8 types of muscle building foods for vegetarians

Not only meat helps muscles grow, other natural sources of muscle-building foods of plant origin will help vegetarians gain muscle effectively.

Lean protein is one of the most effective muscle gainers in training nutrition. However, for those who cannot eat meat and fish, how to provide enough nutrients for muscle growth?

In fact, in addition to lean meats, there are many other natural sources of protein, especially plant-based proteins that will be suitable for vegetarians who want to go to the gym to gain muscle.

Natural muscle building foods for vegetarians

1. Nuts

To supplement calcium, help develop muscles and joints effectively without using dairy products, vegetarians can add nuts to their exercise menu.

Almonds, walnuts or pistachios are all good muscle gainers for a vegetarian diet. Each serving (about 28g) of each nut contains 160 high-quality calories as they are a well-balanced mix of protein, fiber and healthy fats.

Nuts are not only a convenience food, they also help you feel full for longer and support better weight loss. Although the fat content is higher than protein, these are the good fats that are useful in training and weight management.

2. Beans

Legumes are an extremely good source of plant-based protein for vegetarians

When it comes to protein, people tend to think only of meat, while plant-based sources of protein like legumes are second only to meat in protein content.

All types of beans (black beans, white beans, kidney beans…) contain an average of about 15g of protein. What’s more, beans are exceptionally low in fat, high in fiber, and extremely popular in the market.

Legumes do not contain complete protein, but they do have many essential amino acids for building and maintaining muscle. However, while it is true that beans are not a complete protein, they are high in the essential amino acids needed for building muscle.

Adding 120-250g of beans per day will ensure the necessary amount of protein and fiber for vegetarians to effectively gain muscle.

3. Beans

Similar to beans, peas are legumes that grow in pods, such as lentils, peas, string beans, soybeans, etc.

These beans are an extremely good muscle building food for vegetarians because they provide a large amount of protein and contain very little fat, and have no cholesterol.

You can add beans to soups, porridge or boiled and stir-fried dishes to add nutrients and flavor to your workout menu.

4. Green leafy vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are one of the best foods for exercisers

Green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spinach are extremely good muscle-building foods, which can help vegetarians increase muscle protein effectively.

Each cup of broccoli provides about 3.8g of protein, the same amount of kale provides 2.5g of protein and spinach adds up to 5.3g of protein.

Green leafy vegetables not only provide protein, but they also add vitamins, minerals and fiber needed for exercisers without significantly increasing the number of calories in the menu.

Add green vegetables to dishes, smoothies, salads for meals of the day to ensure adequate nutrients for muscles.

5. Plant milk

Soy milk, peanut milk, almond milk … not only delicious but also extremely suitable for vegetarians gym.

These plant-based milks can replace other milks and dairy products. They add fat, calcium, protein and many other essential vitamins and minerals for muscle building.

A glass of this bean milk (about 240ml) can provide up to 8g of protein for muscles. You can use plant-based milks to prepare dishes, use them directly or blend them in place of regular fresh milk.

>>> See more: Vegetarian gain muscle: 8 attractive dishes you can’t ignore

6. Nuts

Vegetarian gym goers can use nuts to supplement the necessary nutrients

Nuts such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds… all provide protein, healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids, making it easy for vegetarians and gym goers to get all the nutrients they need for exercise.

Not only is it convenient to eat directly, you can also add nuts to cakes, milk, cereals, or use oil from these nuts to prepare many other vegetarian dishes for the gym menu. In addition, chia seed water is also considered one of the best drinks during exercise.

7. Bean paste

Bean meal is one of the best muscle gain foods for vegetarians because they provide protein with essential amino acids, almost complete and similar to plant-based protein.

Therefore, using bean powder to replace protein powder in smoothies and many other dishes will help vegetarians and gym goers to gain muscle more easily.

With the above natural muscle building foods, vegetarians can rest assured to choose and supplement the necessary nutrients for effective training and rapid muscle growth.

Reference source

The 8 Best Muscle-building Foods for Vegans and Vegetarians. https://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/8-best-muscle-building-foods-vegans-and-vegetarians/1-nuts/. Access date: 09/06/2020