The 21 Best Muscle-Building Foods For Vegetarians

The 21 Best Muscle-Building Foods For Vegetarians

There’s a popular perception that you can’t kick butt in the weight room if you’re a vegetarian. “You’ll never build muscle mass,” detractors say. “You won’t get enough protein!” Well, allow me to disabuse you of that notion. My name is Robert dos Remedios, I’m the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at College of the Canyons in California, and I throw around more weight in a 40-minute workout than most people lift in four days. I’ve also been vegan for more than 20 years. Here are 21 veggie-friendly muscle-building foods that power my workouts.

These green guys are chock full of antioxidants and heart healthy fats - including saturated fats that help support the production of testosterone, the hormone you need to produce muscle. Avocados pretty much rule since they taste great on just about anything.

Related: 12 Yummy Avocado Recipes

My favorite breakfast dish. Steel-cut oats are loaded with minerals, fiber, and protein. Combine them with coconut milk, crushed walnuts, and honey or Stevia (for sweetness), and you’ll have a nutritionally potent vegetarian way to start your day.

Related: How to Build a Better Bowl of Oatmeal

In my opinion, black beans are the tastiest and most nutrient-packed bean around, hands down. They’re one my all-time favorites, and I use them in black bean soup, on salads, and in a particularly awesome homemade black bean hummus.

Related: 10 Simple and Delicious Slow Cooker Meals

This cruciferous veggie is nearly 40% protein and high in fiber and low in calories making it an awesome way to get a lot of nutrition out of food that’s easy on the waistline. I enjoy dipping raw broccoli in hummus as a snack.

This milk is now readily available in a low-calorie, high nutrient product that tastes great in coffee, on cereal, or by the glass. Coconut milk is higher in calcium and lower in calories than traditional milk and generally fortified with plant-based B-12. I drink a glass of coconut milk everyday with a raw food protein bar as a mid day snack.

Related: Which Type of Milk (or Non-Dairy Milk) Is Best?

Call me boring, but I just love eating basked sweet potatoes plain. Seriously, try it. You could also cut them up and fry them with onions, mushrooms, and garlic for a ridiculously delicious breakfast potato dish. Added bonus: Sweet potatoes are a great source of potassium, vitamins A and C, and fiber.

Chia seeds provide a terrific amount of Omega-3’s, which fight inflammation and help speed muscle recovery, and may also help improve muscle protein synthesis (the process by which your body produces muscle). These extremely versatile seeds can be easily added to a shake, and even can be used as an oil substitute when baking.

Related: How to Make a Banana and Blueberry Chia Breakfast Bowl

The black bean's little white counterpart is also packed with nutrients, protein, fiber, and antioxidants. My favorite garbanzo dish? Try them mixed with cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for an awesome Chickpea salad.

Related: 9 Healthy Hummus Dips Worth Making Yourself

Most processed peanut butter like you’ll find at the grocery store are stuffed with added sugars and other junk that take away from this food’s natural goodness. Stay away from those, and instead opt for the natural kind, which is high in fiber and protein. Want a great sweet tooth remedy? Try a natty PB and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread.

Related: Which Type of Nut Butter Is Best?

Walnuts are another great source of Omega-3's, and are also packed with Vitamin E - a powerful antioxidant that can help your muscles recovery from tough gym sessions. They make a great addition to oatmeal and shakes, but are also delicious on their lonesome.

Related: 9 Healthy Nuts That May Help You Live Longer

These substantial mushrooms make great "meat replacers" in burgers or on sandwiches. Portobello mushrooms taste amazing, and are close to a whopping 50 percent protein while also providing fiber and a host of other nutrients. Try taking a big one marinating it in a little oil and balsamic vinegar, and tossing it on the grill.

Original article and pictures take www.livestrong.com site