Virat Kohli on turning vegetarian - 'I've never felt better in my life'

India captain says he decided to give up meat to 'cut down the uric acid' in his body

India's captain Virat Kohli revealed he turned vegetarian in 2018. AFP

Virat Kohli said he is feeling much better than before having turned vegetarian. AP

Virat Kohli, right, said he became vegetarian because his body was producing too much uric acid. AFP

Virat Kohli said his recovery process has improved dramatically. AFP

Virat Kohli revealed the reason behind his change in diet during an Instagram live session with Kevin Pietersen. AFP

Virat Kohli said he can play three matches a week after changing his dietary habits. Getty Images

Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni during India's 2016 World T20 match against Australia in Mohali. Getty Images

Virat Kohli during the 2016 World T20 match against Australia in Mohali. Getty Images

Virat Kohli after getting dismissed during day two of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch earlier this year. Getty Images

Virat Kohli after New Zealand beat India in the first Test in Wellington. Reuters

India captain Virat Kohli is one of the fittest cricketers in the world. AFP

Virat Kohli's India were whitewashed in the ODI and Test series in New Zealand earlier this year. AFP

India’s captain Virat Kohli. AFP

India's captain Virat Kohli during the third ODI against Australia in Bangalore earlier this year. AFP

India captain Virat Kohli said he is feeling fitter than ever before after turning vegetarian in 2018 and revealed he was forced to change his diet because of fitness and health issues.

Talking to former England captain Kevin Pietersen during a live Instagram video session, Kohli explained why he decided to give up meat altogether.

"I wasn't a vegetarian until 2018," Kohli said. "When we came to England, I left eating meat just before that Test series."

Kohli said his long-standing back issue was what made him change his eating habits.

"In 2018 when we went to South Africa I got a cervical spine issue. One of the discs in my cervical spine bulged out and it compressed a nerve which was running straight till the little finger of my right hand.

"It gave me a tingling sensation, I could barely feel my little finger on the right hand. It was hurting like mad, I could hardly sleep. And then I got my tests done.

"My stomach was too acidic, my body was creating too much uric acid. Even though I was taking calcium, magnesium, one tablet was not sufficient. My stomach started pulling calcium from my bones, and my bones got weaker. That's why I got this issue. That's why I stopped eating meat completely to cut down the uric acid."

The star batsman said turning vegetarian raised his energy levels and improved his recovery process considerably.

"I've never felt better in my life, to be honest. It has been two years, and it is the best decision of my life. I have never felt better waking up. I have never felt better when I have to recover after a game. If you make me play three games a week, which are intense, I am at it 120 per cent every game. I can recover within a day after a Test match and go for another Test.

"It's so much better than being on meat. I felt like 'why didn't I do it before?' I should have done it two, three years earlier. It has completely changed everything. You start feeling better, you start thinking better, your body is lighter, you are more positive, you have energy to do more."