Alex Morgan, a star player for the United States Women's National Team (USWNT), has gained attention not only for her incredible soccer skills but also for her commitment to a vegan diet. This article explores Alex Morgan's diet plan, the science behind veganism for athletes, and the experiences of other footballers who have embraced plant-based eating.
Introduction
Professional athletes require specific training routines and diets to perform at their peak. Alex Morgan revealed that switching to a vegan diet has been key to her success on the field. She first adopted a vegan diet, "because it didn’t feel fair to have a dog I adore, and yet eat meat all the time," she told Reuters. She soon discovered that eating a plant-based diet improved her energy during practice and games.
Alex Morgan's Vegan Diet: A Closer Look
Alex Morgan went vegan in 2017 after learning about the disturbing reality of factory farming. Speaking to The Beet, she explained: “I did it for ethical reasons because of factory farming we do in the US. I felt disgusted with myself since I didn’t feel good eating this meat that was part of that. I didn’t want to support that.
There’s only one person who is a “strict vegan” on the team, Teren says, and that’s Alex Morgan. “I would make all her meals personally,” Chef Teren says. “Her menu was slightly different from the rest. She’d have ideas of what she would want and I would try to make it creative and fun for her,” he explains.
As an additional bonus, Morgan has found her mental clarity, recovery time and energy levels all improved since going vegan, and she’s fitter than she’s ever been before. “I was fearful it would affect soccer in a detrimental way but it was the opposite.
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The Science Behind Vegan Diets and Athletic Performance
While Morgan certainly isn't the first high-profile athlete to praise a vegan diet, the question remains: could going vegan actually help your workout routine?
Currently, no research has shown that vegan or vegetarian eating patterns improve athletic performance compared to omnivorous eating, explains Tanya Halliday, PhD, professor in the department of health, kinesiology, and recreation at the University of Utah. "Importantly though, they do not appear to decrease athletic performance either," she adds.
Athletes who exercise at a very high intensity, often multiple times a day, require more calories (aka energy), carbohydrates, protein, and fat to support their training loads, Dr Halliday says. The specific amount that a given person needs, as well as when they eat, can depend on the type of activity they're doing, and the level of their activity, she adds. A strict dietary pattern, such as a vegan diet, obviously limits your food choices, which can make it challenging, she says.
"Cutting out whole food groups eliminates potential sources of nutrients found within those foods," explains Jason Machowsky, RD, CSSD, RCEP, CSCS, board certified sports dietician and exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery. "So, it becomes especially important that people who choose to restrict food groups for personal or health reasons seek out those nutrients in the foods that they choose to eat." That might mean making an effort to eat small protein-packed snacks throughout the day, consuming fruits and vegetables with two meals per day, and hydrating to replace lost fluids from a day of training, he adds. "Endurance athletes who train hard should not avoid simple sugars and electrolytes around training times," he says.
Considerations for Athletes Contemplating a Vegan Diet
If you're curious about whether going vegan could result in similar performance benefits for your own workouts, then Dr. Halliday suggests first examining your reasons for going vegan. In Morgan's case, she said she went vegan for ethical reasons, which many people do. "If the reasons are solely to improve performance or in an effort to lose weight by limiting types of foods - and therefore total calories - consumed, then a vegan diet is probably not appropriate," Dr. Halliday says. Also, consider how reliant you currently are on animal products. "Identify replacement meals without animal products, which still meet nutrient needs," she suggests.
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For athletes contemplating a vegan lifestyle, it's important to work with a registered dietitian (one who is certified as a specialist in sports dietetics, aka "CSSD," is ideal), who can collaboratively develop a meal plan that is vegan and supports overall health and athletic performance, Dr. Halliday says. Additionally, it's a good idea to schedule a checkup with your primary care physician or healthcare provider about three to six months after making the change, to make sure your body is handling it well internally, Machowsky says. "I would suggest seeing your physician again a year later, as well, as some nutrient deficiencies can take longer periods of time to reveal themselves." And if you have a big race or game coming up - like, say, the World Cup - then you might want to wait until after to make the lifestyle switch, Dr. Halliday says.
At the end of the day, the key to Morgan's success is much more complicated than just the particular diet she eats. "When athletes believe a certain eating pattern is the cause of improved performance, it is likely more do to a combination of a greater focus placed on nutrition as well as a solid training program," Dr. Halliday says. For example, paying attention to your diet might make you aware of meal timing around training and competitions, proper fueling during training and competition, recovery nutrition, and general healthful eating habits, she says.
Meal Plans of USWNT
Women's National Team's private chef cooks for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, pre-game, post-game, and more.
Breakfast
For breakfast, the USWNT likes to stick to a traditional morning meal. “They’ll typically have scrambled eggs, a variety of diced white or sweet potatoes,” Chef Teren says. Depending on the day, the team will probably have those elements in the form of a breakfast hash or as separate items. And meat-lovers, don’t fret. The women also typically have turkey bacon and sausage on the menu, too. The USWNT also has an omelet station where they can build their own breakfast sitch. “Overall, we just like to have a lot of variety so they can each have something that they like,” Chef Teren says. And, yep, there’s also a bunch of cereals on deck for b-fast, too, Chef T explains. Btw, the team favorite is Frosted Flakes.
