AS the Australians sat swilling Peronis to celebrate a stunning Ashes triumph, Peter Siddle cracked a coconut water.

His alcohol-free existence started two years ago, at the same time the Victorian pace bowler ditched meat and became a vegetarian. All animal products including milk and eggs soon after were also scratched as Siddle adopted a vegan diet.

"I was sort of a chicken/seafood person for lunches and dinners," Siddle said.

"I still ate seafood for a short time when I first went vegetarian and then after a couple of months I decided to get rid of all seafood as well and just stick to the veggies and the fruits."

Siddle's partner, Anna Weatherlake, a longtime vegetarian, became a vegan a few years ago and it helped Siddle make his move.

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The pair are committed campaigners against cruelty to animals, but philosophy aside, Siddle had also suffered a few injuries and thought a change in diet could help his body.

Still, the Gippsland speed demon insists he's no vegan pin-up.

"I like to say I'm more a plant-based diet rather than vegan; I do play a sport that uses leather and that type of thing," he said.

"The hardcore vegans would probably still hate me."

When Siddle told Cricket Australia dietitian Michelle Cort he was becoming a vegan, she was surprised.

"Initially he changed from a meat-eaters diet to a vegetarian diet, so he was still eating eggs and dairy products and with that kind of eating plan, athletes can very easily meet their nutrient needs," Cort said.

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"What was pleasing, with the change initially with the vegetarianism and now that he is a true vegan, it's just the amount of time that he puts into planning his intake and ensuring he gets everything right."

Siddle said he'd lost 8-9kg since making the dietary big shift and now weighed about 87kg.

He admitted the diet change was a "shock to the system at first".

"The first few months, I probably felt as if I was a bit tired but as I worked out, it was just the body changing and getting used to the new ways and getting used to a different way to fuel it," he said.

"After a few months and getting a few games in I started to notice the benefit it was having on me."

And now he can't fault his eating plan.

"The recovery has probably been the biggest benefit," he said.

News_Image_File: Peter Siddle celebrates after taking the wicket of Matt Prior during the third Test.

"From Test match to Test match, like Adelaide to Perth, they're close turn-arounds.

"The body is fresher ... it's been able to turn over a lot quicker and get me back into a fresher state and feel a lot more comfortable and ready to go for that next match.

Friend and former Melbourne footballer Matthew Bate, a plant-based eating advocate, helps out with advice on optimal fuel intake.

"I haven't had any trouble with my strength, everything's stayed the same. I've been able to lift the same amount of weights, squat the same stuff. I'm just lucky to be a bit lighter now I can move around the field a bit better," Siddle said.

Siddle has a well publicised relationship with the banana - he consumes 15 to 20 a day - but he's also a fan of leafy greens, beans and tofu.

"My protein comes a lot from greens and beans, spinach, kale, those types of things," he said.

"Bananas play a big part in that, bananas have a big impact in muscle recovery straight after performance, so that's pretty much why I eat so many bananas.

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"Half of that (15-20 a day) equates to what I have in smoothies, so I'm actually only eating eight to 10 bananas a day, just peeled back."

He does have the occasional treat - he's discovered a vegan chocolate bar and he has the odd hot chip if he's out to dinner with Anna or friends.

His no-alcohol stance has also had an impact.

"I did enjoy a drink with the boys," Siddle said.

"It's been a couple of years now without alcohol.

"At first I wanted to set myself these two Ashes series and stop at the end of it. But it got to six months ago and I thought, `I won't drink at the end of it anyway'.

News_Image_File: Peter Siddle demonstrates his eminently repeatable bowling action at the WACA.

"Now it's just got to the point everyone knows what I'm doing. I have enough fun when I'm sober. everyone calls me the drunkest sober person at the party.

"I don't have any trouble having fun, so that probably helps as well.

"I definitely don't miss it. There's no plans in the near future to get back on it.

"I think I'm happy with the way I'm feeling and how I'm travelling, I think that's a good thing.

"Your cricket career doesn't last forever so it's not a bad thing if I don't drink for a little bit longer. Who knows, it might be the end of my career that I wait to."

Ribbing is part and parcel of an Australian Test dressing room, and Siddle copped a bit over his diet, but that quickly passed.

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"At first they wondered what I was doing and had a bit of a dig at me," he said.

"The next phase was they started asking questions and they were a bit intrigued about how I was changing and how well everything was going for me.

"Now it's at the point where the boys understand what I do is what I do and it's who I am.

"They enjoy the coconut water that I have in the rooms and they probably eat a few extra bananas than they did in the past."