41200120; PMCID: PMC12586379.
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