Foods that Pack on Muscle

That Pack on Muscle

The big secret for enhancing your ability to build muscles is the right type of food, of course strength training is still a must if you are aiming to create a lean, muscular physique. Select high quality proteins, fats, and carbohydrates and definitely ditch junk food for better and faster results. Many healthy foods help you put on lean muscle, but these ten are easily incorporated into any diet.

POULTRY

Some sources of protein can be high in saturated fat, too much of which can cause fat gain and raise your cholesterol levels. Chicken breast and lean turkey are lean sources of protein with minimal saturated fat.

SALMON

It’s swimming with high quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which can decrease muscle-protein breakdown after your workout, improving recovery. To build muscle you need to store new protein faster than your body breaks down the old stuff.

OATMEAL

Oatmeal is high in fiber, which makes you feel fuller longer. When training to build muscle, you need to consume about 55 to 60 percent of your calories from carbohydrates to fuel your workouts.

ALMONDS

Almonds are one of the best sources of vitamin E, a potent antioxidant, that can help prevent free-radical damage after heavy workouts. The fewer hits taken from free radicals, the faster your muscles will recover from a workout and start growing.

YOGURT

Plain, low-fat yogurt provides your body with the essential bone-building mineral calcium, eating yogurt may help you lean down due to the high content of a specific amino acid called leucine.

OLIVE OIL

The monounsaturated fat in olive oil appears to prevent muscle breakdown by lowering levels of a sinister cellular protein linked with muscle wasting and weakness.

WHEY

Whey protein powder comes from the liquid leftover during the cheese-making process. This protein source is easily digested and contains all the amino acids you need to help build muscle.

COTTAGE CHEESE

Cottage cheese contains a mixture of whey and casein, the two proteins found in milk. These two proteins help stimulate muscle growth.

COFFEE

Fueling your workout with caffeine will help you work longer, it is believed that caffeine directly stimulates the muscles. Skip it if you have a history of high blood pressure, though.

EGGS

Eggs are rich in the amino acid tryptophan which helps you get a restful night’s sleep, and also contains about 6 grams of protein each. Adequate rest is essential to muscle growth as it allows your body torepair. Eggs also provide numerous vitamins, minerals and the antioxidant lutein to support eye health.