While it’s always tempting to chow down on junk food if you’re trying to put on muscle, eating unhealthily can hamper your efforts in the long run. Instead, give these five foods a try to help you build muscle as fast as possible! They taste great and are packed with nutrients that are essential to building muscle mass quickly, so they’re perfect if you’re pressed for time or don’t have easy access to healthy alternatives!
1) Quality Protein
Quality protein is the building block of muscle, and when it’s not consumed in large enough quantities your body can break down its own muscle tissue to compensate. That’s why it’s important to eat a diet that contains high-quality protein with each meal. The best sources of quality protein are animal products like beef, chicken and eggs because they contain all nine essential amino acids that build gail grisi stenciling new muscle tissue. However, if you’re vegan or vegetarian there are still plenty of options for quality protein including soy milk and vegetables like peas and spinach. Eating healthy amounts of quality protein will help you grow stronger muscles faster! One great tip to make sure you get enough protein every day is to eat two palm sized servings of high-protein foods at breakfast, lunch and dinner. One palm sized serving equals about one ounce or two tablespoons which equates out to be about 44 grams per day if eating six meals a day. With that being said, let’s talk about the five best foods for building muscle:
2) Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are an important part of a healthy diet because they can help maintain your hormone levels. This is particularly important if you’re engaging in intense physical activity and may not be eating enough protein to support your muscle growth. Healthy fats also provide other benefits like helping you feel full and supporting cognitive function. The five best sources of healthy fats are avocados, nuts and seeds, coconut oil, olives, and eggs. Monounsaturated fats have the highest health value and should make up about half of the fat in your diet. Monounsaturated fats have been shown to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (the bad kind) without impacting high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (the good kind). Saturated fat has no health benefits when it comes to heart disease, but there is some evidence that it might improve bone density and immune function. Trans fat should always be avoided because it’s one of the most harmful types of dietary fat out there.
3) Carbs
Carbohydrates are the most important macronutrient when it comes to building muscle. That’s because they’re the main source of fuel that feeds our muscles with glucose- a type of sugar your body uses to produce energy. The more carbs you eat in your diet, the more glucose is available for your body to use and thus the more energy you’ll have. This allows you to train harder and stimulates muscle protein synthesis – the process where muscle tissue repairs itself after a workout by creating new cells. You should aim for a carb intake of 2g/kg (1.2g/lb) per day as part of an overall calorie intake of 10-12 times your body weight in kilos or 3500 calories if you weigh 150lbs. Carbs come in all sorts of different forms but the ones we care about are good sources of complex carbs like whole grains, potatoes, oats, brown rice etc. And don’t worry about eating fruit either since fruit contains fructose which has been shown to stimulate muscle growth!
4) Vitamin C
Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits like oranges and lemons. Vitamin C helps produce collagen, which is a protein that gives your skin elasticity. It can also help boost your immune system and keep your teeth and bones healthy. Research shows that people who get more than the recommended daily amount of vitamin C have better muscle growth, stronger bones, and healthier teeth. For example, one study showed that men who took 1 gram of vitamin C per day increased their strength by 20% after eight weeks. Another study found that people with low levels of vitamin C had worse outcomes after surgery. In other words, if you want to build muscle faster and do it safely, make sure to eat foods high in vitamin C on a regular basis! Here are some of my favorite sources:
-Oranges -Cantaloupe -Cranberries -Strawberries
5) Essential Minerals
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The amino acids glycine and arginine are especially important when it comes to muscle growth because they have been shown to help with post-workout recovery. In addition, arginine has been shown to help with the production of nitric oxide, which is beneficial for healthy blood flow and a stronger pump during workouts. Other amino acids that may be helpful in boosting muscle growth include lysine, leucine and methionine. A final point to note about good foods for muscle growth is their ability to provide you with enough energy. To get the best results from your workout, you need energy! And there are many food sources out there that will give you this boost so your body can build more muscles quickly. Some examples would be nuts, seeds, soybeans, beans and tofu.
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