Plant-Based Diets and Protein Quality
Plant-based diets continue to gain popularity, raising questions about protein quality and adequacy. While plant proteins can support muscle maintenance and growth, they may require more careful planning to ensure sufficient intake of essential amino acids.
Combining different protein sources and increasing total intake can help address these concerns. For many clients, this is less about limitation and more about structure. Coaches may need to provide guidance on how to build balanced plant-based meals.
References
Phillips, Stuart M. “Plant-Based Diets and Protein Quality.” Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, vol. 41, no. 9, 2016.
