Can you be a vegetarian and build muscle at the same time? Yes, it is possible, but only if you follow a certain diet. The key is to combine foods so that you achieve a balanced ratio of individual amino acids.
Essential amino acids are the basis
We have 22 amino acids, the combinations of which produce proteins necessary for tissue growth and regeneration. In order for your body to synthesize proteins, all of these amino acids must function. If only one is missing or its concentration is too low, protein synthesis is limited.
Eight of these 22 amino acids cannot be synthesized by our bodies on their own and must be supplied by the diet. These amino acids are referred to as essential amino acids. Seven of the 22 amino acids are referred to as semi-essential amino acids. This means that they are synthesized in our body, but under certain conditions their need is significantly higher. The other seven amino acids that our body can synthesize are called non-essential amino acids. The body makes non-essential amino acids from carbohydrates and nitrogen and from other, essential and non-essential amino acids.
Complex and full-value proteins
Foods that contain all the essential amino acids necessary for health and growth are called complex proteins. Proteins contained in dairy products, eggs, meat, fish, or other animal sources of protein are complex and thus contain all 22 amino acids.
Some foods of plant origin generally do not contain all 22 amino acids and are often referred to as non-complex proteins. However, this is not quite the case. The important fact is whether they contain all the essential amino acids. If a food of plant origin or a combination of plant foods contains all 8 essential amino acids, we can practically speak of a full-fledged and complex protein.
FOOD COMBINATION FOR SUFFICIENT ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS
Your vegetarian diet must contain enough essential amino acids. Therefore, it is necessary to combine foods so that a suitable combination of foods achieves a balanced intake of amino acids. An amino acid deficiency in one food should be balanced by a combination of another food that contains a sufficient amount of the amino acid. It is not necessary for these two foods to be combined in one meal, but in one day.
For example, corn cereals contain a limiting amount of lysine but a higher amount of methionine. Legumes, such as beans, contain a small amount of methionine but a higher amount of lysine. By combining these two foods, you will achieve a complex protein intake.
The best protein for vegetarians
For vegetarians and vegans, it is a very practical way to get enough essential amino acids to get a unique nutritional supplement from the English company Viridian - Balance Amino Acid, which directly contains only essential amino acids.
There are also a number of protein drinks for vegetarians (rice, hemp, peas), which contain all the essential amino acids and are an excellent, healthy and quality source of protein.
RICE PROTEIN - RICE PROTEIN
Rice protein is an excellent protein for vegetarians, vegans and people with various allergies. It will also be replaced by women and athletes who try to live healthier and not acidify the body. It is also known to be alkaline, which, unlike animal proteins, does not acidify the body. It contains all the essential amino acids (the body cannot make them itself), which are needed to make muscle tissue, hormones and enzymes, without which we cannot survive. Its amino acid composition is comparable to whey protein and much better than soy protein. It is quickly absorbed, so it is suitable immediately after training.
Rice protein is made by filtering protein and fiber from enzymatically pre-digested whole grain brown rice, including germ and bran. The production process is at low temperatures, without the use of chemicals and acid hydrolysis.
Advantages:
high protein content 80%
excellent digestibility
does not contain gluten, soy, lactose, milk or other allergens
alkaline effect
good taste
high content of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, tocopherol and other substances
good price
high glutamine content
HEMP PROTEIN - HEMP PROTEIN
Hemp protein is considered the best vegetable protein. It is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, all essential amino acids, antioxidants and fiber. Its great advantage is the detoxifying effect. It has beneficial effects on pH balance and does not cause acidification like soy and whey proteins. It is called a complete protein because it is the source of all the amino acids necessary for regeneration. This makes it fully comparable to any animal protein. It is suitable for all active people, vegetarians, vegans and people suffering from allergies.
Hemp protein is made by crushing hemp seeds. By pressing, hemp flour and hemp oil are obtained. The whole-grain hemp flour is then cold-dried and sieved to separate the coarse parts of the bran from the fine hemp powder, which has a high-quality protein content of up to 50%.
