Build Lean and Strong Muscles with Plant-Based Food

A question I often get is: Do we get enough protein from vegan sources to build muscle?  The answer is, Yes! First of all we know for sure now that we don’t need as much protein as we think (only about 10% of calories) and we definitely don’t need animal sourced protein. We can digest it, which is the evolutionary success of the human being, but not the most healthy. As animal-based food is very acidic, it breaks down our tissue as a whole rather than building it up. People (mostly men) are reluctant to become vegan/vegetarian as they don’t think they would get enough protein to build muscle. That’s not true, it is the opposite and in body-building a common fact today. Frank Medrano is a body builder and a devoted vegan.

Watch his video and you’ll see that there is a difference in suppleness and leanness in vegan/vegetarian bodies. Basically this is because of the acid forming residue that animal-based food leaves in us. Frank Medrano – Superhuman Bodyweight Workout Domination

I’m sorry to break it to you, but the only way to build muscle is through training. So do your push-ups! And if you want to help your body make sure to have all the components to build muscle; amino acids (the components of protein mostly found in plant based food) water and micro nutrients like vitamins and minerals, etc. If you also have a healthy heart (when you can run or do Pranayamas breathing as we teach at Olive Retreat) to support your muscles with oxygen, and glucose from mainly carbs (the fuel to build muscle), you will help yourself a lot. Clean, pesticide-free and additive-free food is of course a plus and will help even more.

Another group of exercisers that have lean and strong bodies are runners and yogis. Both groups often eat plant based food. More on the differences of what vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, fruitarian and all the other  -arians are in a future blog. Food and nutrition is on everyones mind today. I think it’s good. We have to know what we eat to be healthy when 75% of what is sold in a supermarket today is not even food.