Research & References

Nutrition science continues to evolve. For that reason, Plant Power Coaching emphasizes dietary patterns, population-level evidence, and consensus across multiple lines of research, rather than prescriptive rules or guaranteed outcomes.

The references below are provided as representative examples of the scientific literature informing a plant-forward approach to performance, health, and longevity. This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or medical nutrition therapy.

Plant-forward Diets & Chronic Disease 

• Hu, F. and W. Willet. 2002. Optimal diets for prevention of coronary artery disease. Journal of the American Medical Association. 288, DOI: 10.1001/jama.288.20.2569.

• Orlich, M., et al. 2013. Vegetarian dietary patterns and mortality. Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine. 173, doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.6473.

• Raj, S., et al. 2025. Vegetarian dietary patterns for adults: a position paper of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 125, doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2025.02.002

• Satija, A., et al. 2017. Healthful and unhealthful plant-based diets and the risk of coronary heart disease. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 70, doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.05.047.

• Song, M., et al. 2016. Association of Animal and Plant Protein Intake With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality. Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine. 176, doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.4182.

• Tan, J., et al. 2024. Plant-based diet and risk of all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition. 11:1481363. doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1481363.

• Thompson, A., et al. 2024. A healthful plant-based diet is associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk via improved metabolic state and organ function: A prospective cohort study. Diabetes & Metabolism. 50, doi.org/10.1016/j.diabet.2023.101499.

• Wang, Y., et al. 2023. Associations between plant-based dietary patterns and risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality – a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Journal.  22:46. doi.org/10.1186/s12937-023-00877-2.

• Yang, Y., et al. 2014. Association between dietary fiber and lower risk of all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of cohort studies. American Journal of Epidemiology. 181, doi: 10.1093/aje/kwu257.

Athletic Performance & Plant-forward Diets

• Barnard, N., et al., 2019. Plant-based diets for cardiovascular safety and performance in endurance sports. Nutrients. 11, doi:10.3390/nu11010130. 

• Boutros, G., et al., 2020. Is a vegan diet detrimental to endurance and muscle strength? European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 74, doi:10.1038/s41430-020-0639-y.

• Claessen, G., et al. 2025. Coronary atherosclerosis in athletes: emerging concepts and preventive strategies. European Heart Journal. 46, doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehae927.

• Craddock, J., et al. 2016. Vegetarian and omnivorous nutrition - comparing physical performance. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 26, doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.

• Craddock J., et al. 2020. Plant-based eating patterns and endurance performance: a focus on inflammation, oxidative stress and immune responses. Nutrition Bulletin. 45, doi:10.1111/nbu.12427.

• Damasceno, Y., et al. 2024. Plant-based diets benefit aerobic performance and do not compromise strength/power performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition. 131, doi:10.1017/S0007114523002258

• Hernández-Lougedo, J., et al. 2023. The relationship between vegetarian diet and sports performance: a systematic review. Nutrients. 15, doi:10.3390/nu15214703

• Lopez-Moreno, M., et al. 2025. Are plant-based diets detrimental to muscular strength? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sports Medicine Open. 11, doi.org/10.1186/s40798-025-00852-7.

• Lynch, H., et al. 2018. Plant-based diets: considerations for environmental impact, protein quality, and exercise performance. Nutrients. 10, doi:10.3390/nu10121841.

• Nebl, J., et al. 2019. Exercise capacity of vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, and omnivorous athletes. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 16, doi.org/10.1186/s12970-019-0289-4.

• Pohl, A., et al. 2021. The impact of vegan and vegetarian diets on physical performance and molecular signaling in skeletal muscle. Nutrients. 13, doi.org/10.3390/nu13113884.

• Sarmento, T., et al. 2024. Plant-based diet and sports performance. ACS Omega. 9, doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c07560

Consensus & Public Health Perspectives

• Position papers and reviews from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

• Evidence summaries from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

• Population-level guidance from the World Health Organization

These organizations synthesize large bodies of evidence rather than relying on single studies.

Closing Note

Individual health outcomes vary based on many factors. Nutrition coaching focuses on education, skill-building, and long-term habits—not medical treatment or guaranteed results.