How Much Vegan Protein Do You Need to Build Muscle?

To build muscle on a plant-based diet you need roughly 1.2-1.7 grams of vegan protein per kilogram of body weight every day, spread across your meals. The exact amount depends on how much muscle you want to build and how well you time your intake throughout the day.

Plant-based protein comes from a huge range of foods: beans, nuts, soy products, grains and more. One thing worth knowing early on is that timing matters, because not all proteins are absorbed at the same rate.

This guide does two things: it shows you how much vegan protein to eat to maintain or build muscle, and it rounds up the best plant-based protein sources so you know which foods deliver the most.

What is vegan protein and why do you need it to build muscle?

Protein is one of the three macronutrients, alongside carbohydrates and fats, and it's essential for building muscle mass. All three are needed for good health, but protein is the trickiest to get from a vegan diet without also taking on extra calories or fat.

Vegan (or plant-based) protein is any protein from a plant source, such as soybeans or quinoa. People often choose it over animal proteins like meat and dairy to help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes, as well as for personal or environmental reasons.

To build muscle, you need enough protein in your diet to replace what's broken down during training. Protein is also a building block for muscle itself, supplying the amino acids and other nutrients your muscles need to recover and grow.

How much vegan protein do you need to build muscle?

The first step is working out how much protein you need per day to support muscle growth from exercise.

If you're lifting weights or training for a running or cycling event, your body needs around 1.2-1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or roughly 0.5-0.8 grams per pound.

Based on those numbers:

• If you weigh 120 pounds (about 54 kg), aim for at least 60 grams of vegan protein per day to build muscle.
• If you weigh 140 pounds (about 64 kg) and that's also your goal weight for building muscle, aim for at least 80-100 grams of vegan protein per day.

It's best to take these amounts in divided doses across the day, roughly every three hours. Keeping a steady supply of plant-based protein flowing helps your muscles recover and grow, which is especially valuable after a workout.

Vegan sources of protein

There are plenty of high-quality plant-based protein sources, especially beans, soy, nuts, seeds and vegetables.

Many of these are high in protein while staying low in fat or carbohydrate, which is ideal if you want to build muscle while staying lean. Here are some of the best:

• Beans: peas (11g per cup), mung beans (17g per cup)
• Soybeans: edamame (16g per half pod), tempeh (14g per three ounces)
• Nuts and seeds: almonds (16g per quarter cup), cashews (13g per quarter cup), macadamia nuts (12g per quarter cup)
• Vegetables: asparagus (16g per cup), broccoli (11g per half cup)
• Rice: brown rice (16g per quarter cup)
• Quinoa: both a complex carbohydrate and a protein. It isn't gluten-free, but it contains all nine essential amino acids, with around 18 grams of complete plant protein per serving.

If you're struggling to hit your protein target each day, there are plenty of plant-based protein supplements available in the UK, from powders to snack bars and meal replacements.

Vegan supplements to help build muscle mass

Several vegan supplements make it easier to reach your daily protein goal. The three most useful types are vegan protein powders, meal replacements and snack bars.

Vegan protein powders come as both shake mixes and ready-to-drink (RTD) options in plenty of flavours. A few of our plant-based protein powder recommendations:

• SCI-MX Nutrition Pro V-Gain
• Vivo Life Perform
• Vega One

Vegan meal replacements suit people who'd rather not cook or prep their own food. They arrive ready to go with the vitamins, minerals and fibre you need built in.

Vegan snack bars are handy for on the go, or for topping up between meals.

The bottom line

Building muscle on a vegan diet comes down to one thing: consistently hitting your daily protein target from varied plant sources, spread across the day. Use the 1.2-1.7 grams per kilogram guide as your starting point, lean on whole foods first, and reach for a quality vegan protein powder or bar when life gets busy. If you're choosing a supplement, it's worth reading through our product reviews before you buy.