If you love working out and enjoy researching the best sports nutrition supplements for crushing your fitness goals, you’ve undoubtedly heard about BCAAs. BCAA supplements are incredibly popular, promising a variety of benefits for exercise performance and recovery.
As a vegan, you’ve probably found yourself wondering what the best vegan sources of BCAAs are and whether they really make much difference. As a vegan dietitian and certified personal trainer, I’ll answer these questions below!
What are BCAAs?
“BCAAs” is an acronym that stands for branched-chain amino acids. Amino acids are tiny molecules that, when linked together, form whole proteins.
There are 21 different amino acids, some of which the body can’t produce itself and must be obtained from food. These are known as “essential” amino acids. BCAAs include three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These have chemical structures that look “branched” or “kinked” compared to other amino acids.
Of the three, leucine is the most powerful for stimulating muscle protein synthesis.
BCAA supplements are the most common way that people intentionally consume BCAAs. Most people take BCAA supplements to help promote muscle-building and reduce muscle soreness after a workout. As building blocks of protein, BCAAs are also found in protein-rich foods.
Vegan sources of BCAAs
Vegans have multiple options for getting BCAAs, including supplements and whole foods.
1. BCAA supplements
The most straightforward way to get BCAAs is through BCAA supplements. These are taken as a powder mixed with water or juice, usually before a workout.
2. Pre-workout supplements
Many pre-workouts contain BCAAs, in addition to other ingredients like creatine and caffeine that are known to boost exercise performance.
Most pre-workouts are vegan-friendly. I usually don’t recommend pre-workout supplements since most contain unnecessary ingredients or ineffective amounts of ingredients. However, since many contain BCAAs, I included them in this list.
3. Plant-based protein powder
Vegan protein powders made from plant-based ingredients like peas or soy are naturally rich in BCAAs and other essential amino acids. Just as the protein in these nutritious foods become more concentrated in protein powder form, so do the BCAAs.
Protein powder is often blended with water or non-dairy milk as a post-workout shake to maximize muscle synthesis after a resistance training session.
RELATED: Pea Protein vs. Soy Protein
4. Soy foods
Soy is one of the best protein-rich foods available to vegans. As great sources of plant-based protein, tempeh, tofu, and edamame are rich in BCAAs and essential amino acids.
If you haven’t gotten around to trying these foods, find some tasty-looking recipes and give them a shot! Tempeh is great when steamed and sauteed in a flavorful sauce, while tofu can be pressed and air-fried for a crispy snack or blended into a smooth spread.
RECIPE: Sticky Sesame Tempeh
RECIPE: Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese (High-Protein!)
5. Beans & legumes
Chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, red lentils, pinto beans, and split peas — whichever you prefer, these beans and legumes are excellent whole-food sources of BCAAs thanks to their plant-based protein content.
RELATED: Black Beans vs. Pinto Beans
6. Seitan
Seitan is a meat alternative made from vital wheat gluten, the main protein in wheat. Seitan has been around for hundreds of years and is popular among vegans thanks to its chewy, meaty texture.
Depending on the recipe, seitan can be made purely from wheat gluten but often includes tofu, pea protein powder, or chickpeas to soften its chewy texture. It’s incredibly high in protein, usually containing about 20 grams of protein per serving. As such, it’s also an effective source of BCAAs.
7. Nuts & seeds
Nuts and seeds offer about 5 grams of protein per ounce but this varies depending on the type. They’re lower in protein than the other options listed in this post, but a handful of nuts or serving of peanut butter are great ways to add protein (and BCAAs) to a meal or snack.
RELATED: The 7 Best Nuts for Vegans
Are BCAAs effective?
Despite the popularity of BCAA supplements among gym-goers, the overwhelming majority of research on this topic shows no benefit of BCAAs1 for building muscle size or strength.
Since protein-rich foods already contain BCAAs, there’s no additional benefit of BCAA supplementation when you’re already getting enough protein (at least 1.6 grams/kilogram body weight to build muscle) from a combination of whole foods and protein powder, if needed.
Said another way, adding BCAAs to an already protein-rich diet is a drop in the ocean — it won’t make much difference. Getting about 25 to 40 grams of protein at each meal should provide enough leucine to stimulate muscle growth when paired with resistance exercise.
That said, BCAAs may not be completely useless. Some research suggests that they may help reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness2 (DOMS) after resistance exercise sessions. They may also be beneficial for helping older adults reach the leucine threshold needed to stimulate muscle growth when unable to get enough protein at meals, although more research is needed.
Disadvantages of taking BCAAs
Many dietary supplements come with risks, and BCAAs are no exception. Being aware of the potential cons of BCAA supplementation can help you make a more informed decision.
Dietary supplements aren’t well-regulated
Unfortunately, supplements aren’t well-regulated by the FDA here in the US. Purchasing supplements from unreputable brands carries with it a risk of consuming contaminated products with dangerous amounts of heavy metals, pathogens, or steroids.
When choosing a BCAA supplement, look for reputable brands that follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and that have their products tested by independent third-party labs for purity and safety. Certifications like NSF Certified for Sport are also good to look for.
Can impact blood sugar levels
Interestingly, BCAAs can significantly impact blood sugar levels3 due to their effects on insulin and glucagon secretion. Insulin promotes the uptake of glucose into cells, lowering blood sugar, while glucagon does the opposite.
High intakes of BCAAs have been implicated in the development of insulin resistance, although this relationship isn’t fully understood by experts yet.
While the potential impact on blood sugars isn’t likely to be a concern for healthy people, it’s important to be aware of it in case you have health conditions that require careful blood glucose control or are about to undergo surgery.
Vegan BCAAs – Summary
Most vegans should have no problem getting enough BCAAs in their diet to support muscle growth and strength gains, provided they’re prioritizing protein-rich foods like tempeh, tofu, beans, lentils, seitan, edamame, high-protein plant-based milks, and plant-based protein powders.
Getting enough protein from these types of foods is likely to be more effective (and affordable) than BCAA supplements, although BCAAs may help reduce muscle soreness after resistance exercise.
Looking to optimize your supplement stack? You may be interested in my post addressing the question Should Vegans Take Creatine?
The scientific information in this article was accurate at the time of publishing but may change over time as new research becomes available.
References
- Plotkin DL, Delcastillo K, Van Every DW, Tipton KD, Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ. Isolated Leucine and Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation for Enhancing Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy: A Narrative Review. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2021;31(3):292-301. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2020-0356
- Martinho DV, Nobari H, Faria A, Field A, Duarte D, Sarmento H. Oral Branched-Chain Amino Acids Supplementation in Athletes: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2022;14(19):4002. Published 2022 Sep 27. doi:10.3390/nu14194002
- Bloomgarden Z. Diabetes and branched-chain amino acids: What is the link?. J Diabetes. 2018;10(5):350-352. doi:10.1111/1753-0407.12645
