Add Muscle Building Foods Into Your Daily Nutrition
There are foods that are considered muscle building foods. I don’t think you can really construct a top 10 list of these foods. You can’t necessarily rank them. What I would rather do is list good quality sources of foods and when to eat these foods. It’s more than what you eat. It’s the timing of what you eat as well. Food does in fact impact your ability to build muscle and add muscle. Contrary to what some believe, it’s not all about JUST cutting carbohydrates, or JUST cutting fat. It’s not even about how much protein you can stuff yourself with in a day – it ALL plays a part.
Check out your own kitchen pantry and fridge for these muscle building foods
Yogurt: Yogurt is one of those dairy products that is tolerated by a lot of people. It’s a food that allows the body’s digestive system to work properly and efficiently. But it is also a tremendous source of protein for your body. This is a must have in my opinion when it comes to muscle building foods. I like to eat it with fruit in the morning or before bed if I am having strong food cravings. Need something sweet? Try yogurt instead of that fattening ice cream.
Eggs: Eggs have the highest protein digestion rating of any natural protein source. Another one of the must have muscle building foods. Scramble them up for a very quick, easy breakfast PACKED with protein. Take half a dozen eggs and slip them into a bowl. Whisk them into a frenzy. Throw in some sweet or hot peppers, onions, or even some broccoli is good. It’s rather amazing that, for the amount of protein you get, the fat content is right about where it should be. The body needs some fat to make foods absorb more gradually, thereby eliminating drastic blood glucose elevations.
Chicken Breasts: I could put steak here or any other meat, but chicken is the best in the meat category of muscle building foods. Chicken breasts are so versatile. You can make an amazing assortment of foods with chicken breasts. They are a terrific thing to keep on hand. Chicken fajitas and enchiladas are two of my very favorites. For all-around muscle building foods, this Mexican favorite has EVERYTHING you need.
Rice, Potatoes, and Yams: Surprised to see these listed here? Lots of people have thrown carbs under the bus in the news recently. The thing about carbs is that they possess what we call a protein sparring effect. Without adequate carbohydrates, your system with not utilize protein as a building block, but rather it will be wasted basically as a source for your body’s fuel. The problem with burning protein is that it is an expensive energy source compared to simple carbs. If you’re very thin, and build muscle slowly, carbs are EVEN MORE vital. I regularly remind the skinny guys to UP THE CARBS significantly if they truly wish to put on some solid, lean muscle mass.
Better Nutrition requires post-training consumption of simple carbs and fat-free meals
As soon as you stop training, your body should be digesting simple sugars that you eat. Remember, do NOT eat or drink fatty foods following your workout. You want the muscle to quickly absorb the nutrients during this period of time and fat will slow down this process.
Add Fat to All Other Meals or Snacks
Post-training, you don’t want your body’s ability to soak up nutrients to be compromised. But the rest of the day, you actually do. With the swift breakdown of nutrients from nonfat foods, however, there is one downfall to be mindful of. Your system can take in more nutrient than can be processed. This can lead to that high sugar “rush” (elevated blood glucose), which ultimately results in a sudden and dramatic loss of energy. Adding a little bit of fat to your meals insures steady energy. This fat will help you slow your absorption rate and you won’t have that spike and crash you will get otherwise.
Summary: Muscle building foods are more complex and detailed than we’ve covered here, but this is an overview to help you make good decisions.
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