Who doesn’t want to build muscles and look strong and ripped? But most people think that going to a gym or doing exercise alone can help them build muscles. However, just going to the gym and lifting weights can’t help you gain muscles and build a strong body. For making your bones strong and gaining muscle mass, a good diet is equally important. You need to consume all the essential nutrients along with the proper exercise to get your desired physique. Calcium, fibers, proteins, carbs, and iron are some key nutrients that you need to intake in sufficient amounts to gain muscle mass.
However, a big myth that prevails in the fitness circle is that only non-vegetarian food can help you build a strong and attractive body. The good news is that you can get your desired physique by maintaining a vegetarian diet. There are so many bodybuilders who are vegetarian or vegan. You can get all the essential nutrients from plants or vegetarian food. It is not a compulsion to consume meat or non-vegetarian food to gain muscles and we are going to tell you about vegetarian foods that will help you build a great physique.
1. Nuts: Calcium and Protein are two key nutrients that help you strengthen your bones and gain muscles and nuts are a key source of these two nutrients. You can consume a handful of peanuts, almonds, and cashews before a workout or before going to bed. You can get sufficient amounts of protein, fiber, fat, and calcium from these food items. A handful of almonds can get you 16 grams of protein, sufficient amounts of calcium, phosphorus, Vitamin E, and magnesium. Similarly, a handful of peanuts can provide you 17 grams of protein, 16 grams of carbs, unsaturated fat, and other key nutrients.
2. Milk: Milk has been the goto food item for bodybuilders for ages and today is no different. Milk is a rich source of protein, calcium, carbohydrates, and fats. Consuming 300 ml to 400 ml of milk daily can make your bones stronger and accelerate muscle growth as well. Those who do weight training can gain muscles at a quick pace by consuming milk on a daily basis.
3. Brown Rice: Apart from protein, carbohydrates are very essential for gaining mass and improving workout performance. Consuming brown rice will get you ample amounts of carbohydrates. A cup of cooked brown rice will get you 5 grams of protein and sufficient carbohydrates. You can consume brown rice for lunch or dinner. Apart from gaining muscles, this will significantly improve your workout performance and help you increase the intensity of the workout.
4. Chickpeas: Chickpeas are an equally rich source of protein and carbs that you can consume directly after boiling or mix them with brown rice. A cup full of chickpeas will get you 12 grams of proteins and 50 grams of carbohydrates. Apart from this, you can also get 10 grams of fiber per serving. You can make chickpeas a part of your routine diet for better muscle growth.
5. Soybean: Soybean or Soya bean is one of the richest sources of proteins and it can really help you boost muscle growth. Half a cup of soybean will help you get 14-15 grams of protein, unsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and iron. It is also a rich source of phosphorus. It also helps in improving the oxygen flow in your blood. Apart from building muscles, soya bean can also help people (particularly women) fight iron deficiency.
6. Beans and Leafy vegetables: The benefits that green vegetables have can’t be emphasized enough. Vegetables like peas, spinach, kale, and broccoli are some of the leafy and green vegetables that are known as highly protein-rich vegetables. A green vegetable salad including spinach, kale, and mustard greens can provide you 15 grams of protein per serving. Similarly, beans such as kidney beans and pinto will also provide you 15-16 grams of protein per serving. Apart from protein, beans are a rich source of fiber and B vitamins and can help you in building lean muscle. They also help you in living a long and healthy life by increasing immunity against diseases.
7. Cottage Cheese: Just like milk, dairy products are also very helpful in promoting muscle growth. A cup of cottage cheese will get you 28 grams of protein that can be really helpful in gaining muscle mass. Apart from protein, cottage cheese also gets you leucine which is an important muscle-building amino acid. You can consume cottage cheese raw or cook it with rice or any other food item.
