When it comes to a wholesome diet, each macronutrient is important for growth of body & maintaining your fitness level. As shared in my previous blog (https://thesushantkumar.com/2019/11/04/how-much-protein-you-should-consume-everyday/), protein is an essential part of your diet, since it helps in maintaining & building muscles & bone mass & keeping immune system strong.
If you are vegan or vegetarian, you have enough & rich sources to consume carbohydrates, fats & fibre. However, getting the right amount of daily protein may be difficult. This blog is focussed on how you can get the right quantity of protein from vegan/vegetarian diet.
For maintaining & achieving the right fitness level, right kind of protein containing essential amino acids( there are 9) is vital. It is possible to get these essential amino acids with a well balanced diet however having animal based protein source offers more amount of protein.
Some vegetarians consume eggs & milk which are high protein foods. Since vegans cannot consume them, it is important to figure out other sources of protein to get that dream body. Vegans & vegetarians should focus on consuming nutrient dense foods such as
- Quinoa
- Nuts & seeds
- Quorn(Meat substitute)
- Tofu
- Lentils, Legumes & Beans.
- Soy
- Brown Rice
Consuming fruits & legumes is not sufficient for getting that sufficient diet specifically when your fitness goal is muscle growth. If you are exercising everyday, then it’s more important to have the right amount of protein.
Having a balanced meal with all macro nutrients is essential to meet your fitness goals. For muscle growth, you need to consume 2.2g protein per kg of body weight. Vegetarians can add one scoop of Whey protein on a daily basis to add 20 to 25 gram of protein since it contains milk. Other sources of protein for vegan include:
- Plant based protein
- Soy Protein
- Brown Rice Protein.
Plant protein include hemp, pea & brown rice protein which are high in protein & specifically important for Vegan bodybuilders
These are recommended supplements not essential for getting the right amount of protein.
Vegan & vegetarians should also focus on consuming the following more:
- Vitamin B12
- Iron: Leafy Greens, Lentils, Omega-3( check my blog on Omega-3 fatty acids –https://thesushantkumar.com/2019/10/24/what-are-omega-3-fatty-acids/)
- Vitamin D: Soy milk, Orange juice
- Calcium: Spinach , Broccoli
- Zinc: Pumpkin Seeds, Almonds
