As the preference for vegetarianism increases, vegan health people are also emerging
“Wheat protein, tofu, and other plant proteins are enough to build muscle”
As the preference for vegetarianism has increased, so-called ‘vegan health people’ who grow their bodies on a vegan diet have also emerged. [이미지출처=픽사베이]
[아시아경제 박현주 기자] As summer approaches, many people start exercising to build stamina to overcome the heat or to complete a good-looking body. People who start dieting or exercising often think of animal protein such as chicken breast, but more and more people say that plant protein can be enough to build muscle. This is the so-called ‘vegan health person’. The landscape has changed as more and more people prefer vegetarian diets.
The reason exercisers eat chicken breast is because protein is effective in building muscle. However, vegan health people emphasize that plant protein alone can increase muscle mass. Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, famous for the movie ‘Terminator’, is known for taking care of his body by sticking to a vegan diet. He enjoys eating berry and banana protein shakes and cucumber salad with pumpkin seed oil. Even at the age of 75, he is muscular.
YouTuber Danjiang, who is called the icon of ‘vegan bulking’, often introduces a muscle growth diet consisting of wheat protein (a food made by separating only protein from wheat), tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables through videos. He enjoys a variety of vegan diets, such as making perilla oil and soy sauce pasta with peas and tofu, and making soy milk cream bowl using edamame beans. Bulgogi made with soybean protein bulgogi and stir-fried wheat protein with spicy seasoning are also his favorite bulk-up meals.
Won-bok Lee, president of the Korean Vegetarian Federation, also introduces himself as the person who grew muscle by eating a vegetarian diet. He said, “Soybeans also have a lot of protein. After boiling and drying washed soybeans, make a powder and drink it with soymilk to quickly gain muscle,” he said. According to him, it is a ‘vegetable protein shake’. CEO Lee said, “Animal proteins such as chicken breast and meat contain a lot of cholesterol and saturated fat.” “Unlike the past, we are in an era where diseases are caused by overnutrition. A well-planned vegan diet can provide the protein our body needs. Everything can be supplemented.”
Vegan health people emphasize that bulking up is possible even with a vegetarian diet. [이미지출처=픽사베이]
Director Song Moo-ho of ‘Vegedoctor’, a group of medical professionals who practice plant food, said, “Because animal protein contains cholesterol and triglycerides together, harmful substances enter the body when protein is absorbed and blood circulation is not good.” On the other hand, vegetable protein There is no harm to the body,” he explained. He added, “Since the amount of protein required for muscle is not that much, you can grow your body with vegetable protein,” he added.
As the number of vegan health people increases, competition in the ‘vegetable protein’ market is also getting fiercer. CJ CheilJedang introduced ‘Ultiv Plant Oil’ last month as an alternative to milk. This product contains 8 kinds of essential amino acids similar to milk protein by blending the proteins contained in brown rice and peas with CJ CheilJedang’s proprietary blending technology. USANA Health Science Korea also launched ‘Active Protein Drink Mix’ last month. Bupyeong grass powder and Egyptian soybean protein (chick bean), which are spotlighted as future protein sources, were used as main ingredients, and 10 kinds of vitamins and minerals, digestive enzyme protease, etc. were used. In addition, Jeong Food’s ‘Vegemil High Protein Soymilk Black Bean’ released in May has twice the protein content compared to regular soymilk, and uses domestic black soybeans.
Another study found that plant-based meat substitutes favored by vegans have a higher protein content than beef patties. On the 9th, the Korea Consumer Agency announced that as a result of analyzing 15 plant-based alternative meat products on the market, the protein content of plant-based alternative meat was, on average, higher than that of beef patties of the same amount. Saturated fat and sodium content were relatively low or similar. Plant-based alternative meat is a processed soybean product that uses soybean protein to resemble real meat in shape and texture.
Reporter Park Hyun-joo phj0325@asiae.co.kr
