Nutrition science looks confident that a vegetarian diet is health-wise superior to a meat-based diet. Forgoing meat lowers your risk of developing hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gallstones, obesity and food-borne illness. However, there are few studies that measured the difference in performance associated with a vegetarian diet for athletes.
Are veggie athletes weaker than omnivore athletes? This is a question that a recent study set out to answer. The findings suggest that veggie athletes perform just as well as omnivores at strength tasks and have a superior cardiovascular fitness.
The team from Arizona State University recruited 27 vegetarian and 43 omnivore athletes, both male and female, and tracked their diets for one full week. The participants were then put through various strength and fitness tests.
According to the dietary data, total protein intake was lower among vegetarians in comparison to omnivores. When viewed through a body mass index (BMI) lens, however, the protein intake proved to be nearly identical. For both groups, the protein intake was roughly equal to 1.2 grams per kg of body mass. In terms of calory intake, again, both groups scored the same. Apparently, no matter what they chose to put in their mouths, both groups consumed the same amount of calories.
In the case of men, both vegetarians and meat eaters scored the same in terms of body fat percentages, and lean body mass. A notable distinction was that meat-eating men had significantly more visceral fat — the kind that gets deposited around the abdomen but also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
During leg extensions that established peak torque, both groups performed almost just as well. So despite veggie athletes do not eat bacon or steaks, they can be just as strong as other elite sportsmen, which might surprise some.
[ALSO SEE] Why meat is unsustainable
The treadmill trial showed vegetarians had significantly higher VO2 max than omnivores, the body’s upper limit for consuming, distributing and using oxygen for energy production. The more VO2, the longer you can sustain physical activity.
Though far from being the final word, the study published in Nutriets suggests that not only is a vegetarian diet healthier, it’s also just as good as meat-based diets for elite physical activity. Hopefully, more physical parameters will be gauged in future studies.
It’s worth mentioning again that the participants of this study had the same protein intake function of BMI. Don’t worry — it’s not that difficult to find high-protein veggie foods. The list below might help.
High Protein Vegetables and Beans (source)
Description | Weight (grams) | Measure | Protein Content per Measure (grams) |
Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw | 33 | 1 cup | 1.32 |
Artichokes, (globe or French), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 120 | 1 medium | 4.18 |
Asparagus, canned, drained solids | 72 | 4 spears | 1.54 |
Asparagus, cooked, boiled, drained | 60 | 4 spears | 1.55 |
Asparagus, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 180 | 1 cup | 5.31 |
Avocados, raw, California | 28.35 | 1 oz | 0.60 |
Avocados, raw, Florida | 28.35 | 1 oz | 0.45 |
Beans, baked, canned, plain or vegetarian | 254 | 1 cup | 12.17 |
Beans, baked, canned, with franks | 259 | 1 cup | 17.48 |
Beans, baked, canned, with pork and sweet sauce | 253 | 1 cup | 13.43 |
Beans, baked, canned, with pork and tomato sauce | 253 | 1 cup | 13.05 |
Beans, black, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt | 172 | 1 cup | 15.24 |
Beans, Cowpeas (Blackeyes), immature seeds, boiled, without salt | 165 | 1 cup | 5.23 |
Beans, Cowpeas (blackeyes), immature seeds, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 170 | 1 cup | 14.43 |
Beans, Cowpeas, common (blackeyes, crowder, southern), mature seeds, | 172 | 1 cup | 13.30 |
Beans, great northern, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt | 177 | 1 cup | 14.74 |
Beans, Kidney beans, red, mature seeds, canned | 256 | 1 cup | 13.44 |
Beans, Kidney beans, red, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt | 177 | 1 cup | 15.35 |
Beans, Lima beans, large, mature seeds, canned | 241 | 1 cup | 11.88 |
Beans, Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt | 188 | 1 cup | 14.66 |
Beans, Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, cooked, boiled, without salt | 124 | 1 cup | 2.52 |
