Food for Muscles

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If muscles were made from chips and beer, we would look huge. But they aren’t. Through this article, EHC finds out that you could gain more muscle mass with less training. Nutrition is the key.

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This means knowing how nutrition works and how to utilize it for your own fitness and strength. EHC lists out the power-packed foods for gaining muscle mass and strength.

Eggs

Eggs have been wrongly blamed for artery clogging, but further research into the role of dietary cholesterol and heart disease shows that eggs are innocent. Eggs are not just health food, but they are also a serious muscle building food. They contain quality protein, nine essential amino acids, choline, the right kind of fat, and vitamin D.

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Lean Beef

Beef contains a muscle-building cocktail of proteins packed with essential amino acids, B-vitamins, and creatine. Beef also contains a mixture of saturated fat, which can support healthy testosterone levels, and monounsaturated fat, for heart heath. This should be a staple of your diet if you want to gain muscle mass.

Chicken

A 4-ounce serving of chicken is 27 grams of protein. It has loads of amino acids, and you can make chicken several different ways (to keep it from getting boring). The chicken breast is low in fats, while the dark meat has higher fat content. The chicken is perfect for muscle building needs.

Protein/Carbohydrate Recovery Shake

A protein and carbohydrate recovery shake should be the cornerstone of your muscle building program. Drinking a shake consisting of protein and carbohydrates before your workout sets the stage for optimal muscle growth and nutrient usage. Research shows that this power nutrition combination puts the breaks on excess muscle breakdown, jacks up protein synthesis, rapidly refills muscle energy stores, and increases blood flow to your muscles.

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese contains a high proportion of casein, the slow digesting dairy protein. When you eat casein, your blood amino acid levels rise slowly and stay elevated for longer time. Cottage cheese also contains live cultures which are good bacteria what will help you breakdown and absorb all the nutrients you need to get bigger and stronger.

Chickpeas

Chickpeas should be your any-time carb source of choice. If you are having trouble getting big and staying lean, replace some of the rice and grain in your diet with chickpeas. This versatile bean contains 45 grams of slow-acting carbs per cup along with 12 grams of fiber.

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Lentils

Lentils should be your secret mass-building weapon. One cup of cooked lentils contains 18 grams of protein and 40 grams of slow digesting quality carbohydrates. They are also very inexpensive and have a long shelf-life. They cook up in just 10 minutes and can be added mixed in with brown rice sprinkled over a salad or eaten as a standalone side dish.

Salmon

Salmon contains both high quality protein and the long chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA. These omega-3 fats are most well known for their ability to improve heart health but they also inhibit muscle breakdown while increasing the anabolic capacity of amino acids.

Fermented Dairy Products

Fermented dairy products like kefir are a little known muscle-building power. Kefir provides distinct nutritional advantages over water or regular milk. If you usually use water in your shakes, 1 cup of kefir will add 150 calories to your diet. Compared to regular milk, kefir will allow your meal to be more easily digested due to the presence of probiotics (up to 10 billion good bacteria per cup). These healthy bacteria will help keep your digestive track running at peak condition so it can breakdown and assimilate maximum amount of calories and nutrients from your meals.

Black Beans

This particular bean is rich in vitamins B, K, C, and A, and low in saturated fats. Along with its high protein and fiber content, this bean has 15 grams of fiber and protein per cup. Black beans provide a caloric dense carbohydrate perfect for muscle building.

Yogurt

High in calcium and vitamin D, this dairy product provides protein for muscle growth and probiotics to aid digestion.

Mussels

Mussels for muscles! It is low-fat and high protein. Mussels contain B12 and selenium, both essential to the active person.

Olive Oil

This may seem strange, but olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fats. These good fats are heart healthy. Olive oil also contains oleocanthal, which is an anti-inflammatory component. This helps with muscle pain and inflammation, aiding recovery.

Apples

A great post workout food. Great source of carbs, electrolytes and fiber. Apples are a healthy snack for muscle building.

Spinach

Popeye ate it for a reason. Spinach has super food qualities containing several vitamins and it contains calcium. The calcium in spinach may help relax the muscle to prevent cramping during training.

Brown Rice

Brown rice is a staple in many body builder diets. This complex carbohydrate is a sustained release of energy for athletes. Brown rice can be essentially eaten with any meal which makes it a great source of carbs for building your muscles.

Oysters

Rich in the mineral zinc, oysters are great for raising a man’s testosterone levels. Oysters are also rich in protein, proving the perfect muscle replenishment source.

Almonds

This nut is a perfect snack for your muscles. Full of protein and fiber, almonds helps you feel full while repairing worn muscles.

Oatmeal

Eat a bowl for breakfast or mix it in with your post workout shake. This carb helps you power through training. Also easy to prepare and can be a cornerstone to your muscle building diet.

Peanut Butter

Calorie-dense, packed with good fats and it has protein. An essential food for growing mass and muscle. Drop the cheese-burger and make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This will help you pack on pounds needed for sports or getting stronger.

Milk

G.O.M.A.D. stands for “a gallon of milk a day,” which is the old saying for hard gainers. Milk works wonders for athletes and body builders. Milk is nutrient-dense, full of protein, and contains essential amino acids. Drink a glass of milk any time for muscle gains.

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Image courtesy: blogspot.com , purelifts.com