How to Get Your Daily Protein When You’re Vegetarian or Vegan
Feb 20th, 2008 by Mehdi Tags: Build Muscle, Nutrition
Soy Protein. Image credit: honeymilk
You need at least 1g protein per pound of body-weight daily to build muscle and to help muscle recovery from strength training. If you weigh 155lbs/70kg, that’s 155g protein per day.
I wrote an article in the past on how to easily get 1g/lbs protein daily. Several of you asked for a similar article aimed at vegetarians & vegans who don’t eat animal flesh. Here’s the article as promised.
What Do Vegetarians & Vegans Eat? Vegetables, legumes, fruits, soy, … Some eat eggs & dairy products too. But never meat, fish or poultry.
- Lacto-ovo Vegetarians. Eat eggs & dairy, but no animal flesh.
- Lacto Vegetarians. Eat dairy, but no eggs and no animal flesh.
- Ovo Vegetarians. Eat eggs, but no dairy and no animal flesh.
- Vegans. Eat no eggs, no dairy, no animal flesh and no honey.
The Cons of Vegeterianism & Veganism. You need vegetables & fruits for fiber, vitamins and minerals. You also need green veggies – like spinach – to counter the acidity from protein. However:
- Testosterone Levels. Saturated fat & cholesterol from meats, eggs and dairy increase testosterone levels. Lack of these foods means less muscle, less strength, less energy, lower libido, higher body fat, …
- Allergies. Consuming huge amounts of dairy & eggs to get your 1g/lbs protein can cause lactose intolerance, acne, etc.
Protein Sources for Vegeterians & Vegans. Getting 1g/lbs protein daily is easy if you’re lacto and/or ovo: eggs, milk, whey, cheese, etc. Other protein sources you can choose from:
- Beans. Black, garbanzo, hummus, kidney, fava, winged, mungo, lima, …
- Legumes. Lentils, peas, cow peas, chick pea, snow peas, …
- Nuts. Walnuts, almonds, pistachio, cashew, peanuts, peanut butter, …
- Seeds. Sesame, pumpkin, hemp, flax, …
- Milk. Soy milk, almond milk, …
- Soy. Soy beans, tofu, deli-style soy meats, soy milk, soy cheese, …
- Whole Grains. Brown rice, quinoa, granola, oats, breads, …
- Protein Powder. Soy protein, hemp protein, rice protein, …
Example Diet. This vegan diet was posted by reader Dan.
- Meal #1: oats, soy milk, banana, flax seeds
- Meal #2: hemp protein shake, brown rice
- Meal #3: whole wheat pita, hummus/bean salad, spinach
- Meal #4: soy protein shake, apple
- Meal #5: brown rice, tofu, hemp oil, spinach, tomatoes
- Meal #6: almonds/almond milk
Are you vegetarian or vegan? How do you get 1g/lbs protein daily? What’s your opinion on mixing vegetarianism & veganism with strength training? Share in the comments.
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Hi, I wrote a blogpost about some well-known vegan athletes (amongst them bodybuilders) and the whole protein myth a while ago on my old blog. Here’s the link if anyone’s interested! http://www.fertilehealthy.iblog.co.za/2007/10/04/getting-ripped-on-plant-food/
There are plenty of articles about these people and what they eat.
I hope you don’t mind if I post this link, but this website sells many sorts of Vegeterian Protein powders at great prices. For UK customers only though:
http://www.myprotein.co.uk/bulk-powders/protein-powders/
Jane Black, a vegan, was the number one weightlifter on the US women’s National team in 2000. This is a quote from an article in Vegetarian Journal:
Jane says, “According to various elite weightlifting coaches, the protein requirement for a highly competitive weightlifter is 2 to 2½ grams per kilo of bodyweight. If I adhered to that, I would be eating about 150 or so grams of protein, which I feel is ridiculous. I eat probably about 60-75. I have never had a problem building strength. The variables for strength building vary greatly for individuals—genetics, general state of health, and training program. All of these factors and more must be monitored ongoingly if a person wants to take on a sport, or build strength or explosive power, which Olympic lifting is all about. I fully believe that a person can be incredibly strong as a vegan. “
You also might add broccoli, asparagus and spinach to this list. Although these vegetables are not as high in protein as most legumes or nuts, they are still very good sources of vegetable protein. One cup (that’s 156g for the rest of the world) of steamed broccoli has more than 4 grams of protein, as does one cup (180g) of boiled asparagus. One cup (180g) of boiled spinach has almost 5.5 grams of protein.