That said, when it comes to pregame eats specifically, it's all about the carbs, explains Lindsay Langford, MS, RDN, the team’s sports dietitian who also assists in choosing menu items for the players. “The team has been provided with many presentations on the need for carbohydrates,” Langford explains. “They each have a custom serving size that tells them how many carbohydrates they’re supposed to be taking in at each meal, and then what they choose to eat, specifically, is their decision,” she notes. In short, they need a lot of carbs to make sure they’re able to work the entire game. “They’re running for 90 minutes straight,” Chef Teren says. “They’re going to burn everything they eat off right away, so we like to add a lot of pancakes, oatmeals, and potatoes for a pregame meal.”
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Lunch
When it comes to lunch, the menu gets switched up a little bit. Chef Teren likes to have a build-your-own-meal type spread so that the players can fuel the way that makes them happiest in the moment. “We may have beef, pork, or chicken tacos, and then different tortilla types like corn, flour hard shell, or soft shell,” Chef Teren says. “Then we'll have the toppings, like lettuce, tomato, avocado, sour creams, and salsas.” The team also likes when he serves up a Greek-style lunch, which includes DIY gyros with hummus, chicken, shrimp, and more.
Snacks
Now that you’ve got some info on the meals Chef Teren preps for all the USWNT players, you’re probably wondering what kinds of snacks they take when they’re on-the-go, too. TBH, they like to keep things simple, Langford says. They love prepackaged PB&J’s from the brand Kram, as well as roasted fava beans by Bada Bean Bada Boom, and GoMacro energy bars, says Langford. In short, anything that both gives them a quick energy supply that they can also stash in their bag is perfect.
Dinner
As the day winds down and there’s no more training, games, or meetings on the calendar, the team has a heavy meal for dinner. “Dinner is similar to lunch, but we’ll have heartier options for the players,” Chef Teren says. “We'll have steak filets, diced chicken breast, and I’ll season it in different ways for them,” he explains. Alongside their meat, the team will have a variety of carbs and mixed vegetables to keep them full and restore their energy.
For post-game meals, specifically, though, Chef Teren cooks up what he calls the “more exciting foods.” What do those entail, exactly? “Healthy macaroni and cheeses, broccoli with cheese sauce, flatbread pizzas, baked chicken wings, all food that they can look forward to after they’ve played a long game,” he says. Nutrition-wise, post-game meals are focused on giving the team the protein and omega-3 fatty acids they need to recover, Langford says.
Other Footballers Who Swear by a Vegan Diet
A growing number of footballers are turning to plant-based diets - not just for health, but for performance, recovery, and longevity.
Héctor Bellerín
Real Betis defender Hector Bellerin has been vegan since 2016 and recently invested in vegan football club Forest Green Rovers. Initially, Belleriin adopted a plant-based diet in a bid to improve performance on the pitch. “At first, it was all about trying it. How it tastes, how it feels, and how it helps, but I think it does way more than that, and now I see myself totally dependent on this particular diet. “The sustainability of the environment and animal cruelty now motivate me just as much as health.
Chris Smalling
Vegan footballer Chris Smalling initially ditched meat and dairy thanks to his vegan wife, but stuck with it after his recovery time and performance on the pitch improved. Speaking about his journey to veganism, Smalling told The Telegraph: “My wife is vegan and has been for a few years. She’s often tried to persuade me. She cooks a lot at home and half the time I was eating vegan anyway. I wasn’t fully vegan. “After a while I started to cut out red meat, because red meat causes quite a lot of inflammation and I had a lot of tendinitis in my knee, which many footballers get. Red meat causes a lot of that inflammation and when I was cutting that down, the tendinitis started to go. It used to be a problem in terms of warm-ups, because getting going was a bit of a nightmare. Discussing the impact his diet has had on his match performance, he said: “Since [turning vegan], I’ve played a lot of games,’ he said. ‘Normally the second day after a game would be the worst.
Fabian Delph
Former England midfield Fabian Delph healed his body by eating a plant-based diet and practicing Thai Chi. Speaking about the changes he made to recuperate from his injuries in Soccology: Inside The Hearts And Minds Of The Professionals On The Pitch, the plant-based player, said: “I carried out mindfulness exercises like the moving meditation of Tai Chi.
Jenny Beattie
Jenny Beattie says she feels and sleeps better and recovers quicker after going plant-based. Beattie said that she first went vegan for ‘performance reasons’ while playing at Manchester City, who she said were ‘amazing’ at accommodating her new dietary requirements. Since ditching meat and dairy, Beattie said: “I sleep better, I feel fitter, I felt like I recover quicker between trainings. “The number that always stood out to me was reducing your carbon footprint - being vegan reduces it by up to 70-80%.
