It’s time to finally put the vegan protein debate to rest.
A high-protein diet is absolutely vital for building muscle and strength.
While it might be possible to build some muscle with a relatively low protein intake around 10% of total calories, a plethora of sports nutrition research and anecdotal evidence proves you are fighting an uphill battle.
But still there remains so much confusion and controversy about this topic!
For example, there was once a vegan who told me I could get all of my protein from bananas and that I should not worry about it.
Sure, fruits and vegetables have protein, but I have yet to see someone with impressive banana gains...
How Much Protein Do You Need To Build Vegan Muscle?
According to U.S. and Canadian dietary reference intakes, the recommended daily allowance for protein is 0.36 grams per pound of bodyweight (0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight) for healthy adults. This amount is “the average daily intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of nearly all [~98%] of healthy adults.”
As long as you are eating a calorically sufficient diet, this recommendation is extremely easy to meet.
However, many decades of research and anecdotal evidence proves athletes, particularly those who lift heavy weights regularly, need more protein than the average person.
Still, the truth is that I can’t tell you exactly how much protein you need. Only expensive nitrogen balance testing can tell you for sure. However, when it comes to fitness, people tend to fall into one of three groups. Here’s my simple chart:
If you are bulking - which means that your main fitness goal is to gain muscle and strength - I recommend you consume 0.9 grams of plant protein per pound of body weight per day (2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight per day).
I know, I know. This number probably sounds really high. And it likely is higher than necessary even if you are following an intense weightlifting regime.
But trust me. When you are working your ass off in the gym to gain muscle, you want to be sure you are getting all of the protein you need to be sure you aren’t leaving any gains on the table. At the same time, you don’t want to go overboard.
Let’s Take A Look At What The Research Says
As I will cover in the following paragraphs, numerous nutritional studies indicate that a high carb, high protein, low-fat diet is optimal for muscle mass and strength gains.
This can be accomplished on a healthy, whole food, plant-based (WFPB) diet with some protein supplementation depending on your specific goals.
A study by the Exercise Nutrition Research Laboratory at the University of Western Ontario confirmed that regular exercise increases daily protein requirements by as much as 100% vs. recommendations for sedentary individuals.
Given that the recommended daily allowance for protein is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight (0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight) for healthy adults, the researchers suggest 0.73 to 0.82 grams per pound of body weight per day (1.6 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight).
A study by the Exercise Metabolism Research Group at McMaster University found that protein intakes in the range of 0.6 to 0.82 grams per pound of body weight per day (1.3 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day) consumed in 3-4 equal amounts each day will maximize muscle protein synthesis. The researchers suggested that experienced athletes likely require less protein.
A study from the McMaster University Medical Center concluded that athletes working to maximize bulk and strength while resistance training should consume foods with high biological value with a maximum protein requirement of approximately 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight per day (0.77 grams per pound of body weight per day).
While protein is vitally important for muscle hypertrophy, there is very little support for the super high protein intakes recommended by traditional bodybuilding diet plans (e.g. > 2.5 to 3.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or > 1.14 to 1.36 grams per pound of body weight).
So as things stand right now in the scientific literature, if you are serious about gaining muscle and strength, and you want to be safe in terms of consuming enough protein to promote that muscle growth, then the ideal range to aim for is 0.73 to 0.82 grams of protein per pound of body weight (1.6 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight), understanding that this is just to be on the safe side.
So why do I recommend 0.9 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight (2.0 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day)?
As I discussed in last week’s article Animal VS. Plant Protein: Which is BEST for Muscle Gains?, studies prove that gram for gram, animal-based protein is more effective at building muscle than plant-based protein.
Although the bodybuilding studies cited above do not specify the protein source used for analysis, I am assuming that most of the protein was animal-based (likely with whey protein supplementation), therefore I am adding 15% more protein to compensate for the lower digestibility of plant-based protein sources as we discussed in the previous sections.
I know it can be difficult to hit 0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight (2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight per day) while eating only whole foods, especially if your diet is high in raw plant foods.
But I’d like to take a second to repeat something I said earlier:
I know, I know. This number probably sounds really high. And it likely is higher than necessary even if you are following an intense weightlifting regime.
But trust me. When you are working your ass off in the gym to gain muscle, you want to be sure you are getting all of the protein you need to be sure you aren’t leaving any gains on the table.
If you are not supplementing your diet with protein powder, you will definitely have to plan out your meals and focus on high-protein foods. Protein powders simplify your life and allow you to eat plenty of healthy fruits and vegetables while still hitting your high-protein intake.
How To Train to Take Advantage of That Protein
Without the proper lifting routine, it doesn't matter how much protein you eat. If you hit bicep curls for 10 sets of 30 reps and chug 5 protein shakes a day hoping to become jacked, you need a reality check.
Many gym goers make the mistake of doing way too much volume and focusing too much time on isolation exercises.
Whether your goal is to shred fat, maintain your physique, or bulk, you must incorporate a lifting routine focused on heavy, compound weight training.
What exactly is a compound exercise?
A compound exercise is an exercise that involves multiple joints and muscle groups. The best compound exercises are the squat, deadlift, bench press, dip, row, and overhead “military” press.
These heavy compound lifts form the basis of my typical weekly workout routine.
If you dedicate yourself to following a high-protein, whole food vegan diet and a proper weightlifting routine focused on heavy compound exercises, I promise you’ll make muscle and strength gains faster than ever!
Are you getting enough protein?
Try our FREE Vegan Nutrition Calculator to be sure you’re giving your body the nutrients it needs to meet your goals!
That's a wrap! Thank you so much for reading this article!
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