The vegan body building diet includes plenty of carbohydrates, protein and fat to provide the body requirements after intense workouts. Common sources of protein are found in meat, but this type of diet is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans, who want to build muscle with out animal products like whey or casein.
This does not mean that non-meat eaters are not able to get all the necessary amino acids and essential nutrients required to build muscle. On the contrary, plenty of studies show that pea protein powder and soy protein supplements are perfect proteins. This means that they deliver all the nutrients and aminos necessary to help build muscle. Whey and casein have more dense protein per serving, but that also comes with extras and fillers that typically make up the rest of common protein powders.
We looked up some recommended sources and have added them below. These, for now, are the best vegan protein for bodybuilding. While we know that bodybuilding requires a lot more than just a powder, having the right combination of nutrients and protein will always help anyone who is looking to make gains. Check them out!
Vegan Protein Supplements For Bodybuilding
| Product Image | Name | Plant Source | Protein (g) Per Serving | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | RAW Protein | Brown Rice - Chlorella | 17 | $$ | 3.9 |
 | RAW Organic Protein Vanilla | Brown Rice - Chlorella | 17 | $$ | 3.9 |
 | RAW Organic Meal Vanilla | Brown Rice - Chlorella | 32 | $$$ | 4.2 |
 | Nitro Fusion Chocolate | Pea Protein Isolate, Brown Rice Protein Concentrate, and Artichoke Protein | 25 | $$$ | 4.5 |
The quantity of protein in vegan diet is not as high as meat, but a properly prepared vegan diet can have sufficient protein by eating supplements. There are plenty of non-vegan supplements which give the body the nutrients needed for building muscle such as whey protein supplement.
Whey Protein, while it offers the best mixture of amino acids, comes as a byproduct of the cheese making process and therefore is against a vegan diet. However, studies have shown that hemp protein and soy proteins are good alternatives because they assist by helping the muscle building process and to decrease muscle damages.
Types of Vegetables That Help Bodybuilders
Vegetables, and most recently green superfoods like algae, can deliver soluble and easy to digest nutrients the body needs to grow healthy muscle. Some argue that meat and animal-based protein powders contain more quality protein, which is simply not true. For example, seeds and legumes can be used to help grow muscle.
Pumpkin seeds and squash have rich source of protein. Other dense vegetables will also help in the vegan body building diet, below are some of the most eaten:
- Cauliflower
- Beans
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Romaine Lettuce
- Green Beans
Eating these vegetables in huge amount can offer you the nutrients you want. Also, figs and peaches are 46% protein and you can try fruits like dates, coconuts, pears and pineapples because these are fruits have high amount of proteins in your vegan body building diet. Spreads prepared from yeast extract can be taken because it is the rich source of vitamin B12 and protein. Lentils and peanuts can be added in the body building diet because they offer among the good source of nutrients for building your muscle. You can also consume raw lentils because it has large quantity of protein than cooked ones.
PDCAAS and Why It’s Important for Bodybuilding
Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) is a method of evaluating the protein quality based on both the amino acid requirements of humans and their ability to digest it. The vegan bodybuilding diet includes vegetables, fruits and grains. Some vegetarians consume dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and whey protein supplements. Tofu, is a fermented item prepared from soybeans which is the one of the best vegan sources of protein.
Soy Protein and B vitamins
According to bodybuilders, soy contains a PDCAA score of 1.0, meaning that it is good soluble protein. The PDCAAS points of soy arrive from the truth that soy contains a larger amount of essential amino acids your body needs. Hence it is possible for the people who are looking for vegan body building diet to receive sufficient amount of protein and have the same to be absorbed without taking any meat. To have a vegan body building diet, they have to give attention to the quality of B vitamins they take.