How To Build Muscle As A Vegan?
To build muscle as a vega as well as ensure adequate protein for the body, you should use protein-rich vegan foods. They are seitan, tofu, legumes, quinoa, and more.
You can also use vegan protein powder. Along with that, you should divide your meals into 5-7 meals a day and drink enough water.
The reasonable source of nutrition for vegetarians
Building muscle for vegans takes two stages. First of all, we need muscle stimulation through training at the gym. Adding protein and other nutrients to be able to build new muscle is in the second stage.
Being a vegetarian means that they must avoid meat as well as the sources of protein that come from animals.
So, the complete source of protein for vegetarian bodybuilders is plant-based nutrition. For bodybuilders, also need the same nutrients as non-vegetarians. By dividing 5-7 meals a day you will provide better protein. And your body will also absorb it better.
1. Protein
To gain muscle, protein is indispensable. Plant-based protein sources such as beans, whole grains, oats, etc.
But, many vegan protein sources often do not contain all the essential amino acids. So you need to eat a higher amount and variety of these foods to meet your body’s regular needs.
Add protein-rich vegan foods to your diets, such as seitan, tofu, legumes, and quinoa. They help you meet your protein needs for muscle gain.
At the same time, vegan protein powder can also help you meet your body’s protein needs. They provide a concentrated source of protein around workouts and throughout the day.
2. Carbohydrates
This is an indispensable substance for a human being. They are the most important source of energy for us to move. Carbohydrates are found in starches from fruits, potatoes, rice, pasta…
3. Fat
Fat is an indispensable substance for bodybuilders, they greatly support the process of gaining muscle. In order not to lack fat when eating vegan, you need to note the information that we provide below.
When your body consumes enough fat, you will get the calories you need to promote muscle gain. Because fat provides twice as many calories as carbs and protein per gram.
For the off-season bodybuilders. The recommended amount of body fat is 0.5 grams per pound (1 gram per kilogram) of body weight daily. Meaning, it equates to about 80 grams of fat per day for a 175-pound (80-kg) male bodybuilder.
Good sources of fat are butter, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.
4. Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are indispensable for gym people. They are found in oranges, tangerines, vegetables, and more.
Some foods contain nutrition for vegetarians
Here is a list of some foods rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals for vegetarians. You can use it regularly to provide adequate nutrients for the body.
1. Bean paste
Long ago, for bodybuilders when the economy was difficult and Whey Protein food was limited then bean paste is used. Even it is used by non-vegetarians.
These bean powders help to supplement protein for muscle gain and weight gain.
A cup of bean paste provides the body with 13-15g of Protein. So, bodybuilders do not worry because they cannot drink Whey.
2. Soymilk
Soy milk has always been a favorite drink of many people. Even bodybuilders, since ancient times. This is a high source of nutrients, they provide protein and calcium together.
Not only help you gain muscle and improve bones. 1 cup of soy milk provides 8g of protein for the body.
3. Yogurt
Plain yogurt like Greek yogurt is one of the best vegan sources of nutrition. Yogurt provides 5-6g of protein and fat along with vitamins and minerals… So add yogurt to your diet.
4. Cheese
Cheese is an important source of nutrients for vegetarians and non-vegetarians. 100g of cheese provides up to 25g of Protein, Sodium, and Potassium.
Especially this is an important source of Vitamins and minerals for the body.
5. Cereals
Whether you go to the gym or not, whether you are a vegetarian or not, cereal is a portion of very good food for you to use every day.
Because they provide a series of important nutrients for the body such as Carbs, proteins, Vitamins, minerals, fiber…
6. Vegetables and fruits
Fruits and vegetables are indispensable for the body. They provide the body with vitamins, minerals, fiber… which are important for the body to function.
So vegetarians have a lot of advantages in absorbing these nutrients. So don’t be lazy to eat vegetables and fruits.
7. Drink lots of water
Because vegan diets tend to use more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. So your body will have a fiber intake that can become quite high.
So when a dietician says that your body has significantly increased fiber intake. Then some side effects may arise, such as bloating, gas, and abdominal pain.
The solution now for you is to drink enough water. Repeating this every day also helps prevent complications from a high-fiber vegan diet. The recommendation for you is at least 1 ml of water for every calorie you take in.
The health benefits of a vegan diet
The diet is maintained and developed when it has certain benefits. Here are the benefits that you can get when maintaining a vegan diet for muscle gain.
#1. Reduce the risk of heart disease
According to research, people who follow a vegan diet have a lower risk of developing heart disease than those who eat red meat.
This is thought to be due to a decrease in the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in animal protein. At the same time absorb more fiber and different plant compounds.
The vegan muscle-gain diet is rich in fruits and vegetables and contains a good amount of fiber.
Eating more fiber contributes to lower rates of stroke and heart disease. Vegetarians also show that they tend to have lower blood pressure. And levels of total and LDL cholesterol than the general population.
#2. Promotes healthy body weight
People who follow a vegan diet often have a lower body mass index (BMI) than general people. This helps reduce the risk of certain disease factors.
A 16-week study showed the impact of a vegan diet on 75 overweight people. Vegan diets are powerful in improving body weight. Fat mass and markers of insulin resistance were better than the conventional diet.
#3. Reduce the risk of cancer
Another benefit of a vegan diet is a reduced risk of cancer. This is because increased consumption of beans, fruits, and vegetables. Which can leads to higher intakes of fiber, micronutrients, and phytonutrients.
A high BMI is one of the risk factors for certain types of cancer. As we said above, a vegan diet contributes to a lower BMI, so it contributes to a lower risk of cancer. It contributes to reducing the risk of breast cancer in women.
Final Words
Gain muscle as a vegan is not difficult if you have a reasonable and proper diet. Consult your doctor before starting a vegan diet. Don’t forget to prepare a good vegetarian plan!
We hope that our article has helped you have a clearer and more objective view of veganism. Thank you so much for reading this article!
