Building Muscle on a Vegetarian Diet: Top Five Protein Sources

In an earlier article, we discussed how it isn’t nearly as difficult as people seem to think it is to build muscle on a vegetarian diet. We feature a broad overview of the science involved and concrete steps you can take to accomplish this yourself. Today we want to dive a little deeper and focus on the top five, non-meat sources of protein vegetarians can utilize in their diets to reach their fitness goals.

 

Besides protein-isolate products like whey protein powder or soy-isolate, these five foods have the distinction of containing the most protein you can get in a single source. They’re also incredibly versatile, able to complement any dish, so we recommend keeping these on hand at all times.

 

We should also mention that we’re limiting this list to foods our vegan friends can eat, too which is why you won’t find eggs or dairy products but know that both of these are an excellent source of complete protein. So without any further ado…

 

Nutritional Yeast Flakes

Per volume, nutritional yeast flakes boast the highest percentage of protein of any non-isolate food source, including meat. Per 100 grams you get a whopping 50 grams of quality protein. And yeast flakes are a complete protein, meaning they contain all nine of the amino acids our bodies can’t produce on their own. Of course you would be hard-pressed to eat 100 grams of this stuff in a sitting. Better to sprinkle it like grated cheese to give every meal a nice protein boost.

 

 Seitan

It’s certain that almost every vegetarian and vegan on the planet has included seitan in their diet at one point or another. With it’s pleasant meat-like texture seitan makes a great meat substitute in any dish. And with 19 grams of protein per 100 grams it’s on par with many fish species for protein content.

One important caveat. Seitan should be avoided by anyone with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity because it’s made from wheat gluten.

 

Tofu

Tofu is another popular meat-substitute made from soybeans. It’s essentially flavorless and readily absorbs the flavors of the foods it’s cooked with which means it’s a great meat substitute for people with a relatively narrow palate. And while tofu has 3 grams less protein than seitan per 100 grams it’s a complete protein source, securing it a definite spot in the diet of any vegetarian attempting to build muscle.

 

Hemp Seed

Nope. Let me stop you there. Put the water pipe away. Hemp seed comes from the marijuana plant’s non-psychoactive cousin. But it’s a powerhouse in its own right. Hemp seeds are chock full of all sorts of beneficial micronutrients and they’re a great source of protein, clocking in at roughly 10 grams per 100 grams of hulled seed. Add into the blender when you’re mixing a protein shake for an extra, nutrition-packed protein boost. Throw them into salads. Really you can add them into anything.

 

Beans

Beans, beans, the musical fruit.

The more you eat the more you’ll derive fitness benefits from enhanced protein intake.

That version of the old childhood song doesn’t have quite the same but it’s completely accurate (except that beans are a legume and not a fruit). Kidney, navy, pinto, garbanzo beans, and many other varieties all have about nine grams of protein per 100 grams or 15 grams per cup. You can add them to almost anything or just eat them directly from the can! They’re a versatile way to get more protein in your diet. And they’re an effective way to drive unwanted guests from your home!

 

Photo by Lukas Budimaier on Unsplash