Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Verstile Vegetarian: Some Olympians gain strength vegging out

LIZ KOHMAN

St. Cloud (Minn.) Times

While you're munching potato chips and watching the Winter Olympics on television, think about what the Olympians are eating.

Athletes need to eat a balanced diet - with plenty of carbohydrates, protein and vitamins - to stay competitive. Some athletes choose to do this while maintaining a vegetarian or vegan diet.

French figure skater Surya Bonaly, who competed in three Olympic Games, is vegetarian, and so is Carl Lewis, who won nine gold medals and one silver medal during his Olympic career. Lewis has been vegan, which means he avoids eating all animal products, since 1990.

"If an individual is practicing a vegetarian diet . . . all the research in the area indicated that the athlete will be fine," says David Nieman, a professor in the Department of Health, Leisure and Exercise Science at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. Nieman, who has studied vegetarian athletes, notes vegans especially need to make sure they're eating a wide variety of foods, including products that are fortified with vitamin B-12, which is found in animal products.

"It doesn't matter who you are, food selection is the issue," says Nieman, a vegetarian who has run 58 marathons and ultramarathons.

Vegetarians with diets consisting of white bagels and cheese pizza won't be getting the right nutrients, and neither will meat-eaters subsisting on biscuits and gravy.

Nieman says following a plant-based diet puts athletes in a better position to consume all of the whole grains, fruits and vegetables they'll need to stay healthy.

"It doesn't matter what kind of diet you're on," Nieman says. "If you don't make a concerted effort to make good choices, you're in trouble whether you're vegetarian or not."

Instead of eating potato chips while you watch the Olympics, try this risotto inspired by the cuisine of northern Italy.

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