For anyone serious about building muscle, diet is a critical consideration. We all know that if you want to build muscle, you have to make sure you’re getting enough protein. But for those serious about building muscle, protein is about quality as well as quantity. Here we present the best of the best protein sources.
Whey protein
Of course, this one’s no special building lean muscle diet secret. In fact, it’s the most well known muscle building food! But that’s not without good reason; it has the highest biological value of all proteins, and so it’s absorbed faster than any other, aiding your muscle growth more than any other food possibly can. When you take it right after training, it’s best to include some refined carbohydrate, as the quick insulin release enhances protein synthesis for better muscle growth.
Chicken
Chicken breast is a good source of B vitamins, omega-3, and it’s low in saturated fat, making it a great protein source for muscle development. Of course, you need to eat it without the skin, and the organic form is more nutrient rich.
Beef
This is one of the best natural sources of creatine, a substance rarely left out of a healthy diet for building muscle. It’s also a good source of zinc, which helps in repairing your muscles after they’ve reached hypertrophy. It’s best to opt for beef from grass fed cows, as opposed to grain fed ones; the former is far more nutrient dense.
Lamb
It’s a good alternative to beef, as lamb is also high in zinc. It’s a good source of selenium to boot, as well as B vitamins.
Cod
It has one of the lowest saturated fat contents of all animal proteins. It’s also rich in magnesium, which helps your body generate the energy you need for vigorous training.
Vegetarian options
The best veggie friendly protein sources for a building muscle diet are legumes and whole grains. While these protein sources are not as dense as the animal ones mentioned above, they can quite easily be combined with other vegetarian proteins to ensure you’re getting as much protein as you need. For example, when making porridge you can use milk instead of water, and you could also add soy protein isolate if desired.
Tofu is also a great source to remember, as it’s rich in manganese which is used by the body to strengthen bones, and metabolise macro-nutrients. It also contains unsaturated fats which can help get anti-inflammatory agents get to your muscles, allowing you to recover faster from training.
There you have it, whether you eat meat or not you now know which protein sources you can rely on to build muscle quickly. Remember to keep records of your progress, as adjusting to what works for you as an individual is one of the key secrets to muscle building.
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