by Suzanne Girard Eberle

Vegetarian runners must put a little more thought and planning into their daily diet to ensure they incorporate alternate sources of these nutrients. Relax, though, about planning specific meals or “combining” foods to meet your protein needs: Eating an adequate number of calories and a variety of wholesome foods throughout the day gets the job done.

Rewards and Risks

When well planned, a vegetarian diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers, help control weight and enhance physical performance. The flip side, however, can be an unbalanced eating pattern, where animal foods are simply eliminated–often because they’re deemed “fattening”–with little regard given to finding appropriate substitutes. In fact, vegetarianism can be a red flag, warning that an athlete is restricting foods needlessly and that he or she may be suffering from an eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa (self-induced starvation) or bulimia (overeating followed by purging by vomiting, laxative use, or excessive exercise).

Numerous studies have shown an association between meatless diets and an inadequate intake of protein, iron and zinc. Researchers have also found a link, particularly in young athletic women, between vegetarian diets and menstrual irregularities and disordered eating patterns (which often precede a full-blown eating disorder). One recent study found that 107 female adolescents who did not eat meat dieted twice as often, vomited four times as often, and used laxatives eight times as often as 214 of their meat-eating counterparts. These findings support an earlier study which found that of 13 runners with amenorrhea (no menstrual periods), 12 (92%) were vegetarian and eight (62%) had been diagnosed with an eating disorder. Only three (16%) of 19 runners with normal menstrual cycles were vegetarian and none had been diagnosed with an eating disorder. Amenorrhea, if unresolved, increases your chance of being hobbled with stress fractures. You’re also more likely to develop osteoporosis later in life.

Top 10 for the Veggie Pantry

Of course, a vegetarian lifestyle in and of itself is not a concern if you have educated yourself on the finer points of vegetarian dining and have made a commitment to eating a balanced diet. Read the following list of foods to help you determine if you are on the right track. These 10 foods deserve a prominent place in any well-balanced vegetarian diet. And by the way, non-vegetarians can give these vegetarian mainstays a try en route to incorporating more plant foods into their eating style.

1. Soy Milk. If you’ve gone dairy free, you run the risk of not getting enough calcium to protect your bones and help your nerves and muscles function properly. Soy milk (and soy yogurt) is the perfect substitute, as long as it has been fortified with calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B₁₂ if you’re a vegan. Use soy milk as you would cow’s milk; both it and soy yogurt will also boost your protein intake.

2. Tofu: No longer just a chic food tossed into stirfrys, tofu is a versatile ingredient in myriad dishes. Besides providing high-quality protein, tofu is a good source of iron and an excellent source of calcium if made with a curdling agent such as calcium sulfate (check the label). Besides adding chunks of firm tofu to stirfrys, stews and soups, you can barbecue it on the grill, saute it with spices for a tasty taco filler and crumble it into spaghetti or pizza sauce, chili or scrambled eggs. Blended soft tofu can be used as a low-fat substitute for sour cream in dips and baked potato toppings and for the cheese in lasagna and stuffed shells.

3. Dark-green Leafy Vegetables: All runners, particularly vegans, should eat one to two servings of dark-green leafy vegetables daily. Choose from kale, collards, spinach, Swiss chard and mustard, turnip and beet greens. You’ll rack up a healthy dose of beta carotene, iron, riboflavin, folic acid and (in kale, collards and mustard and beet greens) calcium in one fell swoop.

4. Canned Beans: One-half cup provides the protein equivalent of one ounce of meat, as well as complex carbohydrates, fiber, zinc and iron–without much fat. Toss beans into soups, stews, salads, and pasta. You can also enjoy vegetarian baked beans, bean dips, hummus spreads and your favorite beans mashed and stuffed into a pita or rolled in a tortilla. If you’re watching sodium intake, place canned beans in a strainer and rinse with water.

5. Lentils: Another quick-cooking (no soaking required), inexpensive vegetarian staple, lentils provide a whopping dose of protein, fiber, zinc, iron and folic acid. Use them to make lentil soup, salads, and Indian dishes, or keep ready-to-eat, pre-packaged “cups” (just add hot water) of seasoned lentils on hand for a quick, healthy snack or meal.

6. Whole-wheat Bread: Any way you slice it, whole-wheat bread is more nutritious than breads made with refined, enriched wheat flour, such as wheat, multi-grain, rye and pumpernickel. Health-conscious vegetarians know that the enrichment process adds back only five nutrients, not including magnesium, zinc, vitamin B₆, fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. Breads that have whole wheat as the first ingredient (or at least list it before any other flour) are the best bet.

7. Tempeh: This versatile fermented soybean cake is tasty baked, grilled with a marinade, or added to soups, casseroles, or chili. A meat substitute, tempeh provides high-quality protein, iron and zinc, as well as calcium, B vitamins and fiber.

8. Brown Rice and Other Whole Grains: Vegetarian runners can’t live by pasta and bread alone–even whole-wheat varieties. A healthy, balanced vegetarian diet includes as many whole grains as possible, such as brown rice, couscous, kasha, quinoa, wheat berries and barley. Try whole-grain crackers, muffins and cereals that list whole wheat, brown rice, corn, oats or bran among the first ingredients. Whole grains are rich in complex carbohydrates, and they provide more fiber and nutrients than processed grains.

9. Cruciferous Vegetables: Smart vegetarians trade in their salads several times a week for broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, rutabagas and turnips, all of which provide more vitamins, fiber and cancer-fighting phytochemicals than lettuce.

10. 100% Juice and Juice Blends: If you’re a juice drinker, rad labels and look for 100% juice and juice blends. These provide more phytochemicals and usually more nutrients (such as vitamins A and C and calcium, if fortified), and fewer added sweeteners (such as high-fructose corn syrup) than juice beverages, cocktails and drinks.

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