Beans, Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw | 104 | 1 cup | 3.16 |
Beans, Navy beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt | 182 | 1 cup | 15.83 |
Beans, Pinto beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt | 171 | 1 cup | 14.04 |
Soybeans, mature cooked, boiled, without salt | 180 | 1 cup | 22.23 |
Soybeans, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 172 | 1 cup | 28.62 |
Beans, Snap beans, green, canned, regular pack, drained solids | 135 | 1 cup | 1.55 |
Beans, Snap beans, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 125 | 1 cup | 2.36 |
Beans, White beans, mature seeds, canned | 262 | 1 cup | 19.02 |
Beet greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 144 | 1 cup | 3.70 |
Beets, canned, drained solids | 170 | 1 cup | 1.55 |
Broccoli, raw | 88 | 1 cup | 2.62 |
Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 156 | 1 cup | 4.65 |
Beets, cooked, boiled, drained | 170 | 1 cup | 2.86 |
Beets, cooked, boiled, drained | 50 | 1 beet | 0.84 |
Cabbage, Chinese (pak-choi), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 170 | 1 cup | 2.65 |
Cabbage, Chinese (pe-tsai), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 119 | 1 cup | 1.79 |
Cabbage, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 150 | 1 cup | 1.53 |
Cabbage, raw | 70 | 1 cup | 1.01 |
Cabbage, red, raw | 70 | 1 cup | 0.97 |
Cabbage, Savoy, raw | 70 | 1 cup | 1.40 |
Carrots, baby, raw | 10 | 1 medium | 0.08 |
Carrots, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 156 | 1 cup | 1.70 |
Carrots, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 146 | 1 cup | 1.74 |
Carrots, raw | 110 | 1 cup | 1.13 |
Cauliflower, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 124 | 1 cup | 2.28 |
Cauliflower, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 180 | 1 cup | 2.90 |
Cauliflower, raw | 100 | 1 cup | 1.98 |
Celery, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 150 | 1 cup | 1.25 |
Celery, raw | 120 | 1 cup | 0.90 |
Corn, sweet, white, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 77 | 1 ear | 2.56 |
Corn, sweet, yellow, canned, cream style, regular pack | 256 | 1 cup | 4.45 |
Corn, sweet, yellow, canned, vacuum pack, regular pack | 210 | 1 cup | 5.06 |
Corn, sweet, yellow, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 77 | 1 ear | 2.56 |
Corn, sweet, yellow, frozen, kernels cut off cob, boiled, drained, without salt | 164 | 1 cup | 4.51 |
Corn, sweet, yellow, frozen, kernels on cob, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 63 | 1 ear | 1.96 |
Cucumber, peeled, raw | 119 | 1 cup | 0.68 |
Cucumber, with peel, raw | 104 | 1 cup | 0.72 |
Dandelion greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 105 | 1 cup | 2.10 |
Endive, raw | 50 | 1 cup | 0.63 |
Garlic, raw | 3 | 1 clove | 0.19 |
Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt | 198 | 1 cup | 17.86 |
Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw | 56 | 1 cup | 0.91 |
Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw | 55 | 1 cup | 0.56 |
Lettuce, looseleaf, raw | 56 | 1 cup | 0.73 |
Mushrooms, canned, drained solids | 156 | 1 cup | 2.92 |
Mushrooms, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 156 | 1 cup | 3.39 |
Mushrooms, raw | 70 | 1 cup | 2.03 |
Mushrooms, shiitake, cooked, without salt | 145 | 1 cup | 2.26 |
Mushrooms, shiitake, dried | 3.6 | 1 mushroom | 0.34 |
Mustard greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 140 | 1 cup | 3.16 |
Okra, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 160 | 1 cup | 2.99 |
Okra, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 184 | 1 cup | 3.83 |
Olives, ripe, canned (small-extra large) | 22 | 5 large | 0.18 |
Onions, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 210 | 1 cup | 2.86 |
Onions, dehydrated flakes | 5 | 1 tbsp | 0.45 |
Onions, raw | 110 | 1 whole | 1.28 |
Onions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw | 100 | 1 cup | 1.83 |
Parsley, raw | 10 | 10 sprigs | 0.30 |
Parsnips, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 156 | 1 cup | 2.06 |
Peas, edible-podded, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 160 | 1 cup | 5.23 |
Peas, edible-podded, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 160 | 1 cup | 5.60 |
Peas, green, canned, regular pack, drained solids | 170 | 1 cup | 7.51 |
