One of the most asked plant-based questions is can you build muscle eating a plant-based diet or a vegan diet. And the answer is yes, you can build muscle eating a plant-based diet. In fact, you will find that your energy level when exercising is at the best level it has ever been when you switch to a whole food plant-based diet. But you must make sure you eat the right plant-based foods and avoid the wrong ones.
There are many plant-based myths out there it can be hard to know what to believe. And one of those myths is that a whole food plant-based diet doesn’t have enough protein or nutrients to build muscle. And that is not true.
Muscles Need Carbs
Bodybuilding is accomplished through a diet with plenty of healthy complex carbs. Healthy eating should include plenty of complex carbs include beans, lentils, beans, legumes, potatoes, whole grains, brown rice and all types of vegetables.
Carbs provide the energy you need to exercise in the first place. And without enough carbohydrates, you will drag throughout your workout. Protein is an inefficient source of energy, while carbs are an excellent source of fuel for your body. [1]
The carbs you eat turn into glucose, which is used by your cells for energy or stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen for later use when you need extra energy. Carbs have the following muscle-building benefits:
- Carbohydrates help your muscles recover after exercising
- Carbs prevent muscle loss and repair muscles
- Carbs replenish glycogen stores in your body for quick energy
- Carbs will increase your athletic performance
- Carbs prevent muscle weakness
Carbohydrates are important when you are trying to build muscles and important to fuel the body. When you don’t eat enough carbs, your body will break down protein and muscle to use for fuel. [2]
"When carbs aren’t available, muscle gains that you have worked so hard to achieve can be lost."
Plant-Based Protein
A complete protein is a food that has all of the nine essential amino acids we need. An essential amino acid is one that our body cannot make and we need to get them from the foods we eat. All plant based foods have protein, and all plant based foods are a complete protein in varying degrees.
The plant-based myth that you can’t get enough protein unless you eat animal products is ridiculous. First of all, there are many plant-based athletes and bodybuilders that don’t eat meat. All you have to do is watch the movie, The Game Changers to see plant-based athletes and vegan athletes excel at their sport.. You can also read books written by vegan bodybuilders like Robert Cheeke who eats a strict whole food plant-based diet.
Meat is a good source of protein, but animal protein also has health problems like a higher risk of certain cancers and digestive issues. Another health issue with meat is it has no fiber, and fiber is necessary for a healthy gut microbiome and digestion.
There are many plant foods that have a good amount of plant protein like quinoa, peas, soybeans, beans, tempeh, nuts, and whole grains. And with a plant-based diet, you aren’t getting all of the health problems you do with meat.
There are plenty of amino acids in soy protein,
pea protein and other types of vegan protein and plant-based protein. If you feel you need a higher protein intake, you can always get a
plant-based protein powder.
We don’t need as much protein as some claim we need to build muscles and muscle growth. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, we should try and get between 0.5 and 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight (1.1 and 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight).
This is about 75 grams of protein per day for a 150-pound person. I can easily get 75 - 90 grams of protein per day eating a plant-based diet. You just have to make sure you eat enough calories.
It is easy to get all of the protein you need on a plant-based diet. Plant-based foods that are a very good protein source include:
By eating a well rounded plant-based diet, you can easily get plenty of protein to build muscles eating a plant-based diet. And this is without taking any kind of protein drink or shake.
Building muscle is about eating calories, healthy calories. The most important key to building muscles eating a plant-based diet is to make sure and eat enough calories.
It is important to know that a healthy plant-based diet is a nutrient-dense way of eating. What this means is that you can eat a lot of food, feel full, and still be eating at a calorie deficit.
When someone first starts eating a whole food plant-based diet, they might not eat enough calories, because they are afraid of eating too many carbs and calories. And not eating enough calories can lead to less than stellar muscle gains. You have to eat plenty of calories when building muscles.
One reason someone new to a whole food plant-based might not eat enough calories is they are afraid they will gain weight with all these potatoes and carbs. That is one fear everyone needs to get over. Everyone is practically brainwashed that all carbs cause weight gain. It is always important to remember there are good carbs and bad carbs.
As long as you keep fat low, you cannot gain weight eating complex carbs. For example, a medium-size baked potato has only 160 calories. It is when you put on the fatty butter, sour cream, and bacon bits that the calories double and triple. You must keep fat low.
Once you’re over the fear of eating potatoes, pasta, bread and all of the other healthy carbs, you can start eating more food and calories to fuel your muscles. You can use a TDEE calculator to figure out how many calories you need per day for your activity level.
You might like to use macronutrient ratios. Many bodybuilders use a macronutrient ratio of 75% carbs, 15% protein, and 10% calories from fat.
