5 Foods That Build Muscle

Building the body of your dream is down to two main things: diet and exercise. In order to build muscle, your exercise regime is perhaps the most important, but you won’t actually see massive results unless you get the diet part right as well. The nutrients you feed your body are there to enable your muscles to grow, which demonstrates how important they actually are. Most of the time, you will hear that you need to focus on carbs, protein, and good fats, but which actual foods are good for building muscle?

1 – Whole Eggs

Whole eggs, organic ones, are absolutely perfect for building muscle.

“The yolk contains most nutrients: half the protein, vitamins A/D/E and cholesterol to naturally increase your testosterone levels.”

There has been a lot of scaremongering about the link between eggs and cholesterol. Although eggs do indeed contain a lot of cholesterol, it is dietary cholesterol, which is very different from blood cholesterol. Indeed, scientists have agreed that there is no such thing as too many eggs in terms of your cholesterol, so feel free to have some every day.

2 – Fish

Fish is one of the best muscle-building foods out there. Although you do have a choice of fish, the very best one out there has to be salmon.

“Not only is salmon a protein powerhouse yielding around 25 grams of protein per 100-gram serving, but it’s also packed with so many other healthy nutrients that you’d be a fool to avoid it.”

It is full of healthy fats, as well as omega 3 and 6, both needed for a balanced, healthy body. Additionally, it contains vitamin D, something that most of us have developed a deficiency in. If you really don’t like salmon, tuna is another example of really good fish. You do, however, have to make sure that you watch out for heavy metal poisoning, which can happen if you eat too much fish. This is due to the fact that our oceans have been poisoned over time, and certain fishes carry high levels of various chemicals, including mercury. This is why it is important that you understand the origin of your fish before you decide to eat it every day of the week.

3 – Almonds

Almonds are full of vitamin E, which is a very strong antioxidant. As such, it helps your body repair free radical damage, which in turn means that your body is more able to concentrate on building muscle, rather than regenerating itself. You should eat two handfuls of almonds every day (unsalted), in order to get all the benefits without actually putting on weight. Additionally, almonds are brain food.

“A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that those men who consumed the most vitamin E-from food sources, not supplements, had a 67 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease than those eating the least vitamin E.”

Add to that the fact that a handful or two of almonds is a lot nicer than taking a vitamin E capsule, and you will soon see why it is such a great food for muscle building.

4 – Black Beans

Black beans are often overlooked by the health and fitness world, which is a shame because they are fantastic muscle builders. Black beans are really the ultimate muscle building food once you understand what they contain.

“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.”

It really contains everything that you need in order to build muscle, but also in order to sustain yourself during a workout. It has slow release carbohydrates, which means your body will be sustained all day long, avoiding sugar cravings and other hunger pangs at various times during the day. Additionally, beans are incredibly good for your overall digestive system, allowing you to get rid of toxins.

5 – Tea

When you tell people tea helps with muscle building, they will probably laugh at you. However, recent research has demonstrated that you should actually drink plenty of tea if you want to build muscle.

“Tea’s healthy compounds, called “polyphenols,” reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, preventing this breakdown, and even improving muscular strength and bone mass.”

Tea seems to make people stronger, as well as increasing their endurance. This means you will be able to get much more out of your workout.

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