I’m surprised to find a post like this here, and I’m surprised that it’s mostly positive.
I’m not going to argue there’s no cons to a veg diet, but there is a slippery slope here: “Saturated fat & cholesterol from meats, eggs and dairy increase testosterone levels. Lack of these foods means less muscle, less strength, less energy, lower libido, higher body fat, …”
Yes, your body converts cholesterol into testosterone, but your body also produces cholesterol on its own. Poking around I can’t find anything that says dietary cholesterol raises test levels, it seems like the cons for taking in cholesterol are pretty bad.
Both monounsaturated fats and saturated fats raise T-levels. (Not just those “from meat and dairy”.) And there’s plenty of these available to veg*ans: “Men with the highest testosterone levels ate nuts! Yes, monounsaturated fat seems to increase testosterone levels, so include nuts, olive oil, canola oil, and peanut butter!” (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/babyboom8.htm)
Even if there’s some truth to these assertions, saying the lack of meat and dairy leads to less muscle and strength assumes a whole series of weak connections.
Again, I’m not saying there aren’t cons, but the cons asserted here are dubious.
@Hanlie/Ed/Chris
Understand I believe you can build muscle on a vegeterian/vegan diet. I believe you can even get away with bad nutrition if you train hard. I just don’t think it’s optimal. Up to the individual to weigh pro & cons.
@O.J.
That one is ok. Trueprotein for US based people also sell soy/rice/hemp protein at great prices.
@Chris
Body makes cholesterol indeed. Search for cholesterol & steroid hormones regarding the increased test levels. Best proof is to do the test: vegan diet, blood test, switch to high meat diet for 2 months, blood test again, compare test levels.
It’s been proven beyond doubt that there’s absolutely no scientific basis for vegetarianism/veganism.
http://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/comp-anat/comp-anat-1a.shtml
http://www.mercola.com/2000/apr/2/vegetarian_myths.htm
As for the remaining ethical/spiritual reason, it’s ironic that:
1) If all humans were vegans/veggies then all the earth’s land resources would have to be allocated to grain/bean production, with the result that almost all the animals we wouldn’t be eating would become extinct anyway.
2) Cultures who live in close contact with animals and have greater respect for them than is usual in the West would laugh at veggies/vegans; instead, they practice what we should - ensuring the highest welfare standards for the animal during its life because, as sentient beings, we don’t have the right to dictate their conditions of living.
One final point: funny that, with a few exceptions, vegans/veggies are almost always weaker/smaller than liters who eat a full, balanced and varied diet…and the exceptions (Bill Pearl, Jason Ferrugia etc.) almost ALWAYS built their size/strength BEFORE they become vegans/veggies.
Look up Stuart McRobert’s remarks on veganism in Beyond Brawn.
…I wonder how many veggie/vegan World’s Strongest Man competitors there’s been.
I suggest that people using or contemplating using large amounts of soy protein do extensive research on its potential adverse hormonal effects via phytoestrogens.
A fair amount of research suggests that high soy intake (i.e. from refined soy protein products such as soy protein isolate) may promote breast cancer, male birth defects, infertility, and a type of dementia.
Check out to read some of the research indicating problems from overdosing on soy protein and products.
don
Oh, also, high doses of soy appear to have thyroid inhibiting effects as well. The book The Whole Soy Story also reviews the negatives of soy.
don
I am not going to argue about the merits of vegetarianism/veganism or about the cons. I will only speak from my personal experience.
I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian and I have been for almost 2 years now. The beginning of my vegetarianism coensided with the beginning of my daily exercise habit and I feel that it somehow motivated me to bring it about. While being a vegetarian, I first participated in rowing for a year and a half which involves 7 days a week, minimum hour practices. On the vegetarian diet, I was able to sustain muscle, build new muscle, and compete.
I am now out of rowing, and am strength training on my own. Since the beginning of my regiment(using 5×5 and a mixture of other), I have definitely seen muscle improvement. Therefore, I feel like I am gaining muscle and I feel great. What is then wrong with my vegetarianism? I have considered my protein consumption daily, and though it is not 1lb:1 gram, it is very close.
BRENDAN BRAZIER
http://www.brendanbrazier.com/
Brendan is a vegan, professional triathlete. Check him out. Check out his stats. EVerytime some moron like Will Knowland comes along using bad science and self-convictions and says vegan’s can’t be pro athletes I say, “what about Brendan Brazier?”
I’m a vegan athlete. I climb mountains. I run marathons. I’m training for a full Iron Man.
