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What Foods Fuel Plant-Powered NFL Player Lawrence Guy?
Lawrence Guy, a plant-powered defensive tackle for the New England Patriots, is the latest pro athlete praising a plant-based diet for fueling his performance and recovery.
“Your body needs nutrition more than ever to recover. What’s the best way to do that? I think it's plant-based. All you're doing is prolonging your career in a certain way,” he recently said in an ESPN interview, adding, “I chose to go more toward a vegan-style diet to get a full recovery. The plant-based protein, it's amazing what you can do."
What does he eat?
“If it’s gonna be a workout day, I'll have pancakes or some cauliflower hash browns, something hearty,” he said in a GQ interview. “From there I go to a workout. After the workout I drink a green smoothie or have an acai bowl. I have little snacks here and there after that. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, anything to keep my energy up. We have a bunch of apples. Apples give you so much energy. For dinner, my wife creates some type of unique meal. Last year everything was about cauliflower. She'd make cauliflower rice, she had cauliflower pizza, lasagna, those cauliflower hash browns. Last night, it's gonna sound weird, we had a cauliflower hummus grilled pizza. The cauliflower crust, hummus on top, and grilled veggies on top of that.”
Other favorites include oatmeal; green smoothies with flax seeds, carrots, kale, spinach, and mango; almonds; avocados; almond butter and jelly sandwich; beans and quinoa; Beyond Meat and bean burgers; and vegan tacos.
Guy joins a long list of professional athletes—from WNBA player Diana Taurasi to tennis champion Venus Williams to Formula 1's Lewis Hamilton to retired NFL player Derrick Morgan—who have embraced a plant-forward diet to up their games.
Because a plant-based diet is high in carbohydrates, low in fat, and rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, it can support or improve athletic performance. A Physicians Committee study published in the journal Nutrients found that plant-based athletes benefit from improvements in heart health, performance, and recovery.
Download the free Food Power for Athletes e-book to learn how plant-based foods can fuel athletic performance!
Vegan Diets for Athletes! | Better Endurance and a Healthier Heart
