New Study Finds Plant-Based and Animal-Based Diets Yield Similar Athletic Performance

January 9, 2023

By Lindsay Sterling

With a foundation of definitive scientific evidence that whole food plant-based diets are among the healthiest for humans and the planet, researchers at Stanford set out to gain preliminary scientific insight on a question still commonly asked in athletic circles: can athletes perform just as well on a plant-based diet as an animal-based one?

A new pilot study, “SWAP-MEAT Athlete,” published in Nutrition Journal shows plant-based diets support athletic performance comparably to omnivorous diets.

Researchers recruited 22 study participants (11 runners and 11 resistance trainers) and measured how far the runners could run in 12 minutes, how many push-ups and pull-ups the resistance trainers could do, and how much weight they could lift. The same measurements were taken after participants ate three types of diets for 4 weeks each.

In one diet, the sources of protein were whole plant foods including lentils, beans, and quinoa. In another diet, sources of protein were store-bought plant-based meat products such as burgers. In a third diet, sources of protein were animal meats including chicken and beef. 

There were no statistically significant differences in athletic performance between any of the three diets tested. Christopher Gardner, PhD, a professor of medicine at Stanford University and one of the study’s authors, was not surprised by the finding. “There is a commonly held belief that athletes should eat animal meat for the best performance based on a misunderstanding of protein needs and the protein available in plant foods. A healthy plant-based diet should be sufficient to support many different types of athletic performance.” 

In another related research paper, published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2020, Gardner compared cardiometabolic risk factors among those eating animal meat vs. Beyond Meat  products and found that the diet featuring animal protein resulted in higher TMAO (a marker of inflammation), LDL-cholesterol and weight. 

“If recreational athletes feel conflicted they need animal protein for optimal performance, but have concerns about their cardiovascular health or environmental sustainability, these findings should be helpful to them. A plant-based diet can simultaneously support performance, human health, and the health of the environment.”