Where do I get my protein? GREENS mostly, but also beans, nuts, and just about every other food. WHfoods.com is a great resource - go ahead and look up kale, collard greens and/or spinach and be amazed at the protein.
On a personal note, all I can say is as a VEGAN, I have more muscle, more strength, a ton of more energy and significantly less fat making me a better athlete and putting me in the best shape of my life.
Lastly, Mens Fitness magazine recently interviewed vegetarian Heroes star, Milo Ventimiglia - who debunked the pathetic idea that you need to eat dead animals to “beef up”
http://www.mensfitness.com/exclusives/194
@Chris: There aren’t really any negatives to taking in dietary cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol (like the kind you get from eggs) has little to no (~5%) effect on serum cholesterol. And larger amounts of dietary cholesterol is indeed associated with muscle gain and higher testosterone.
http://eugenization.wordpress.com/2008/01/10/cholesterol-is-necessaryfor-building-muscle/
http://conditioningresearch.blogspot.com/2008/01/chlesterol-is-good-for-building-muscle.html
http://muscle-building-blog.blogspot.com/2008/01/cholesterol-and-muscle-building.html#comments
Actually, Mehdi, peanuts are legumes, not nuts. Great site by the way, the stuff you write is all gold. Keep up the good work.
Tip for vegetarian weight trainers. Creatine supplement.
For a while I was a vegetarian because I had to live with my vegetarian parents. I made decent progress, but that was because I was on about 20 eggs a day. I was supposed to be on 36 (thats what WBA from sosuave recommended) but I was too lazy.
Soy???? Check out the website THE WHOLESOYSTORY.COM Then make up your own mind. My wife owns a health food store and she will not carry soy in the store and I agree 100%. Refer to http://www.terrynaturally.com. Your site is great, keep up the good work.
Lindsay, I looked at Brendan Brazier. He proved my point, not yours. He’s 6′2″ and 168lbs…like many other meat eaters I know, I can CURL that weight. As for Milo, he looks like he’s prepubescent.
If you want to climb mountains and run marathons, fine, it probably won’t matter WHAT you eat because you’ll be a bag of bones anyway, struggling to carry your tub of pea protein back from the shops, HAHA!
But don’t try to pretend that a diet devoid of animal protein is compatible with training for serious size and strength. Any progress you make will be IN SPITE OF your dietary choice. That’s why people usually say things like ‘impressive, for a vegan’.
There was no bad science, matey. The first article was written by a vegan.
Somehow the link I posted to the Soy Online Service got left out. Must reading for people who eat a lot of soy. Be informed–read the scientific abstracts they provide documenting adverse effects of high soy diets.
http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/
don
perhaps vegans are often smaller, but i don’t necisarily think that means weaker. martial artists are usually smaller, and those are very strong people. on a more scientific note, animal protien (especially in large amounts) makes inhibits calcium absorbtion, making it so that when you are not absorbing enough from your food, it leeches from your bones. this can lead to osteoporosis and a number of other serious health problems. some of the strongest, biggest body builders out there have very poor bone density because of this. look it up.
Will Knowland
‘1) If all humans were vegans/veggies then all the earth’s land resources would have to be allocated to grain/bean production, with the result that almost all the animals we wouldn’t be eating would become extinct anyway.’
What? The debate is fine. The science for both sides is available. However, our ‘matey’, Will Knowland fails to recognize that it takes more grain/bean production to feed a cow that will produce at most several steaks, 70 lbs. of hamburger, a couple of pairs of shoes… than if the grain/beans were eaten directly by multiple humans. Cattle eat pounds of grain daily over the course of 4 to 5 years prior to slaughter. Grew up on a farm, my man.
Animals don’t become extinct because we don’t eat them. Bengal tigers are becoming extinct. You don’t see too many of those on the menu at Outback. Please read what you write.
Ryan, you obviously grew up on a STUPID farm if you feed cattle grain. Cattle should be GRASS, not grain, you fool. There’s no reason they should be consuming grain/bean WHATSOEVER: it’s just farmers not giving a shit about animal welfare so they can make a better profit. If farming was done properly, humans/animals would not be competing to eat grain. This is all explained in the second link I posted. Perhaps YOU should read what I write, matey. As for Bengal tigers, the main reason they are becoming extinct is human activity leading to destruction of their natural habitat…for farm land…for grain production.
Typo: Cattle should be FED grass, not grain…
Hey Will.
