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If you start feeling lethargic or your times or performance start to decline, consider having your iron levels checked out by a doctor. Vegan iron supplements are available to help make up the difference, but natural vegan sources of iron-rich foods should be a daily part of your training regimen.

Because it takes the body some time to recover from anemia, it may be useful to have a simple blood test before you begin training to accurately gauge your blood iron levels, red blood cell size, and iron storage. Iron overdose is very serious, so always have a blood test before taking a supplement.

Vegan sources of iron that athletes should include in their daily diet are

Beans and legumes, including black beans, lima beans, lentils, and kidney beans

Blackstrap molasses

Dried fruits, including prunes, raisins, and apricots

Iron-enriched whole-grain cereals

Leafy greens like spinach, broccoli, kale, collards, and dandelion greens

Seeds such as almonds and Brazil nuts

Tofu

Female athletes especially need to be careful of their iron levels and daily intake. Amenorrhea, or the temporary loss of menstruation, is a relatively common concern for female athletes — vegan and nonvegan alike. In September 1999, David Nieman published a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that showed low calorie intake, not the vegan diet itself, was the major cause behind female athletes developing amenorrhea. In short, eating enough calories from healthy vegan foods can provide what a female athlete needs.

Vegan sources of iron, the nonheme variety, are better used and absorbed by the body when ample vitamin C is available. So boost the power of these iron-building foods by eating them with papaya, red peppers, oranges or orange juice, or other vitamin C–rich foods. Remember, broccoli has both iron and vitamin C!

Protecting your bones by staying on track with your calcium

Calcium supplies the building blocks for the strong, flexible bones that athletes need for running, throwing, jumping, and falling on a daily basis. Ensure that you’re reaching the daily minimum requirement by including natural, calcium-rich foods in your meals. Male athletes need 800 milligrams per day and female athletes should aim for 1,200–1,500 milligrams per day. If you can’t get enough from the foods you eat, vegan supplements also are an option.

Female athletes especially need to keep on track with their calcium intake. Excessive training, which is defined as more than seven hours a week, can lead to a decline in hormone levels. These lower hormone levels can compromise bone health and lead to premature osteoporosis, a weakening of the bone matrix.

These simple vegan foods should be a part of your daily calcium strategy:

Almonds

Calcium-fortified cereals

Calcium-fortified orange juice

Enriched hemp, soy, and rice milk

Greens like broccoli, kale, and spinach

Soy yogurt

Soy-yogurt dip mixed with a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses as a topping for fruit

Tofu processed with calcium sulfate

Avoiding calcium-depleting foods is just as important as including calcium-rich foods. Coffee and sodas, both caffeinated and caffeine-free, have been shown to leech calcium from the bones to balance the acidity of these beverages.

Remembering your vitamins and minerals

Because of their training and constant exercise, athletes need to consume more minerals and vitamins than their nonathletic counterparts. Keep in mind, however, that the human body best absorbs nutrients from fresh foods as opposed to supplements. So vegans should mine their mineral needs from healthy whole foods on a daily basis.

Magnesium

Magnesium is one mineral that athletes need to focus on when designing their diets for performance. Magnesium helps the body regulate muscle tone and is necessary for metabolizing carbohydrates and protein. Fortunately, most of the foods that contain the highest amounts of magnesium are vegan, including black beans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, soybeans, spinach, sunflower seeds, and Swiss