How To Build Muscle If You Are A Vegetarian
Many people who are considering being vegetarian are worried that they won’t be able to build muscle if they do so. Before we talk about whether or not you can build muscle as a vegetarian, though, let’s talk about what the different types of vegetarianism are.
Vegans won’t eat dairy products or any other products of animals, pesco-vegetarians will consume fish and other dairy products whereas lacto-ovo vegetarians will both consume milk and eat eggs but won’t eat meat. There are a few more sub categories but that is enough detail for the purposes of this article.
Because vegetarians don’t eat things like red meat, they are at lower risk of certain diseases, like hypertension, diabetes, and some types of cancer, as well as heart disease and coronary artery disease.
As you may agree the reasons for changing to be vegetarian are compelling indeed and that is before we even begin to discuss the idealistic side of things such as being less cruel to animals, saving food for starving others, conserving the rainforest, becoming more friendly to the environment and such like.
So, if I am vegetarian how can I get enough protein to pack on muscle mass? The answer to this question very simply is Soy. Soy in reality has higher levels of protein than beef and also contains all eight of the essential amino acids.
You can get soy from easy to get sources like soymilk, textured soy protein and tofu. There are lots of different recipes out there that include soy, so experiment. In addition, beans, seeds, rice, nuts, and legumes are also great protein sources, so one thing you’ll never be short of is protein.
Alright so that is protein dealt with but what about vitamins and minerals, particularly zinc, vitamin D, calcium, iron and vitamin B12? Well, supplements should be taken by vegans for this.
Vitamin B12 is especially a concern because although it’s abundant in dairy products and is therefore not a concern for most vegetarians, it may be a concern for vegans. Meal replacement powders and vitamin and mineral supplements can also help build muscle, but don’t overlook plenty of green leafy vegetables and fruits in addition to the protein sources mentioned to build muscle as a vegetarian.
In short, there are lots of reasons as to why it’s beneficial for you to become a vegetarian, and you won’t have to give up your bodybuilding goals to do so. Of course, as a bodybuilder, you are going to need to plan what you eat, too, but that’s true of people who eat meat as well. With these few pointers in mind, go ahead and engage in bodybuilding as a vegetarian, successfully.
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