Or you can use 80% carbs, 10% protein, and 10% fat if you need to or weight. Using an app like Cronometer to track your macronutrients is helpful at first.
There are plenty of vegan junk foods and fake meats to choose from, but you should avoid them. Plant-based junk foods are too high in refined oils, saturated fat, and sodium.
A healthy whole food plant-based diet does not mean eating donuts, cakes, or other refined white flour foods. They really don’t have any nutrient value and could hinder weight loss or cause weight gain.
I have found that these plant-based junk foods with so much oil make my joints ache and my energy levels drop. I have also found that while , junk foods hindered my .
If your goal is ou will have no problem building muscles on a plant-based diet as long as you eat enough calories, and stick to the healthy complex carbs of a whole food plant-based diet, along with a consistent workout program. Not only will increase, but will also increase.
The food is more important than the actual workout. And a whole food plant-based diet is the perfect diet to eat in order to build muscles. Since a is naturally low in fat, you will lose fat while building . And don’t worry about eating low fat, there is plenty of healthy fat in a vegan diet.
About The Author
Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Health Forum Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
© 2020 Sam Montana/Healthy Food and Life
References
We don’t need as much protein as some claim we need to build muscles and muscle growth. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, we should try and get between 0.5 and 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight (1.1 and 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight).
This is about 75 grams of protein per day for a 150-pound person. I can easily get 75 - 90 grams of protein per day eating a plant-based diet. You just have to make sure you eat enough calories.
It is easy to get all of the protein you need on a plant-based diet. Plant-based foods that are a very good protein source include:
- ½ cup of lentils is 8.9 grams of protein
- ½ cup of tempeh is 15.4g
- 1 cup of cooked green peas is 8.2g
- 1 cup of quinoa is 8.1g
- 1/2 cups of rolled oats are 16g
- ¼ cup of roasted pumpkin seeds is almost 9g
- 3 ounces of Seitan has a whopping 31 grams of protein
By eating a well rounded plant-based diet, you can easily get plenty of protein to build muscles eating a plant-based diet. And this is without taking any kind of protein drink or shake.
Eat Enough Calories to Gain Muscle
Building muscle is about eating calories, healthy calories. The most important key to building muscles eating a plant-based diet is to make sure and eat enough calories.
It is important to know that a healthy plant-based diet is a nutrient-dense way of eating. What this means is that you can eat a lot of food, feel full, and still be eating at a calorie deficit.
When someone first starts eating a whole food plant-based diet, they might not eat enough calories, because they are afraid of eating too many carbs and calories. And not eating enough calories can lead to less than stellar muscle gains. You have to eat plenty of calories when building muscles.
One reason someone new to a whole food plant-based might not eat enough calories is they are afraid they will gain weight with all these potatoes and carbs. That is one fear everyone needs to get over. Everyone is practically brainwashed that all carbs cause weight gain. It is always important to remember there are good carbs and bad carbs.
Once you’re over the fear of eating potatoes, pasta, bread and all of the other healthy carbs, you can start eating more food and calories to fuel your muscles. You can use a TDEE calculator to figure out how many calories you need per day for your activity level.
You might like to use macronutrient ratios. Many bodybuilders use a macronutrient ratio of 75% carbs, 15% protein, and 10% calories from fat.
Or you can use 80% carbs, 10% protein, and 10% fat if you need to or weight. Using an app like Cronometer to track your macronutrients is helpful at first.
Plant-Based Doesn’t Mean Junk Foods
There are plenty of vegan junk foods and fake meats to choose from, but you should avoid them. Plant-based junk foods are too high in refined oils, saturated fat, and sodium.
A healthy whole food plant-based diet does not mean eating donuts, cakes, or other refined white flour foods. They really don’t have any nutrient value and could hinder weight loss or cause weight gain.
I have found that these plant-based junk foods with so much oil make my joints ache and my energy levels drop. I have also found that while , junk foods hindered my .
Plant-Based Muscle Conclusion
If your goal is ou will have no problem building muscles on a plant-based diet as long as you eat enough calories, and stick to the healthy complex carbs of a whole food plant-based diet, along with a consistent workout program. Not only will increase, but will also increase.
The food is more important than the actual workout. And a whole food plant-based diet is the perfect diet to eat in order to build muscles. Since a is naturally low in fat, you will lose fat while building . And don’t worry about eating low fat, there is plenty of healthy fat in a vegan diet.
About The Author
Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Health Forum Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
© 2020 Sam Montana/Healthy Food and Life
References
[1] The Truth About Carbohydrates https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/the-truth-about-carbohydrates.html
[2] Why You Need Carbs to Build Muscle https://inbodyusa.com/blogs/inbodyblog/why-you-need-carbs-to-build-muscle
