9 Muscle Building Foods for Lean Mass

Building muscle is a dedicated process which requires proper physical training and balanced nutrition from healthy foods. Factors such as sleep and stress management should also be taken into consideration for healthy muscle building.

To build lean muscle mass, it is not only important to hit the gym and work out consistently, but also to provide your body with the right nutrition for consistent recovery of your muscles. Including the right ingredients in your diet might just work wonders on your journey towards building lean muscle.

Eating right for muscle building does not involve any out-of-the-world ingredients you have never heard of. Our everyday foodstuffs incorporated into our food can help you achieve your goals like muscle building as they are packed in with rich sources of proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and carbs.

Muscle Building Foods for Lean Mass

Here are 9 muscle-building foods which you can incorporate into your diet to improve your muscle health.

1. Eggs

Having high protein content with all 9 essential amino acids, healthy fats, essential nutrients like biotin, vitamin A, Choline and antioxidants, eggs are the first choice of fitness experts when it comes to building muscles. 

Eggs contain a large amount of the amino acid leucine, which is particularly important for building muscle. Eggs should be eaten whole with the yolk, but people having difficulty controlling their total and LDL cholesterol may instead choose only egg whites.

2. Chicken breast

Chicken breast is an excellent source of lean protein, which means protein without a lot of accompanying fat. Most of the calories in chicken breast come from protein.

85g of boneless chicken breast has 128 calories and 26g of protein. It is also a source of Vitamins B, Niacin and B6, which may help you during physical activity and is optimal for muscle gain.

3. Shrimp

Shrimp is packed with nutrition. It is not only low in calories but also provides high-quality protein and healthy fats. It contains vitamins A, C Calcium and iron. Shrimp is a good source of omega-3-fatty acids, which helps in muscle recovery and motion.

4. Quinoa

Quinoa is classified as whole grain and is a good source of plant protein and fibre, which is important for muscle building. It is a complete protein and is naturally gluten-free.

5. Soybean

Soybeans are mainly composed of protein, but also contain a good amount of carbs and fat. 100g of boiled soybean contains 18 g of protein, which helps in muscle growth and helps reduce loss of lean body mass during weight loss.

6. Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is a good source of whey protein as it helps in replenishing muscles quickly after a workout and casein protein, which is a slow-acting protein that allows your muscles to continue recovering even after you sleep. Hence, many fitness enthusiasts like to consume cottage cheese after a workout or before going to bed.

7. Nuts

Almonds, peanuts, walnuts, cashew nuts etc. contain valuable amounts of protein and nutrients that can support muscle gain and fitness. They are also rich in magnesium, which can help when you are trying to max your muscle power.

8. Protein Bars

Protein bars provide a good number of proteins, vitamins and minerals necessary for building and maintaining lean muscle mass and recovery of muscle proteins after workouts. A good way to replenish your body and repair the daily wear and tear is to have a good protein bar.

9. Pulses

Pulses are one important source of proteins for vegetarians. Chickpeas, pigeon peas, moong dal, masoor dal and many others are very good sources of protein. These are very effective as a post-workout meal to bulk up. Sprouted pulses are easy to incorporate into salads.

Building Lean muscle mass is important as it benefits in

  • Reducing your risk of injury
  • Decreases body fat
  • Improves bone density
  • Improving your blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity
  • Increases strength
  • Increase performance output
  • Increase power and endurance
  • Increase mobility and balance
  • Increase metabolic efficiency

Taking these benefits into account, a protein-based diet would go a long way in building lean muscle mass.