Christian Burgess
Christian Burgess went vegan for the planet, calling climate change a “serious problem” and seeing his diet as a way to reduce his environmental impact. Speaking about the criticism he faced for his choices, he said: “It’s still not totally accepted to be a vegan in the sports world. I get sometimes comments that I should eat meat. That’s funny. Some people still gave more traditional views. Some famous players promote veganism now. For Burgess, veganism is more than just a dietary choice; it is a fundamental part of his environmental activism. As he eloquently puts it, “The main reason I do it is for the environment, as it’s a serious problem. However, he also sees a growing openness to veganism among his colleagues, with some even watching vegan documentaries like The Game Changers and asking him about his plant-based meals. As he notes, “Sometimes they see my vegan burger which looks nicer than their plate and they ask if they can have some of it.
Josh Brownhill
Inspired by documentaries like The Game Changers, Josh Brownhill went vegan in 2019 to optimise performance, and says it’s transformed his game. Burnley’s commanding midfielder and club captain, Josh Brownhill, quietly established himself as one of the Premier League’s fittest performers, and he credits his plant-based diet for the transformative edge. Speaking about the transition, Brownhill explained: “I was told about the health benefits… I thought I’d give it a try as a lot of people have done. It was never easy, especially for the first three or four months. “I’ve felt a lot of the benefits and one has certainly been my fitness levels have gone up.
Karen Carney
Karen Carney went vegan in 2017 to help her recover from an ankle injury, and soon saw her performance soar. “At the time, I was suffering with an ankle injury and I had a lot of inflammation in my ankle. “None of my blood tests have ever come back suggesting that I’m deficient in anything. The interesting thing is that I was found to be iron deficient when I was eating meat and playing football professionally. In fact, her only regret is that she didn’t go vegan soon, telling The Telegraph: “I feel fabulous; it’s great.
Jermain Defoe
Defoe turned to plant-based eating to extend his playing career, and earned an England recall at 34. After returning to the England squad in March 2017, the then‑34‑year‑old striker shared how his girlfriend inspired him to make a radical dietary change. Like many elite athletes who shift their eating habits later in their careers, Defoe approached plant-based eating from a performance angle. Recovery was key. “There are a lot of things I do away from training and away from match-day that help me to perform,” he explained. As well as improving his post-match condition, Defoe noticed how the diet affected his physical freshness and overall longevity. “I do a lot of cryotherapy. “Everyone wants to play and there’s no better feeling than to feel fresh.
Neymar da Silva Santos Junior
Legendary Brazilian footballer Neymar da Silva Santos Junior turned to a plant-based diet to help him recover from an injury that almost ended his footballing career. In 2021, Brazilian football superstar Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior faced a serious injury that threatened to derail his career. Determined to recover stronger and faster, Neymar made a dramatic shift: he adopted a plant-based diet as part of a comprehensive recovery plan. His nutritionist confirmed that he cut out meat, dairy and eggs during this period, focusing entirely on nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory foods to fuel his healing. While Neymar is not a full-time vegan, his decision to adopt a plant-based diet to heal his body highlights the benefits of plant-based diets for recovery.
Sergio Agüero
Sergio Agüero made major dietary changes in his 30s, ditching meat and sugar to stay fit and injury-free during his final years at City. In the final years of a prolific career that saw him become Manchester City’s all-time top scorer, Sergio Agüero made a quiet yet significant change off the pitch - he shifted to a plant-based diet. Agüero revealed that he made the switch after suffering a string of injuries that disrupted his rhythm at City. “I had a lot of meat, sugar and all that stuff, and after talking to the doctor we started to change it all. Though not fully vegan, Agüero’s diet cut down drastically on animal products, particularly red meat, which he found contributed to inflammation and fatigue. The change didn’t go unnoticed.
Other Socceristas Who Swear by a Vegan Diet
Toni Pressley
Vegan since 2016, Pressley credits a lot of the good in her life to this lifestyle. Pressley is the only player in NWSL history to return to the game after a breast cancer diagnosis, which she received in 2019. She cited going vegan as a massive help in her health and performance on the pitch. Along with her Pride teammate, Ali Riley, Pressley hosted a limited series cooking show called Girls Gone Veg. Their show talks about health, wellness, life journeys, and so much more with some familiar socceristas like Pressley’s fiancé, Marta.
Jenny Beattie
We don’t know precisely when or why this Scottish defender took up a vegan diet, but it’s clearly working. Much like Pressley, Beattie also received a recent breast cancer diagnosis. In 2020 she underwent surgery to remove a lump and began treatment to kill any remaining cancer cells. Still, even during treatment, Beattie continued to play for her club team, Arsenal, and show up for the Scotland National Team.
Chloe Arthur
Our second Scottish defender on this list, Arthur, doesn’t miss her old ways. A choice that is ethical and nutritious through her vegan diet, Arthur has said, “Whatever you have, I will probably eat the same, just I replace the meat with a different protein… Why slaughter animals when you can get all the nutritious meals without having to do that?” Much like the rest of the Socceristas on this list, Arthur has noticed improved recovery and fewer injuries.
Ali Riley
While the New Zealand captain and current Angel City defender isn’t completely 100% a vegan (yet), she does a stellar job of promoting the lifestyle. A self-identified flexitarian-a semi-vegetarian diet where folks only eat meat once or twice a week-Riley talks a lot about the benefits of going plant-based.