Does Eating Vegetables Hurt Muscle Growth?

Many nutrients -- and not just animal protein -- contribute to skeletal muscle growth in adults as well as children. While the development of muscle does depend on dietary protein, it also requires adequate transport of oxygen, vitamins and minerals to growth areas. Iron, potassium and vitamin C in the foods that you eat help to satisfy this formula. Vegetables are among the healthy foods in a balanced diet that help you reach your daily quotas of muscle-building nutrients.

Considerations

Emphasizing protein alone in your diet won't encourage greater muscle growth. The National Institutes of Health report that only exercise training can increase the rate of growth. Dietary protein, however, is an important component of muscle cellular growth. Since most Americans already receive the recommended daily 46 to 56 g of protein from their total diets, eating vegetables, in particular, won't detract from protein stores. In fact, most vegetables contain small to moderate amounts of dietary protein in addition to other nutrients. A balanced diet should contain more servings of vegetables than of primary protein foods such as meats in a day. Certain types of vegetables have more of the nutrients that contribute to muscle growth than others.

Legumes

If you are a vegetarian or frequently eat meatless meals, legumes can provide a majority of your dietary protein. Cooked dry beans, peas, lentils and soybeans average about 30 percent daily value, or DV, of protein per 1 cooked cup. These vegetables are also major sources of potassium and iron. One cup of cooked pinto beans, for instance, provides about 20 percent DV of each of these nutrients, as well as moderate content of vitamin C, which your body needs to facilitate iron absorption.

Starchy Vegetables

Augment legume sources of protein with other starchy vegetables to supply various amino acids for more complete dietary protein. Corn, potatoes, green peas and parsnips each provide several grams of protein along with iron, potassium and vitamin C per 1 cup cooked serving.

Red, Orange and Dark-Green Vegetables

The U.S. Department of Agriculture finds red, orange and dark-green vegetables to have greater density of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients than vegetables such as onions, cauliflower and mushrooms. Choose tomatoes and red pepper, carrots and squash, and broccoli and spinach for small amounts of protein and high concentrations of the iron, potassium, vitamin C that support muscle cell growth.