Aug 25, 20225 Foods To Consider for a Muscle-Building Diet
While no one food will make you stronger, there are some foods that can aid in the process. In addition to muscle-building training, eating protein-rich, higher-calorie foods aids muscle growth.
Your body then needs a surplus of calories to fuel the muscle-building process.
Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSS*D, owner of Eleat Sports Nutrition spoke with Yahoo! News recently about ways athletes can build muscle through their diets.
Below is an excerpt from the Yahoo! News story.
Full-Fat Greek Yogurt is Packed with Calories and Blends Well with Smoothies
Full-fat Greek yogurt is a great muscle-building food because it’s calorie-dense and protein-rich, Asche said. According to Healthline, 100 grams of full-fat yogurt has 61 calories and 3.5 grams of protein. She said the recommended amount of protein for an active person trying to build muscle was 1.6 to 2 grams per kilograms of body weight (1 kilogram is about 2.2 pounds) a day. The number of calories someone on a muscle-building diet consumes depends on their height, weight, age, level of activity, and fitness goals, she said. Experts generally recommend eating 10 to 20% more calories than your body needs for muscle growth.
The full-fat version of yogurt has more calories, as well as healthy fats, Asche said, which helps the body absorb nutrients, regulate hormones, and reduce inflammation.
Avocados Are A Calorie-Dense Vegan Option
Asche recommends avocados as another calorie-dense food that can be added to a variety of meals. There are about 250 calories in one medium avocado. Asche said she puts them on sandwiches and eggs to add calories and fats to her meal.
She added that avocados are also a great source of vitamin E and fiber.
Fatty Fish Are Full of Protein and Can Reduce Inflammation
Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, herring, and halibut are another great source of protein, Asche said. They’re full of Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation when strength training, she said. Omega-3s are also an essential nutrient that the body is not able to make on its own and have been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
These fish are also packed with healthy fats, which bulks up the calorie content, Asche said.
Nuts Are A Protein-Filled Snack
Nuts are a great snack to have when you’re trying to build muscle because they’re high in protein and calories, Asche said. An ounce of nuts typically contains 173 calories.
The sports nutritionist said she recommends walnuts because of their high-calorie count and Omega-3s. The flavor is also not overpowering so walnuts can be added to smoothies and yogurt for extra calories and protein, she said.
Tempeh Is More Calorie-Rich Than Other Vegan Options
Asche said tempeh is a great protein source for vegetarians and vegans who want to build muscle because it has more protein than other non-meat options. It’s also a higher-calorie food than other protein-rich foods like chickpeas or black beans, she said, so you don’t have to eat as much of it. According to Healthline, 1 cup of chickpeas is about 269 calories, while a cup of tempeh is about 315 calories.
To read the full story from Yahoo! News, click here.
