Protein Sources for Building Muscle as a Vegetarian or Vegan

When building muscle as a vegetarian or vegan, it’s essential that you get enough protein for your muscles to get the building blocks they need to grow. But it’s absolutely possible to find high quality sources of protein while avoiding meat and other animal products.

You may have heard people tell you that you’ll have to compromise your eating standards in order to gain muscle, but this simply isn’t true. Protein is found in all living things, so your plant-based diet can be filled with it.

Whole grains such as quinoa, whole grain rice, and steel cut oats are chock full of protein. You can also get healthy fats and protein from a wide variety of nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cashews, and pecans.

You may not think so to look at it, but broccoli and cauliflower have a high percentage of protein that gets passed on to you when you eat it. The same is true for lentils and beans that pack a powerful protein punch.

It’s also important to include foods such as yams that provide protein and vitamins. And avocados are a wonderful source of protein and healthy fats. All of these foods can help you to build muscle mass.

Another superfood that benefits everyone but can be particularly good if you’re a vegan or vegetarian is coconut. Coconut milk is a great alternative to dairy and coconut oil helps to strengthen your body on many levels.

While the most common protein supplement is whey powder, you’ll want to avoid it as a vegan. It’s derived from milk products. Instead, you can look for protein powder made with hemp or soy. This is in powder form and can be used like any other supplement.

Meal replacement shake powders are often based on milk products but check out the Herbalife product as they have full meal replacement that is soy based as well as straight protein powders and sport supplements that are suitable for vegan diets.

There’s also a type of protein powder that comes from rice. You may find that you want to add a protein supplement to your daily routine when you begin weight training to build muscle. Your body will need much more protein to get any kind of bulk.

Even people who eat animal products often add protein powder to their diets. This simply gives the body enough protein to recover from strenuous exercise and to build the bulk you’re looking for from your exercise program.

The vegetarian and vegan lifestyle is very beneficial for your overall health. In no way will building muscle as a vegetarian or vegan be impossible or even difficult if you make sure you eat a lot of proteins from plant sources.

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