Want to build muscle? Eat more plants

Life Kit

NPR

Health & Fitness, Self-improvement, Kids & Family, Education, Business

4.3 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 26 June 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

It's long been thought that eating protein from animals (eggs, meat, chicken, fish) can help you become stronger. But a new study out of the University of Illinois shows that plant protein is just as effective at building muscle. NPR health correspondent Will Stone explains how the science around plant protein is shifting.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Ira Glass of This American Life.
0:02.2	Each week on our show, we choose a theme,
0:04.7	tell different stories on that theme.
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0:10.2	Chances are you know our show.
0:11.9	So instead, I'm going to tell you,
0:14.4	we've just been on a run of really good shows lately.
0:17.5	Some big, epic emotional stories,
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0:22.7	This American Life. You're listening to Life Kit from NPR.
0:28.7	Hey, it's Mariel. I've been doing strength training lately. I got a personal trainer,
0:34.4	and I am doing chess presses with 12.5 pound weights in each hand.
0:39.1	Thank you very much. Please clap. Seriously, though, I can already feel myself getting stronger,
0:45.2	and it feels good to do something that I know has a ton of health benefits. Resistance training
0:49.8	can improve our brain function and our cardiovascular health. It can help us live longer. One catch, though,
0:56.3	is if you don't get enough protein in your diet, you'll struggle to make muscle gains. Now, maybe
1:01.8	you're thinking, but Mariel, I don't want to eat five dozen eggs for breakfast every day like some
1:06.8	beefy Disney villain. Guestan. Yeah, I'm talking about guest on.
1:11.7	Well, guess what?
1:12.8	You don't have to.
1:17.9	Because our understanding of where we need to get protein from is changing, and it seems,
	...

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