Wrestler Zack Sabre Jr Is Powered by Plants
British heavyweight champion wrestler Zack Sabre Jr appears in a new PETA ad that proclaims, “Vegan Strong – Powered by Plants.”
The plant-powered athlete wears his vegan leather jacket while taking a big bite out of a crisp carrot.
In an accompanying video spot, Zack describes how “everything changed instantly” when he went vegan in 2015 after watching the documentary Forks Over Knives:
“I just felt so much more energised. Just eating plants, just whole foods, you know, full of water, minerals, vitamins … you just feel good.”
The wrestler also notes that “there’s no reason to be wearing clothes that have come at the expense of tortured animals”, pointing out that the gear he wears in the ring – including his jacket, shin guards, and shoes – is all leather-free and vegan.
Why Are Athletes Going Vegan?
- Vegan eating provides athletes with all the protein, complex carbohydrates, and other nutrients they need to get stronger and faster.
- A recent review shows that vegan eating improves cardiovascular health as well as recovery time in endurance athletes.
- Meat, eggs, and dairy are high in cholesterol and saturated fat, which build up in the body, clog arteries, and prevent the heart from working properly. Cholesterol is found only in animal-derived foods – so a plant-based diet is 100% cholesterol-free.
- Scientists have also found that people who don’t eat meat tend to have stronger immune systems, making them less susceptible to flu and other illnesses.
- Many sports stars, including PETA’s 2018 Person of the Year, Lewis Hamilton, and professional footballer Chris Smalling, went vegan for ethical reasons. The meat, fishing, egg, and dairy industries are a nightmare for animals, who are treated like a collection of body parts rather than the sentient individuals they are, with the ability to feel pain, fear, and joy, just as humans do.
Vegans Take the Win
Zack is one of the many professional athletes who credit vegan eating with boosting their athletic performance. There are so many, in fact, that there’s a whole documentary on the topic: The Game Changers, from Academy Award winners James Cameron and Louie Psihoyos.
The film explores why so many of the world’s top sports stars, from champion tennis player Novak Djokovic to Formula 1 icon Hamilton, are now vegan.
If Professional Athletes Can Go Vegan, So Can You
Not vegan yet? What are you waiting for? Joining your favourite athlete in choosing compassion over cruelty has never been simpler. It’s easy to find animal-free pre-workout fuel, bulk-friendly snacks, and protein-packed foods – and eating vegan is the winning formula for competitive athletes and everyday gym-goers alike:
