The Best Protein Foods To Build Muscle
Learning the best protein foods to build muscle is going to be important if you ever want to pack on some serious muscle mass and achieve your goals. Unfortunately, a lot of the best protein foods were about to discuss won't appear on your wish list when your next out doing your daily shop so get ready to revamp your diet and replace those sugar-loaded snacks with protein-enriched muscle building foods. Be warned however that a lot of these high-protein foods may not be the tastiest you've ever had so you will need to bear with them for a few weeks.
High protein foods are great for bodybuilding and weight lifting and will provide your muscles with the protein it needs to repair and build new muscle tissue. Let's now take a look at the best protein foods you can consume to build muscle:
Chicken
Although all types of fowl contain high amounts of protein, the white meat of the chicken should be a staple of someone trying to put on muscle. Chicken breast is often less expensive than good cuts of red meat and many types of fish but it contains a lot of protein and has a very low fat content. Chicken is also very versatile and can be easily worked into many simple recipes.
Stick to eating white meat chicken breast as the darker meat contains a lot more fat than the white does which can bump the calories up considerably. Chicken breast is probably the number one bodybuilding food due to its convenience and cheap price. 100 grams of chicken breast contains around 33 grams of protein and only 180 calories!
Fish
As far as a high quality protein goes, fish is pretty hard to beat. There is a wide variety of fish to choose from, many of which have a very high protein content and very low amounts of saturated fat. Fish is also high in the Omega three fatty acids that help to promote good heart health. Different types of fish such as Tuna are high in protein as well as iron and calcium, and can easily be added to regular pasta salads to boost the protein content of a meal.
Tuna is also excellent in a sandwich, can be prepared in a casserole, or served as an excellent centerpiece to a meal in a filet. Anchovies, herring, mackerel, salmon, and sardines are all great choices of fish that are also high in protein and low in calories.
Eggs
Eggs are extremely popular these days and therefore make a welcomed addition to this list of the best protein foods to build muscle. Eggs however have developed a rather bad name for themselves lately as many experts link eggs to a number of health problems such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. I can tell you that the risks associated with eating eggs are not as bad as you think. Consume them in moderation along with a good healthy diet and you should be fine.
That's enough of the drawbacks, lets take a look at the benefits of consuming eggs in your diet. Eggs are high in protein, and if possible, are even more versatile than tuna. Eggs boast around 6 grams of protein each and are a rich source of vitamins, including A, E, and K, and a range of B vitamins such as B-12 (energy), riboflavin, and folic acid.
Eggs also contain all eight essential amino acids needed for optimal muscle recovery. Eggs are one of the easiest forms of high-quality protein to prepare: they can be boiled, scrambled, and even served in an omelet. Whole eggs can be a bit high in fat, but if overall fat content in your diet is an issue, the yolks can easily be removed by just consuming the egg whites.
Beef
Red Meat such as beef is a staple of many bodybuilders' diets and can be an excellent source of protein and iron. It is also a good source of natural creatine and vitamin B-12. The downside to beef is that it has a lot more fat in it and not the good kind either. When eating red meat try your best to trim off any unwanted fat and consume only the lean cuts of beef if possible. Another drawback to some when looking to consume beef or red meat in their diets is the price. Unfortunately, good quality cuts of red meat can be fairly expensive and therefore puts people off buying it on a regular basis.
Whey Protein Powder Supplements
Although technically not a food, whey protein is still a great way of getting more quality protein into your diet to help you recover and build muscle. Whey protein is actually created through the process of churning milk into cheese and has very few calories in it. Depending upon the supplement brand, whey protein normally has hardly any carbohydrates or fat in making it great for both weight loss and muscle building.
If your looking for an effective protein supplement try Crazy Bulk Product, or Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey. Their whey protein supplement is probably the most popular one on the market at the moment and has been for some time so make sure you take a look at it if you are serious about adding more protein to your diet.
Low Fat Dairy Products
Low-fat dairy products like skim milk, yogurt, and low-fat cottage cheese can all be excellent additions to your diet, provided that you aren't lactose intolerant. If your body processes dairy well, then I strongly suggest you add these items to your diet. Try to steer clear of whole milk, ice cream, and high-fat cheeses because the benefits of the protein and calcium contained can be outweighed by the extremely high fat content.
Products such as low fat milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese are all extremely convenient sources of food as all can be purchased in a nearby shop/supermarket and taken to work with you if needed. They can also be consumed straight out of a carton and do not require any preparation before eating.
Take a tub of low fat cottage cheese with you to work and you have over 30 grams of quality protein readily available to you when you have a spare few minutes to eat. Not only this but a tub of low fat cottage cheese has only about 280 calories in it which is great if you're looking to clean bulk or even if you are on a diet.
Kidney Beans
This superfood is often overlooked in many athletes diets, but with high protein content, next to no fat, high fiber, and a host of other nutrients including potassium - kidney beans should be a staple in any athlete's diet. Athletes who are concerned about consuming too much fat with other sources of protein should have kidney beans (as well as other varieties) on their list of protein foods
Nuts
I know what you're thinking - nuts are way too high in fat. Well, some nuts are high in fat, but much of the fact that they contain is "good" fat. Aside from being high in protein, many nuts have a host of other benefits like lowering cholesterol, keeping your heart healthy, and potentially helping the fight against cancer.
Now you've seen what the best protein foods are to build muscle you should have a good idea of what your diet needs to look like. Getting enough protein in your diet is essential to your body's recovery and its ability to build muscle, so make sure that you are consuming enough protein for your size and your workload. Try to cut out any unnecessary fats (the unhealthy ones) in your diet if at all possible. The protein foods mentioned above will help you build muscle and truly reap the rewards of the long hours you put in at the gym.
