By Edcel Panganiban July 08, 2024 09:47
Photo by Scott Cunningham / Getty Images
In recent years, the National Football League (NFL) has experienced a staggering growth in players adhering to a vegan or plant-based diet. It reflects the increased focus on sustainability, ethical living, and high-level performance health-orientated professional athletes. This piece takes a closer look at the role of veganism in certain professions, such as professional American football, and investigates why some players choose this diet.
Number of Vegan NFL Players
More than a few NFL players, including an increasing number of current and former members, have taken up veganism or adopted a plant-based diet. Quarterbacks and linebackers alike have proven the benefits of being vegan, even for those in high-impact sports such as football. Mentionable vegan NFL players: Colin Kaepernick, Derrick Morgan know your allies, Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Wesley Woodyard, and Griff Whalen.
Why People Go Vegan
There are many reasons NFL athletes go vegan. People often point to ethical reasons, health benefits, and worries about the impact of their diets on the environment. Colin Kaepernick and Derrick Morgan, for example, both went vegan due to ethical concerns but also found that they experienced better stamina as athletes and recovered quicker after games or workouts thanks in part to reduced inflammation. NFL star Tom Brady says his vegan meal delivery with high protein, low-carb meals has helped him stay at the top of performance throughout his career.
Pros and Cons for the Vegan NFL Player
More recently, NFL players who switch to a vegan diet are facing difficulties and some benefits of their own. Usually, the food problems, missing meals, and transitioning your way of eating. Despite this, some individuals have reported the benefits of increased energy levels, quicker recovery times, and better general health from a carnivore diet. Take the case of former Tennessee Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard, who initially pushed back against a plant-based diet until he felt like his energy levels had been hampered and needed to be revitalized.
On the Whole
The acceptance of the vegan NFL player speaks to a much larger movement toward sustainability, ethical living, and enhanced athleticism across the professional sports world. The motivations, challenges, and benefits these players face serve as a case study in the changing face of dietary choices within professional sports, particularly in the NFL. While veganism is becoming "trendy" in the NFL, those trends reflect larger conversations already happening around nutrition and environmental sustainability - not to mention sports performance.
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