Key Nutrients for a Vegan Triathlete: How to Optimise Your Triathlon Nutrition

One of the most common questions I get asked is, “Can you help with triathlon nutrition as a vegan?” The short answer? Absolutely.

My entire approach to nutrition is built around education—not just handing out meal plans or telling you what to eat, but teaching you how to fuel your body so you can perform at your best, no matter your dietary preferences. I like to say, “Give a triathlete a fish, and they’ll eat for a day. Teach a triathlete how to fish, and they’ll eat for a lifetime.”

Whether you're vegan, gluten-free, diabetic, or can’t tolerate dairy, my job isn’t to tell you what you can’t have—it’s to show you how to get everything you need to train harder, recover faster, and smash your goals.

So, if you've ever wondered how to fuel triathlon training on a plant-based diet, you're in the right place. Today, we’ll cover the key nutrients vegan triathletes need to focus on and how to make sure your nutrition supports your performance—so you’re not just surviving, but thriving in your training and racing.

1. Carbohydrates: The Ultimate Energy Source

Carbs are king when it comes to endurance sports, and that’s especially true for triathletes juggling swimming, cycling, and running. A well-planned vegan diet is naturally carb-rich, making it easy to hit your carbohydrate needs with whole, plant-based foods.

Why they matter: Carbs are stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver, providing the energy you need for long training sessions and races. Without enough glycogen, you risk "hitting the wall."

How to optimise:

• Include whole grains like oats, brown rice, and quinoa in your meals.
• Use carb-rich snacks like rice cakes with almond butter or hummus.
• Don’t shy away from high-carb fruits like bananas, dates, and mangoes—perfect for pre-workout fuel or recovery.
• Most sports nutrition products are vegan—use energy gels, sports drinks, and carb-based fuel for endurance sessions.

2. Protein: Building and Repairing Muscles

Protein is essential for muscle repair and recovery. While plants don’t offer complete proteins in the same way animal products do, a variety of sources throughout the day ensures you get all the essential amino acids.

Why it matters: Training leads to muscle breakdown, and protein helps repair and rebuild muscles so you can back up and train again quickly.

How to optimise:

• Prioritise protein-rich plant foods like tofu, tempeh, lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, and soy-based products.
• Include snacks like edamame, roasted chickpeas, homemade protein balls, or vegan protein bars.
• Consider a high-quality vegan protein powder for recovery if needed.
• Some athletes choose to eat eggs from backyard chooks—an excellent source of all 10 essential amino acids, particularly leucine for muscle repair.

3. Iron: Energy Production’s Best Friend

Iron is vital for transporting oxygen to working muscles. Vegan athletes are at higher risk of deficiency because plant-based iron (non-haem iron) isn’t as easily absorbed.

Why it matters: Low iron can lead to fatigue, reduced performance, and anaemia.

How to optimise:

• Eat iron-rich foods like lentils, spinach, fortified cereals, pumpkin seeds, and quinoa.
• Pair these with vitamin C-rich foods (e.g., oranges, strawberries, capsicum) to enhance absorption.
• Avoid drinking coffee or tea with meals, as they can inhibit absorption.
• Regularly check your iron levels—particularly during big training blocks. Download my free Blood Tests for Triathletes guide here.

4. Vitamin B12: The Non-Negotiable Supplement

B12 is essential for red blood cell production and nerve function but is almost impossible to obtain naturally from a vegan diet.

How to optimise:

• Choose fortified foods like plant-based milks, cereals, nutritional yeast, and Marmite.
• Take a reliable B12 supplement.
• Get your B12 levels checked regularly.

5. Calcium and Vitamin D: Strong Bones for the Long Run

Strong bones are essential for triathletes. While calcium is easier to find in plant-based foods, vitamin D is harder to obtain without supplementation or sun exposure.

How to optimise:

• Include calcium-rich foods like fortified plant milks, almonds, leafy greens, and tofu made with calcium sulfate.
• Get your vitamin D levels checked and supplement if needed.
• Expose mushrooms to sunlight to naturally increase their vitamin D content.

6. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: The Anti-Inflammatory Hero

Omega-3s play a crucial role in reducing inflammation and supporting brain, nerve, and immune function.

How to optimise:

• Include flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts in your diet.
• Consider an algae-based omega-3 supplement (250mg DHA per day).

7. Zinc: Immunity and Recovery Support

Zinc plays a role in immunity and muscle recovery—critical for triathletes juggling high training loads.

How to optimise:

• Eat zinc-rich foods like legumes, lentils, pumpkin seeds, nuts, and whole grains.
• Include a variety of nuts and seeds in your daily diet.

Bottom Line: Prioritise Variety and Planning

A vegan diet can absolutely support high-performance triathlon training, but it does require careful planning. By focusing on a diverse range of whole foods and supplementing where needed, you can ensure your triathlon nutrition is dialled in to help you train harder, recover faster, and perform at your best.

And if you’re ready to take the guesswork out of your nutrition, there are two great ways to work with me:

1. The Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart Course – A self-paced, step-by-step framework to fuel your training, recover properly, and get your daily nutrition right.
2. The Triathlon Nutrition Academy – A deep-dive coaching program with expert guidance to dial in race-day nutrition, training fuel, and long-term performance strategies.

Head to dietitianapproved.com to learn more and take the next step in fuelling your best triathlon season yet. If you found this helpful, share it with a training buddy who needs a little nutrition guidance too!