Muscle Building Foods

When we talk about muscle building foods, we usually think of protein, protein, and more protein.

I'm going to list some superior sources of protein, but I'm also going to explain why carbohydrates and even fats help you build muscle as well.

Let's talk about carbohydrates first and why they are important for building muscle...

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates help you build muscle because they...

• spare muscle tissue breakdown
• fuel your workouts
• promote faster recovery from weight training

Eating carbs allows a larger portion of the protein you eat to be used for muscle repair and maintenance.

When you eat carbs with protein post workout, the carbs cause a rise in insulin levels which helps drive nutrients into your muscle cells. That helps you recover faster from your workouts.

Foods with carbohydrates are very important for building muscle.

Protein

Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids, and there are about 20 different amino acids.

Nine amino acids are considered “essential” because they can’t be generated by your body.

Complete proteins contain all the essential amino acids so they're better for building muscle.

Complete proteins include…

• red meat,
• chicken breast,
• turkey breast,
• fish,
• shellfish,
• eggs, and
• dairy products.

If you want to keep your body fat low while you're building muscle, choose low fat sources of meats and dairy.

Fats

Fat actually helps you build muscle mass? That's right, it does!

Fat and essential fatty acids in particular assist at the cellular level with muscle growth and repair. Fat also plays a role in the production of hormones that help you build muscle mass.

Eat good fat mostly and avoid saturated fats and trans fats.

b>Some sources of “good” fat are:

• fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, etc.)
• flaxseed
• nuts (peanuts, walnuts, almonds)
• avocado
• canola and olive oils
• natural peanut butter

For more on good and bad fats click here.

Water

Ok, I know water isn't a muscle building food, but it does need to be included here.

Water plays a big part in most of the processes that are required for muscle growth and recovery. Drinking plenty of along with a solid diet and exercise routine will definitely help you build muscle.

I hope you found this article on muscle building foods helpful and informative.


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