It’s a common misconception that in order to build muscle you need to be a carnivore. Here’s why plant protein trumps animal by-product when it comes to creating lean muscle mass.
It’s a common misconception that in order to build muscle you need to be a carnivore.Muscle growth actually relies on a number of factors including protein and it doesn’t need to be meat.
Adding plant-based proteins to your diet won’t make you lose muscle. The best protein comes from whole food, alkaline-forming sources like plants, sprouts, nuts, and seeds. Not only are they complete proteins, but they are rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation caused by exercise, that in turn, helps muscles recover faster after training.
Because muscles need stimulation to grow, aim to consume a minimum of 1.2 - 2g of protein per kilogram of body mass so your protein needs are met. Include plenty of fresh protein-rich foods like lentils, beans (for example black beans, lima beans, kidney beans), tempeh, tofu, edamame, soy products, seeds, whole grains, and nuts.
“It can be tricky to reduce heavy animal proteins and find clean organic protein but without enough protein your blood sugar levels drop and you are more likely to make bad food choices,” says Dr Simone Laubscher, PhD. “So try and include a clean organic vegan source of protein daily like The Nourishing Protein to fast track everyday.”
Don’t forget to consistently engage your muscles in resistance-based strength training too. It’s an effective way to stress your muscles fibres and create micro-tears in order for them to grow and encourage a fit, lean, sustainable, and clean-functioning body.
