Eating larger amounts of plant protein, like wheat, can build muscle just as effectively as eating animal proteins like whey.

Eating more plant protein—like 60 grams of wheat protein in one meal—might help older adults build muscle just as well as smaller amounts of animal protein, like whey, even though plant proteins aren't as easily used by the body.

Plant proteins like soy and wheat don’t help build muscle as much right after eating compared to animal proteins like whey or milk, especially in older people when they're not exercising.

Plant proteins might not help older people build or keep muscle as well as animal proteins because they're harder to digest and don't have as much of the important building blocks muscles need.

If young guys who don’t work out much eat a plant-based or meat-based diet with the same amount of protein and lift weights for 12 weeks, they’ll gain about the same amount of leg muscle and strength.

If you swap out meat and dairy for foods like nuts, seeds, beans, and veggies, you’ll eat less cholesterol and more of the good fats—by about 150 milligrams less cholesterol and 1.2% more healthy fats in your daily calories.