11 best foods to increase muscle mass

Discover the 11 best foods to increase muscle mass.

For many men and women trying to increase muscle mass is not easy. No matter how hard you fight and try to train, if you do not have an adequate diet, you will hardly get the results you are looking for.

In the following article, we will talk about the foods that benefit the goal of increasing muscle mass, allowing the concentration of calories that allows to generate and develop muscle tissue. 

What foods should be eaten to increase muscle mass?

Certain specific foods benefit the goal of increasing muscle mass by including them in our diet.

Therefore, the 11 best ones are mentioned and described below to consider them and understand their use.

1. Beef

This is essential for the development and construction of lean muscle, due to its high content of protein, iron, zinc, and vitamins.

In addition to that, they provide a large number of benefits to the body due to the biological quality of their organic molecules.

2. Chicken

A chicken breast contains a contribution of 30gr of protein for every 100 consumed. Undoubtedly an essential food for all those who seek to gain muscle mass.

They are low in fat and rich in nutrients, so they not only fulfill the function of muscle development but also confer a large number of benefits to the body.

3. Natural tuna

Tuna is one of the most recommended foods for muscle growth, as well as being vital in any diet. It is rich in protein and high in omega 3.

4. Eggs

They are recognized as the perfect protein for increasing lean muscle and obtaining physical strength. Besides being an incredible source of micronutrients.

5. Brown rice

Brown rice has been shown to increase levels of growth hormone (GH), which are essential to stimulate muscle growth, strength gain, and fat loss.

6. Soy protein

Among all the natural foods that help increase muscle mass, soy protein could not be absent. It is well known that all legumes are excellent and essential for our body, and their consumption allows us to substitute red meat. Among these, soy is in the first place since it contains a good amount of protein.

7. Beet

Excellent source of betaine. This nutrient not only improves joint and liver repair, but betaine also helps the athlete to improve their performance, increasing their muscular endurance and increasing their physical strength.

8. Milk

Due to its important content in casein and whey, in addition to being a very complete food with nutritional and beneficial contributions to the health of the body, it is also rich in amino acids.

9. Wheat germ

This product is rich in carbohydrates and proteins, B complex vitamins, zinc, magnesium and has a good amount of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), so in addition to helping the body to develop muscle tissue, it confers a great variety of properties and benefits.

10. Spinach

It contains an extraordinary source of glutamine, an amino acid important for muscle growth.

It is an extremely nutritious vegetable and its inclusion in the diet will allow the production of energy and obtain many health benefits.

11. Cottage cheese

Due to its considerable content of casein protein, cottage cheese is an ideal protein source to take before going to sleep.

If we maintain a diet to increase adequate muscle mass and learn to recognize the value of natural foods, together with an exercise routine proportional to our physical capacity, we can develop and increase our muscles in a healthy way.

Example of a diet to increase muscle mass

Scheduled for about 800 calories at breakfast

•Two whole eggs

•A cup of oatmeal

•A slice of bread (preferably whole wheat) spread with peanut butter

•An orange

Scheduled for about 700 calories mid-morning

•A can of tuna accompanied with bread

•Two tablespoons of light mayonnaise

•A large banana with a cup of skim milk

•12 almonds or walnuts

Scheduled for about 800 calories in food

•One and a half cups of brown rice preferably

•A grilled chicken breast

•Half raw pepper and mushrooms to accompany

•Dress with olive oil

•A piece of fruit

Scheduled for about 500 calories mid-afternoon

•400 mL milk

•50g oatmeal

•30 grams of protein powder

•A banana

Scheduled for about 800 calories at dinner

•A steak of meat

•A medium measure of whole wheat pasta

•2 large servings of boiled vegetables

•Dress with olive oil

•A piece of fruit

•A yogurt

Key Findings

Food is the key to increasing muscle mass. Physical activity will never be enough to achieve this, so we must recognize the principle of action and ally with our diet.

Foods rich in protein, of animal or plant origin, allow the construction and strengthening of muscle tissue. Therefore, we tend to see that protein powder is a widely used supplement for physical activities.

The recommended diet is stipulated from the number of calories that must be ingested so that the physical activity carried out compensates for the production of muscle tissue.

It is important to ensure a high-calorie intensity intake without excessively increasing the amount of food eaten.