13-Time World Champion Gary Turner on Veganism: "Protein is not a problem at all"
Gary Turner, 13-time World Champion spanning three different sports–who is now a personal trainer and performance expert, was featured in Business Insider recently and spoke about athletes and plant-based nutrition. While the article was mostly about vegan professional boxer David Haye’s upcoming match, Turner spoke about the health benefits of a plant-based diet for athletes in general:
“The more we move towards a plant-based diet, the higher our health markers will be. For animal-based diets, these health markers are lower. It’s also about what happens after an athlete’s career. When it comes to health and longevity, there is less opportunity for inflammation and cardiovascular heart disease.”
When asked about the optimal amount of protein needed for a heavyweight boxer like Haye, Turner stated:
“Protein is not a problem at all. Sports nutrition studies demonstrate that strength athletes – not even boxers – require 1.3 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. The highest marker would be 2.8 grams of protein per kilogram. Haye will absolutely not be protein deficient.”
Haye’s match against Tony Bellew is set for March 4, and according to Turner, based on his training and form, “Haye should win comfortably.”
Photo Credit: www.fightsports.tv
