E-Paper
The 2024 Paris Olympics are going to be the most vegetarian-friendly games in history, here's why it makes sense
The Paris 2024 Olympics will feature a 60% vegetarian menu. Discover why, and whether a plant-based diet actually makes sense for international athletes
Paris, France is a dream destination for many because of its views, the fashion and most importantly the decadent baked goods, meats and cheeses. So it comes as a humble surprise that the city has decided to go relatively vegetarian for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics.
“We wanted to focus on the vegetarian options,” said Philipp Würz, the man behind the food and beverages at the 2024 Olympics. “60% of the recipes for the general public will be vegetarian. We are convinced that with these Games we have a unique opportunity to do things differently and show that another model is possible. It is a first in the history of the Games and the result of four years of work.”
The goal is to feed up to 15,000 athletes and create 40,000 meals every day. The cuisines will be French, Asian, African-Caribbean and world cuisine.
Why is the menu vegetarian?
The vegetarian menu aims to cut the carbon footprint of the Olympic catering by half. The alleged goal is to produce 1kg of CO2 per meal, which is half the norm, compared to the previous Olympics' menus. Fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole cereals along with plenty of local and seasonal food will feature as the heart of this menu. Dishes like veggie bourguignon and veggie moussaka will be served in place of their beloved beef counterparts. Additionally, the nutritional values and environmental impact of each course will be displayed in the canteens.
It is also reported that most of the attendees will not have access to booze unless they have paid for the exaggerated VIP package that serves alcohol with meals. To avoid waste, food not consumed will be given to food banks while food scraps will be turned into compost or used for biogas production.
Will these meet the athletes' nutritional needs?
The biggest worry concerning this menu is whether it will fulfil the nutritional requirements of all 15,000 athletes present at the games. However, this worry seems misplaced as quite a few Olympic athletes vouch for a vegan or vegetarian diet, having experienced significant positive changes in their bodies after adopting one.
In a Bon Appetit piece, Megan Duhamel, two-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist in figure skating says, "I wasn’t a world champion before I was vegan, I was a world champion because I was vegan.” Similarly, in a 2020 review published by the International Journal of Sports and Exercise Medicine, scientist Katharina Wirnitzer says that up to 17% of people in any given group may be vegan, including sportspeople.
Despite the common belief that vegan or vegetarian diets may lack the necessary nutrition for elite athletes, numerous science-backed studies refute this speculation. Any type of intense exercise, especially Olympic-level training is known to cause a tremendous amount of oxidative stress; experts claim that plant-based food helps fight that.
Along with being heavy in anti-oxidants and phytochemicals, plant foods have high levels of fibre that promote gut bacteria, the production of which is directly linked to reducing inflammation and improving immune function. These diets are also low in saturated fats which improves blood flow and ensures optimal oxygen delivery to muscles.
Now, France is not known for its vegetarian food; until 2022, the country had only one Michelin-star vegan restaurant that shut down within a year. This Olympic season might bring a change to the country's eating habits, but only time will tell.
