Vegetarian Diets and Exercise Performance - Essay Example

A vegetarian diet can constitute different types of fruits and vegetables, hence vegans with slight differences in their diets can have different strengths or endurance potentials in terms of physical exercise (Forbes-Ewan, 2002).

Vegans, people who are on a consistent vegetarian diet, typically have lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and are less prone to incur health problems such as cardiac issues, which usually arise from the intake of saturated animal fat and high cholesterol, and cancer (Appleby, 1999). Some of the benefits of having a vegetarian diet include lower mortality due to fewer cardiac problems, greater health benefits, and a reduced risk of several health issues such as hypertension and obesity (Appleby, 1999).

Furthermore, vegetable intake is considered beneficial because of the high content of antioxidants, dietary fiber, phytochemicals, and folic acid in most vegetables (Nieman, 1999; Clark, 2004). From a nutritional perspective, people who are on a vegetarian diet have access to all the nutrients necessary for a healthy lifestyle because fruits and vegetables, components of a vegetarian diet, contain all nutrients in sufficient amounts; this means that the quantities are sufficient for a person if he or she is involved in most kinds of physical exercise or strength training (Forbes-Ewan, 2002).

In fact, some studies even indicate that a vegetarian diet may be more nutritional than a non-vegetarian diet, with the exception of certain nutritional deficiencies, like in the case of zinc and iron (Forbes-Ewan, 2002). According to research, having a vegetarian diet does not have a harmful impact, or a very beneficial one, on a person’s health or fitness potential, especially when the content of carbohydrates ingested is controlled. While some studies suggest that intake of solely vegetables can lead to a deficiency of nutrients such as zinc, iron, and trace elements, most studies counter this argument; they state that a vegetarian diet does not necessarily cause people to face a deficiency of nutrients and hence become physically unfit and incapable of exercising well (Nieman, 1999).