Gain Muscle mass – Now that you can take more care of your diet, be sure to include the right amount of protein. These are 12 foods that cannot be missing from your menus if you want to increase muscle mass.
Table of Contents
#1. Spinach
This vegetable contains a remarkable source of glutamine, an amino acid important for the development of lean muscle mass. It also helps increase endurance and muscle tone.
You can prepare it raw in a salad. If you add carrot, fresh cheese, and some nuts, the result is a light and, at the same time, a protein starter.
#2. Low-Fat Dairy
You will find a valuable source of protein of animal origin in milk and its derivatives (yogurts and cheeses). The important thing is that you choose their skim or low-fat versions.
- If you take them at night, in addition to recovering muscle, you will be promoting rest, thanks to its tryptophan content, an essential amino acid that helps control insomnia.
- The cottage cheese -very like cottage cheese without pressure- is a real treat for the musculature that contains casein, a protein that digests slowly.
#3. Eggs
This food(egg) is considered one of the most complete that exists. It highlights a large number of nutrients it has, its bioavailability (in relation to the nutrients present in other foods), and the balance of the amino acids in its protein.
Most of the proteins are in the white, while the fats are concentrate in the yolk.
#4. Turkey and Chicken
Taking advantage of the proteins of white meats such as chicken, turkey, or rabbit means that in addition to gaining muscle(Gain Muscle mass), we will be avoiding the saturated fats of red meats such as veal or lamb. For every 100 grams of chicken breast, you get 30 grams of protein.
Avoid cooking it in the batter. Ideally, prepare grilled breasts and avoid sauces and mayonnaises, unless they are low in fat.
#5. Vegetables
Food of animal origin is an excellent source of protein. However, also some vegetables, especially legumes, provide this nutrient to the body.
- When we consume protein foods of plant origin, it is essential to combine them with other foods that complete the list of amino acids that we need. For example, an excellent mix is a plate of chickpeas or lentils with rice.
- In addition, legumes provide you with a large amount of magnesium, which can help reduce cramps.
- Its fiber also benefits you: some studies have verified that a low fiber diet favors muscle contractions.
#6. Tuna
It is one of the foods made up almost exclusively of proteins, it is easily metabolized, and it is a perfect ally to increase(Gain) muscle mass. Tuna has more protein content of high biological value (23 grams per 100 grams) than meat.
- Once inside the body, its omega 3 promotes the production of proteins that improve the recovery of injured muscles and reduces the risk of ramps.
- Other bluefish, such as salmon or sardines, are also a good source of omega 3.
- An excellent way to prepare tuna is a grill with a few garlic peppers, a dash of lemon, and a handful of parsley.
#7. Red meat
Meat is one of the foods that provide the most protein. The richest in this nutrient is a horse, followed by beef. However, it is preferable to consume chicken meat, which, although it is not red meat, contains as much protein as horse meat and much less fat, which makes it a much healthier option.
#8. Peanuts
They are not the best source of protein, but if we combine them with legumes or whole grains, we can achieve a complete protein. The nuts with the highest protein content are peanuts, walnuts, and almonds.
- You can eat a handful at breakfast or mid-morning, as a snack. But do not overdo it, since these foods provide a large amount of calories. Peanuts contain 567 calories per 100 grams.
- In addition, nuts and some seeds (such as sunflower seeds) are very rich in magnesium, essential to maintain good muscle tone and avoid injury.
#9. Sweet potato
Roasted sweet potato is an excellent way to obtain potassium, essential to gain muscle mass.
- Helps maintain the body’s water balance, nerve impulse, and muscle contraction.
- In addition, a small amount is enough to feel satiated, and its sweet flavor will make you want something less healthy.
#10. Banana
In addition to being rich in carbohydrates, essential when doing some type of muscle training, it contains three essential nutrients for your muscles.
- It is one of the richest foods in potassium, and, in addition, it provides you with a good dose of magnesium and calcium.
- In addition, it can be of great help in preventing muscle spasms.
#11. Avocado
Avocado gives you approximately 1000 milligrams of potassium.
You can add it to your salads, eat it for dessert or spread it on the morning toast to prepare your muscles early in the day.
#12. Citrus
Any citrus fruit suits you because its vitamin C is necessary to make collagen, which is present in muscle fibers and keeps them elastic.
To ensure that your body receives the necessary amount of this vitamin, take one orange (or two tangerines) and two kiwis daily.
Advantages OF Increasing Muscle Mass
Eating consciously so that your muscles are in shape and have all the nutrients they need provides you with numerous benefits:
- Helps prevent fractures. By strengthening connective tissues, bone density increases, and, incidentally, the risk of injury and the chances of getting osteoporosis are reduced.
- Metabolic rate increases. The more muscle we have, the higher our resting metabolic rate. That is, without doing anything, you can burn calories.
- You gain quality of life. Among other things, increasing muscle mass helps boost balance, regulates the amount of sugar in the blood, improves the quality of sleep, and relaxes the mind.
- Improve posture. And it can prevent nonspecific back pain (the cause of which is not usually discovered).
How Long Does it Take to Gain Muscle Mass?
If, in addition to eating well, you have proposed to gain muscle following a training routine. You should know that different aspects intervene in the results. First, genetic. In this matter, we can do little. The other three factors are:
- The type of training.
- Feeding.
- Rest.
People who start to build muscle notice changes in muscle volume in the first two months. But they are the consequence of an increase in muscle glycogen reserves, which in turn retain fluid.
In this matter, you have to think long term. A visible muscle gain requires time and perseverance. The first year of gymnastics already begins to notice the gain of muscle, but it is from the second when the changes start to be considerable.
The Importance of Taking Care of the Muscles
If throughout our lives, we have not been too constant and regular with physical exercise, from the age of 40, we lose up to 8% of muscle mass in the following 10 years.
From that moment, everything accelerates: if we continue to lead a more sedentary than active life, as we enter the seventh decade of life, that loss increases up to 15%.