Peas, green, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 160 | 1 cup | 8.24 |
Peas, split, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt | 196 | 1 cup | 16.35 |
Peppers, hot chili, green, raw | 45 | 1 pepper | 0.90 |
Peppers, hot chili, red, raw | 45 | 1 pepper | 0.90 |
Peppers, sweet, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 136 | 1 cup | 1.25 |
Peppers, sweet, green, raw | 149 | 1 cup | 1.33 |
Peppers, sweet, green, raw | 119 | 1 pepper | 1.06 |
Peppers, sweet, red, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 136 | 1 cup | 1.25 |
Peppers, sweet, red, raw | 119 | 1 pepper | 1.06 |
Potato pancakes, home-prepared | 76 | 1 pancake | 4.68 |
Potato, baked, flesh and skin, without salt | 202 | 1 potato | 5.05 |
Potatoes, baked, flesh, without salt | 156 | 1 potato | 3.06 |
Potatoes, boiled, cooked in skin, flesh, without salt | 136 | 1 potato | 2.54 |
Potatoes, boiled, cooked without skin, flesh, without salt | 135 | 1 potato | 2.31 |
Potatoes, boiled, cooked without skin, flesh, without salt | 156 | 1 cup | 2.67 |
Potatoes, hashed brown, home-prepared | 156 | 1 cup | 3.78 |
Pumpkin, canned, without salt | 245 | 1 cup | 2.70 |
Pumpkin, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 245 | 1 cup | 1.76 |
Radishes, raw | 4.5 | 1 radish | 0.03 |
Spinach, canned, drained solids | 214 | 1 cup | 6.01 |
Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 180 | 1 cup | 5.35 |
Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 190 | 1 cup | 5.97 |
Spinach, raw | 30 | 1 cup | 0.86 |
Squash, summer, all varieties, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 180 | 1 cup | 1.64 |
Squash, summer, all varieties, raw | 113 | 1 cup | 1.33 |
Squash, winter, all varieties, cooked, baked, without salt | 205 | 1 cup | 1.82 |
Squash, winter, butternut, frozen, cooked, boiled, without salt | 240 | 1 cup | 2.95 |
Sweet potato, canned, syrup pack, drained solids | 196 | 1 cup | 2.51 |
Sweet potato, canned, vacuum pack | 255 | 1 cup | 4.21 |
Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, without salt | 146 | 1 potato | 2.51 |
Sweet potato, cooked, boiled, without skin, without salt | 156 | 1 potato | 2.57 |
Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, stewed | 255 | 1 cup | 2.42 |
Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, whole, regular pack | 240 | 1 cup | 2.21 |
Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average | 180 | 1 cup | 1.53 |
Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average | 17 | 1 cherry tomato | 0.14 |
Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average | 123 | 1 tomato | 1.05 |
Tomatoes, sun-dried | 2 | 1 piece | 0.28 |
Tomatoes, sun-dried, packed in oil, drained | 3 | 1 piece | 0.15 |
Watermelon, raw | 286 | 1 wedge | 1.77 |
Other Vegetarian Foods High in Protein
Description | Weight (grams) | Measure | Content per Measure (grams) |
Buckwheat flour, whole-groat | 120 | 1 cup | 15.14 |
Buckwheat groats, roasted, cooked | 168 | 1 cup | 5.68 |
Bulgur, cooked | 182 | 1 cup | 5.61 |
Bulgur, dry | 138 | 1 cup | 11.70 |
Cornmeal, degermed, enriched, yellow | 140 | 1 cup | 17.21 |
Cornmeal, whole-grain, yellow | 122 | 1 cup | 9.91 |
Noodles, chinese, chow mein | 45 | 1 cup | 3.77 |
Oat bran, cooked | 219 | 1 cup | 7.03 |
Oat bran, raw | 94 | 1 cup | 16.26 |
Peanut butter, smooth style, with salt | 16 | 1 tbsp | 4.03 |
Quinoa, cooked | – | 1 cup | 11 |
Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked | 125 | 195 | 5.03 |
Rice, white, long-grain, regular, cooked | 158 | 195 | 4.25 |
Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, enriched | 158 | 185 | 13.19 |
Spaghetti, cooked, enriched, without added salt | 140 | 1 cup | 6.68 |
Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked | 140 | 1 cup | 7.46 |
Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked | 140 | 1 cup | 7.46 |
Tempeh | 225 | 1 cup | 31 |
Tofu, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride | 81 | 1/4 block | 6.51 |
Tofu, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride | 120 | 1 piece | 7.86 |
Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, enriched, bleached | 125 | 1 cup | 12.91 |
Veggie burger | 1 patty | 1 patty | 5-24 |
Wheat flour, whole-grain | 125 | 1 cup | 16.44 |
Wheat flour, white, bread, enriched | 125 | 137 | 16.41 |
Whole wheat bread | 2 slices | 2 slices | 5 |