Most of us assume that consuming meat is important for building muscles. Yet many athletes are now discovering that plant-forward meals can be as just as effective in building stamina as well as developing muscles. According to Dr. Nas Al-Jafari, family medicine consultant, and a speaker at Sesame Restaurant’s Monthly Dinner-with-Doctor event, it is wrong to suggest that people require animal protein to build muscle.

Requirements

In fact, there is lots of confusion regarding the levels of protein required to maintain muscle mass, with people often over-estimating their protein needs. The evidence suggests a requirement of only 0.8 gram/kg/day for the average adult, with other research suggesting an intake of up to 1.8 grams/kg/day for athletes looking to achieve muscle growth (higher for energy restricted athletes).

How Muscles Increase

Understanding how muscles increase in size is critical as there are several factors responsible for building muscles. An individual’s activity level, stress, sleep, and even hormones are other factors imperative for muscle growth and repair; in addition to foods choices. “Anyone thinking about transitioning to a plant-based diet and have concerns about how to build muscle would need to consider that everyone’s body is different. For some, it may be easier to put on muscle or weight; gender, age, and genetics also influence how one builds muscles,” explains Neha Jamani, Natural Chef, and co-founder, Sesame Restaurant.

Finding a Balance

Irina Sharma, Sesame Restaurant’s co-founder, and brand champion reveals that a well-rounded nutrient-dense whole food plant-based diet can satisfy the nutrient, calorie and protein needs of athletes, and if the food choices are rich in micronutrients, minerals, and antioxidants this would also lead to better muscle recovery after exercise and improved overall health. “Protein can come from several foods including lentils, beans, tofu, edamame, as well as seeds such as chia, sunflower, sesame, flax, and pumpkin. Nuts, whole grains such as rice, oats, quinoa, and buckwheat are also great sources of protein as well as sea vegetables/seaweeds,” she tells.

About Sesame:
Sesame Restaurant in Dubai offers a health-conscious plant-forward menu with flavors from different corners of the world and is founded by Natural Chef Neha Jamani and Irina Sharma, both fans of healthy living lifestyle.