Can you progress and gain mass on plant protein?

Author: Mikhail Ziborov - author of the site makefitness.pro.
2020-11-18

Our bodies are protein structures. Proteins are present in virtually all tissues of our organism. Every organ gets renewed over time: old cells are replaced with new ones. The growth of muscle mass, and consequently strength and endurance indicators, is heavily reliant on protein. But is plant protein suitable for progression and muscle mass growth?

The Difference Between Plant and Animal Protein

Plant protein is considered incomplete, while animal protein is seen as complete. Athletes from various sports typically prefer animal-derived proteins.

Completeness or incompleteness is determined by the amino acid composition. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They are what break down during the digestion of food, and they are what muscle tissue (as well as any other tissue) is built from.

It was previously believed that plant proteins lacked certain amino acids (various sources claimed there were between 12 to 16), whereas there should be 20. Recently, scientists found that plant proteins do indeed contain all amino acids. In other words, there are still 20! However, the issue lies in the volume of amino acids in plant products.

For example, legumes are poor in methionine, while grains lack lysine. They are present, but in very small amounts. Their volume is insufficient to effectively build muscle. In contrast, animal-derived proteins provide all essential amino acids in sufficient quantities.

The main difference between animal and plant proteins is the adequate volume of amino acids! More details.

However, not all plant proteins are incomplete, and not all animal proteins are complete.

Complete Plant Protein

We're talking about soy. Soy is well-balanced in amino acids and can successfully compete with meat, milk, cottage cheese, and eggs based on their composition. Eating soy allows you not to worry about lacking any essential nutrients. However, the problem with soy lies elsewhere.

It has been shown that soy contains substances very similar to female hormones - estrogens. For men, the consumption of such substances is not particularly favorable concerning male hormones. Yes, by eating soy from food sources, you will receive very little of these substances (within normal limits) that should not significantly affect your hormonal system. But with soy protein isolate, things become much more interesting!

One serving of this protein contains the maximum allowable dose of estrogen-like substances. This means that although these substances will be within normal limits, they will still be present. It's uncertain how they will behave and how they will impact your health. Whether to be cautious or not is up to each individual. Personally, I am skeptical about soy! You can find confirmation of my words in the video:

By the way, collagen (animal-derived protein) is considered incomplete for gaining mass, but its role in joint and skin health cannot be overstated.

Can you survive without animal protein? Find out here.

Can You Gain Mass on Plant Protein Without Animal Protein?

Gaining muscle mass is directly connected with increases in strength and endurance. Specifically, muscle growth is a side effect of increased strength and endurance. You can indeed build muscle and enhance strength with plant protein!

Building muscle tissue with plant protein is possible if you combine various products. For instance, mixing legumes with grains, nuts, seeds, and cereals is effective. The key is to clearly understand how much protein each product contains and ensure you are meeting your needs.

Andrei Skoromny's opinion on gaining mass on a plant-based diet.

There is also the vegan athlete Nimai Delgado with his impressive physique.

There are also plenty of plant-based protein options available. For example, this protein made from pea and brown rice: California Gold Nutrition, Plant Protein.

Additional supplements for those looking to bulk up without consuming standard animal products can be found here.

PLEASE NOTE! Even if you get enough protein from nuts, legumes, various cereals, and grains, keep in mind that the absorption rate of such products is lower than that of eggs, milk, cottage cheese, and even chicken. In simple terms, the protein from plant sources will be less fully absorbed and much slower!

Therefore, you will need to consume more plant-based products to ensure you get an adequate volume of amino acids.

Should you consider plant protein if you also consume animal protein? You can read about it here.

Sources of Plant Protein

As mentioned, these include cereals, nuts, legumes, etc.:
- Mung Beans;
- Chickpeas;
- Lentils;
- Peas;
- Beans;
- Various types of rice (white, brown, wild);
- Various types of nuts (peanuts, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, etc.);
- Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, chia, quinoa);
- Soy.

If we talk about plant-based supplements, these can include:
- Vegan or plant proteins;
- Protein isolates from soy;
- Hemp proteins (the stoners are in the chat).

Quality mass gain is only possible with a well-planned diet. You can find the MEAL PLAN FOR MUSCLE GROWTH . And various information for rapid muscle growth is available HERE!

Conclusion

The best results come from a diet where you get everything necessary from different food sources without restricting yourself to specific ones. Yes, it is possible to gain mass on plant proteins, but animal proteins will generally be easier for this purpose. Additionally, for hormone synthesis (which affects health and muscle tissue growth), we need saturated fats, i.e., those from animal sources. Furthermore, plant proteins can be a costly option. More details can be found here: