You can build muscle if you are vegetarian, but let's first talk about what the different types of vegetarianism entail.
Vegans eschew animal products of any kind, including dairy products. Pesco vegetarians eat fish and dairy products, while lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs and milk but don't eat meat or fish. There are more sub categories of vegetarianism, but that will suffice for the purposes of this article.
Because vegetarians don't consume several different types of foods, such as red meat, they also have a lower risk of things like hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease and some cancers.
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.
However, many people who want to become vegetarian may be hesitant to do so because they may think they'll have trouble building muscle mass when they work out. However, if you consume soy, this is a great way to build muscle. In reality, soy is higher in protein than beef and has 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.
As far as vitamins and minerals go, the vegan diet can sometimes be short on necessities like calcium, vitamin D, zinc, vitamin B12, and iron. Other types of vegetarians should get plenty from their diets. Anyone who is vegan should take supplements to help prevent any shortfalls in the above nutrients.
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.
So, overall there are many health benefits to being a vegetarian and being a vegetarian need not prevent you from achieving your bodybuilding goals. Of course a key factor to your diet success will be the ability to plan, however this is just as crucial for meat eating bodybuilders also. With the above guidelines in mind go ahead and build muscle vegetarian style!!
Vegans eschew animal products of any kind, including dairy products. Pesco vegetarians eat fish and dairy products, while lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs and milk but don't eat meat or fish. There are more sub categories of vegetarianism, but that will suffice for the purposes of this article.
Because vegetarians don't consume several different types of foods, such as red meat, they also have a lower risk of things like hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease and some cancers.
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.
However, many people who want to become vegetarian may be hesitant to do so because they may think they'll have trouble building muscle mass when they work out. However, if you consume soy, this is a great way to build muscle. In reality, soy is higher in protein than beef and has 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.
As far as vitamins and minerals go, the vegan diet can sometimes be short on necessities like calcium, vitamin D, zinc, vitamin B12, and iron. Other types of vegetarians should get plenty from their diets. Anyone who is vegan should take supplements to help prevent any shortfalls in the above nutrients.
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.
So, overall there are many health benefits to being a vegetarian and being a vegetarian need not prevent you from achieving your bodybuilding goals. Of course a key factor to your diet success will be the ability to plan, however this is just as crucial for meat eating bodybuilders also. With the above guidelines in mind go ahead and build muscle vegetarian style!!
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1 comment:
I've been reading a lot of sources that soy increases estrogen so I am hesitant to add soy products into my diet.
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