The Best Foods Options for Vegetarian Bodybuilders

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Many aspiring bodybuilders cannot comprehend a diet without meat. Meat particularly the lean chicken, beef cuts or The Best Foods Options for Vegetarian Bodybuildersfish make an extremely good supply of protein & fat with minimum carbohydrate. While the normal body builder has the task of adding carbohydrates to his meal of meat, the vegetarians has to battle out of the excess carbohydrates which are bounty in vegetarian foods. The vegetarians therefore needs to look for foods that are simple to cook or better said foods that need mere heating up. They also require well labeled foods in order to keep the carbohydrate level in control.

The following are a number of foods a vegetarian would want to have to suit his needs.

Jello (Sugar-Free)

Regardless of being sugar free, this food is a proper replacement when one needs food that tastes sweet. The sugar free side is meant to reduce the carbohydrate portion. Jello is quite economical & is available in different flavors. It is even healthier when consumed with whipped cream.

Meat Replacements

There are lots of meat substitutes around in the marketplace but the catch lies in their nutritional values. For example, vegetarian hot dogs are known to have about 3 grams of carbohydrates while the vegetarian burgers or even the meat flavored cakes have a little over 15 grams.

Nuts

Peanuts are probably the most beneficial to vegetarians in that they provide plenty of proteins & fats. However they should be consumed in moderation since the carbohydrate level in peanuts is about 8 grams per serving. Therefore the everyday intake is limited to one serving. The peanuts are available in a variety of forms such as roasted, fried and chilly flavored or even as peanut butter. For body builders, the fried and chilly flavored groundnuts are not recommended.

Almonds & sunflower seeds are also good.

Vegetable Salads

Salads on their own offer very little energy to the body, they are therefore should not be consumed alone & consequently they add bulk to the food they are taken along with. Hence reducing hunger significantly, Salads are mostly used as a base when one intends to eat the vital liquid fats. Olive oil & flaxseed oil are good example of these vital liquid fats. The salads may also be garnished using low-carbohydrate mayonnaise.

The above stated foods don’t provide adequate proteins & fats. To answer this situation, nutritional supplements have to come in. These can include:

Flaxseed Oil

This oil is well-known to contain the vital omega 3 fatty acids required by the body in adequate amounts. Consuming a table spoon of flaxseed provides the body with an average of 15 grams fat. These vital oils are used in the body to support metabolism & to facilitate better oxygen usage thus the universal well being of the body.

Olive Oil

It was mentioned earlier that olive oil may be consumed well when incorporated with salads. Such a meal will offer the body with almost 16 grams of fat. Olive oil is also helpful in lowering the bad cholesterol levels of the blood & raises the levels of the good cholesterol.




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2 Comments on “The Best Foods Options for Vegetarian Bodybuilders”

  • Kevin
    19 November, 2009, 20:07

    Hey Nikhil,

    Jell-o is made out of gelatin. Gelatin is an animal product.

    A vegetarian body builder should eat lots of nuts and beans. Meat replacements are not good for anything but filling up your stomach.

  • 20 November, 2009, 7:46

    Hi Kevin I completely agree with your comment, the reason for including Jell-O in this list was due to this fact: The collagen is processed extensively, the final product is not categorized as a meat or animal product by the US federal government.

    But still thanks for updating me, will not include it in future articles.

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