READ ALSO:
Gaining Muscle 101
Life After Extreme Weight Loss
Best Muscle Building Supplements
High protein foods are great for bodybuilding and weight lifting and will provide your muscles with the protein it needs to repair and build new muscle tissue. Let's now take a look at the best protein foods you can consume to build muscle:
Chicken
Although all types of fowl contain high amounts of protein, the white meat of the chicken should be a staple of someone trying to put on muscle. Chicken breast is often less expensive than good cuts of red meat and many types of fish but it contains a lot of protein and has a very low fat content. Chicken is also very versatile and can be easily worked into many simple recipes.
Stick to eating white meat chicken breast as the darker meat contains a lot more fat than the white does which can bump the calories up considerably. Chicken breast is probably the number one bodybuilding food due to its convenience and cheap price. 100 grams of chicken breast contains around 33 grams of protein and only 180 calories!
Fish
As far as a high quality protein goes, fish is pretty hard to beat. There is a wide variety of fish to choose from, many of which have a very high protein content and very low amounts of saturated fat. Fish is also high in the Omega three fatty acids that help to promote good heart health. Different types of fish such as Tuna are high in protein as well as iron and calcium, and can easily be added to regular pasta salads to boost the protein content of a meal.
Tuna is also excellent in a sandwich, can be prepared in a casserole, or served as an excellent centerpiece to a meal in a filet. Anchovies, herring, mackerel, salmon, and sardines are all great choices of fish that are also high in protein and low in calories.
Eggs
Eggs are extremely popular these days and therefore make a welcomed addition to this list of the best protein foods to build muscle. Eggs however have developed a rather bad name for themselves lately as many experts link eggs to a number of health problems such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. I can tell you that the risks associated with eating eggs are not as bad as you think. Consume them in moderation along with a good healthy diet and you should be fine.
That's enough of the drawbacks, lets take a look at the benefits of consuming eggs in your diet. Eggs are high in protein, and if possible, are even more versatile than tuna. Eggs boast around 6 grams of protein each and are a rich source of vitamins, including A, E, and K, and a range of B vitamins such as B-12 (energy), riboflavin, and folic acid.
Eggs also contain all eight essential amino acids needed for optimal muscle recovery. Eggs are one of the easiest forms of high-quality protein to prepare: they can be boiled, scrambled, and even served in an omelet. Whole eggs can be a bit high in fat, but if overall fat content in your diet is an issue, the yolks can easily be removed by just consuming the egg whites.
Beef
Red Meat such as beef is a staple of many bodybuilders' diets and can be an excellent source of protein and iron. It is also a good source of natural creatine and vitamin B-12. The downside to beef is that it has a lot more fat in it and not the good kind either. When eating red meat try your best to trim off any unwanted fat and consume only the lean cuts of beef if possible. Another drawback to some when looking to consume beef or red meat in their diets is the price. Unfortunately, good quality cuts of red meat can be fairly expensive and therefore puts people off buying it on a regular basis.
Whey Protein Powder Supplements
Although technically not a food, whey protein is still a great way of getting more quality protein into your diet to help you recover and build muscle. Whey protein is actually created through the process of churning milk into cheese and has very few calories in it. Depending upon the supplement brand, whey protein normally has hardly any carbohydrates or fat in making it great for both weight loss and muscle building.
If your looking for an effective protein supplement try Crazy Bulk Product, or Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey. Their whey protein supplement is probably the most popular one on the market at the moment and has been for some time so make sure you take a look at it if you are serious about adding more protein to your diet.
Low Fat Dairy Products
Low-fat dairy products like skim milk, yogurt, and low-fat cottage cheese can all be excellent additions to your diet, provided that you aren't lactose intolerant. If your body processes dairy well, then I strongly suggest you add these items to your diet. Try to steer clear of whole milk, ice cream, and high-fat cheeses because the benefits of the protein and calcium contained can be outweighed by the extremely high fat content.
Products such as low fat milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese are all extremely convenient sources of food as all can be purchased in a nearby shop/supermarket and taken to work with you if needed. They can also be consumed straight out of a carton and do not require any preparation before eating.
Take a tub of low fat cottage cheese with you to work and you have over 30 grams of quality protein readily available to you when you have a spare few minutes to eat. Not only this but a tub of low fat cottage cheese has only about 280 calories in it which is great if you're looking to clean bulk or even if you are on a diet.
Kidney Beans
This superfood is often overlooked in many athletes diets, but with high protein content, next to no fat, high fiber, and a host of other nutrients including potassium - kidney beans should be a staple in any athlete's diet. Athletes who are concerned about consuming too much fat with other sources of protein should have kidney beans (as well as other varieties) on their list of protein foods
Nuts
I know what you're thinking - nuts are way too high in fat. Well, some nuts are high in fat, but much of the fact that they contain is "good" fat. Aside from being high in protein, many nuts have a host of other benefits like lowering cholesterol, keeping your heart healthy, and potentially helping the fight against cancer.
Now you've seen what the best protein foods are to build muscle you should have a good idea of what your diet needs to look like. Getting enough protein in your diet is essential to your body's recovery and its ability to build muscle, so make sure that you are consuming enough protein for your size and your workload. Try to cut out any unnecessary fats (the unhealthy ones) in your diet if at all possible. The protein foods mentioned above will help you build muscle and truly reap the rewards of the long hours you put in at the gym.
READ ALSO:
Gaining Muscle 101
Life After Extreme Weight Loss
Best Muscle Building Supplements