I like how you resort to words like stupid when trying to reinforce your beliefs. Just because cattle should be FED grass does not mean they are and the majority are not FED grass, they are FED grain. Maybe you are referencing articles with airtight explanations and quality scientific research. I was merely pointing out that your words are questionable. I did read what you wrote. It does not appear that you wrote the articles you referenced.
Stupid was the right word, Ryan. Unfortunately, however, it’s one of those words that has lost its precise meaning over time. Derived from the Latin stupidus, its precise meaning is: ‘lacking in intelligence or exhibiting the quality of having been done by someone lacking in intelligence’. What a perfect word to describe feeding grain to cattle. Refusing to eat meat is not the answer to the problem of animal welfare; it merely perpetuates it.
I thought you wouldn’t have read the articles I referenced. Typical veggie/vegan…refusing to take all the evidence into account.
I don’t know why Will, but when I read “STUPID farm” I laughed out loud.
You’re absolutely right though, cattle need to be fed grass, or they just don’t taste right.
The meat is just so j-j-j-juicy when it’s grass fed.
Here’s my last word on the subject of vegan/veggie bodybuilding:
http://www.myspace.com/iwwbryan
http://www.t-nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=1848147 - yes, this is a joke, but it contains many valid points.
The human body is not supposed to have dairy. We are the only animal on earth that consumes the milk from another animal. Every human is lactose intolerant, it is just that we have built up immunity from the time we were in our mother’s womb. I have Celiac and have recently become a pescatarian. I eat no dairy… obviously, and nothing containing gluten. I am not preaching to not eat meat. Humans are a hunter gatherer… that means little meat and mainly roughage. People tend to over do it on the protein, we do not need as much as we (mainly Americans) eat. People need to re-learn their food groups and need to understand that they are only hurting themselves by eating dairy… I also want to stress that beef is a butt plug. All it does is clog up your intestinal track. There are other meats out there that give you more health properties than beef. Don’t attack me for this. I come from a small farm town in the Northwest of the U.S.. I am not an animal activist… frankly, I love meat, especially beef. But I also love myself, I want to live a long life and if I were to continue on the path I was… I can guarantee that I would die of some form or many forms of cancer or heart disease… you name it.
Haha…
Will is exactly on point with this… I have plenty of vegetarian vegan friends… but, you can’t just mess with human biology… The ONLY reason to ever eat vegetarian is purported ethical or religious reasons… and fair enough, have your view what have you…
There is absolutely nothing wrong with eating other animals though…and you will be much stronger and healthier with animal protein in your diet. There are other ways you can be green or whatever, you don’t have to give up meat…
for men it messes with your hormones, so I can kina see why vegans are irritable and emotional..
had your testosterone levels tested lately? highly doubtful…
b/c even if you had bloodwork done, test levels are not in the routine, they are extra and you have to pay more for them at special request.
how about a free t3/t4 thyroxine thyroid test, guess what, that kind of diet also messes with this, and yes it is another test you can get in addition to normal blood work profiles.
I’m gonna go on a limb, and I’ve been there done that, but all you vegetarians and vegans are HIGHLY uninformed about human nutrition and evolution, you are living in fairytale land.
Tray,
also, mainly roughage in human diet? Please, ever hear of the ICE AGE? yeah it lasted 60K years and there was hardly any roughage, fruit and vegetable were sparing, seasonal, regional and calorically sparse, also toxic mind you.
most species of wild greens and lettuces have been hybridized for human consumption and are not natural AT ALL. As for evolution humans evolved mostly on seasonal fruits and berries (not the hybridized stuff now) tubers, seeds, nuts and FLESH.
tray this isn’t an attack, but how about picking up a nutrition, sports nutrition, biology or anthropology book.
peace
Interesting thread, in spite of some folks breaking the Pulp Fiction/Fonzie rule. I got to weigh in as a newbie to stronglifts, but lifetime health/exercise freak-my first job was in an independent health food store after the hypoglycemic owner was almost killed by supposedly OK products from a big name “health food store” that shall remain nameless for obvious libel reasons.
Whether you believe God/god made all things or all things evolved, both sides agree nature exists as it does for good reasons before we start mucking it up. Stewardship should be universal, and eating right and well is part of stewardship. If you eat animals and fresh fruits and vegetables (FFV) as close to the way God/god/Mother Nature/evolution made them, you’re probably right on.
Highly processed anything, including soy, are just wrong-intuitively or based on multiple scientific studies.
As one preacher friend said, “Why spend hours analyzing and saying some long blessing about an apple? Just bite into it already and enjoy all of it.” Clarence Bass (leaner at 60 than I am now) even eats the seeds!