Whole-Food Plant Meal Does Not Boost Post-Workout Muscle Gains, Study Shows

In a randomized controlled trial, researchers tested whether a plant-based, whole-food, complementary-protein meal consumed immediately after a bout of weight training would stimulate a stronger muscle-building response than a nutritionally matched shake made with free amino acids. The study found no differences between the two, even though each contained 20 grams of protein. Both options yielded much lower muscle-protein synthesis than a post-workout meal of 20 grams of lean pork.