Advantages:
excellent digestibility (up to 90%)
high content of omega 3, antioxidants, digestible fiber, vitamins, minerals, enzymes
does not contain lactose, gluten, milk, soy, hexane and other allergens
representation of all amino acids "complete protein"
does not contain THC - has no psychotropic effects
is a source of GLA (omega gamma-linoleic acid)
suitable for vegans and vegetarians
without the use of chemicals
Disadvantages:
worse taste
lower protein content 50%
PEACH PROTEIN
Pea protein is a full-fledged "natural" that includes all the essential amino acids. It is designed to support the growth of muscle mass for all athletes. Pea protein contains approximately 80% protein isolate. For protein isolation, a patented, very gentle non-aggressive technology is used, where only pure water is used, without the use of chemical substances!
If you are a vegetarian who is eggs and dairy, you do not have to worry and think about food combinations. The proteins in milk, eggs, cheese and other dairy products contain all the essential amino acids you need to regenerate, maintain and grow tissues.
Vegetarians and iron, zinc and vitamin B12 deficiency
If you decide to exclude meat from your side, pay attention to diet planning to avoid the problems that can be associated with excluding meat. This is mainly due to a lack of iron, zinc and vitamin B12. This can impair your athletic performance. Here are some tips on what to do if you are doing strength training to avoid this situation:
Eat plenty of protein-containing foods. Maintain a steady intake of 1.6 - 1.8 g of quality protein per kilogram of body weight, which is the recommended intake for those who seek to build muscle mass. You can achieve this by consuming dairy products and foods of plant origin with a high protein content. If you are a vegan, ie you do not consume any food of animal origin, increase your protein intake to 1.8 - 2 g per kilogram of body weight.
Remember the sources of iron. As already mentioned, proteins of animal origin contain a better absorbable form of iron, the so-called heme iron. If you are a semi-vegetarian, ie you eat chicken and fish and you do not eat red meat, you are lucky because fish and chicken contain a sufficient amount of heme iron. If you do not eat any food of animal origin, your heme iron intake is zero and it will be more difficult for you to supply your body with the appropriate amount of iron in your diet. A slightly lower iron intake signals your body to use more iron from the vegetables contained in your diet. The plant diet contains enough iron, but with lower absorption. For example, nuts, legumes and cereals contain more iron than red meat. If we consume enough fresh foods rich in vitamin C, there is no problem with the absorption of iron.
Beware of vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 is one of the most important substances that vegans may be deficient in. This is because the source of vitamin B12 is only animal products. Fortunately, the need for this vitamin is very small (the recommended daily dose for adults is 2.4 micrograms). Adequate intake is essential for proper hematopoiesis (red blood cell production) and for the nervous system. Thus, a deficiency of this vitamin has serious consequences and can cause irreversible changes in the nervous system. Fermented products, such as soy and tempeh products, supply the body with a certain amount of vitamin B12 from a bacterial culture that causes fermentation, but this is not enough. Vegans should eat foods fortified with vitamin B12, or nutritional supplements containing it.
Beware of zinc and iron deficiency. Some foods contain phytates, oxalates, or other substances that block the absorption of iron and zinc from the gut. Phytates are a storage form of phosphorus and this form is bound to fiber. Coffee and tea (regular and decaffeinated), whole grains, bran, legumes and spinach are examples of foods containing these substances. It is advisable to combine them with foods containing sources of heme iron and vitamin C to ensure the absorption of more iron and zinc. The main sources of zinc in the diet of vegetarians are: whole grains, nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews), walnut butter (cashew butter, almond butter), pumpkin seeds, legumes (beans, lentils, soy), wheat germ, quinoa, in addition also suitable intake of iron and zinc in the form of nutritional supplements.
Although dietary supplements are not a substitute for food, in this case it is desirable to supplement the insufficient intake of iron and zinc in the diet with food supplements containing these minerals. Ensuring that you take their recommended daily allowance in the form of nutritional supplements will protect you from the serious effects of their deficiency.