Just like your training, nutrition is key to building muscle.

Come to think of it 🤔. This is where most get it all wrong.

This is where most kill all their hard work and sweat at the gym.

So… They go to the gym, work their butt off, then they eat junk (or they eat the right food but, once in a while or a kajillion years).

Then wonder why they see no changes or sign of muscle when they look at themselves on the mirror.

DON’T BE LIKE MOST

Give your Muscles the nutrients that they need to grow bigger and stronger.

Here Are 20 Best Foods For Muscles

1. Milk

At the top of the list we have milk.

Milk is rich in high quality protein (a building block for muscle), carbohydrates and micronutrients that are very essential for muscle growth.

2. Eggs

Not only rich in high quality protein, eggs supply all 9 essential amino acids needed for muscle growth, recovery and building minerals such as calcium and zinc.

  • 3-6 eggs per day will be enough to gain weight

3. Salmon

When it comes to building muscle…

Salmon will always be on the list

It is a good food for both muscle and overall health, packed with a load of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, that help build and repair muscle tissue.

DID YOU KNOW

Eating salmon may reduce the risk of heart disease.

4. Cheese

Cheese – especially ricotta cheese is packed with a ton of protein and many other nutrients essential for muscle.

Apart from building muscle, cheese is good for bones since it’s made from milk, and milk contains a load of calcium (a mineral essential for maintaining strong bones and teeth).

Other Benefits Of Eating Cheese Include:

  • Improved heart health
  • It could protect your teeth from cavities
  • Fends off diabetes

5. Tuna

One of the many fatty fish high in protein.

Tuna is a great choice for building muscle. Not only is it high in protein, it also contains a load of omega-3 fatty acids and high amounts of vitamin A and B.

6. Shrimp

DID YOU KNOW – Shrimp is almost completely made-up of protein.

Not only a great source of protein, shrimp contains a good amount of potassium (a nutrient essential for muscle tissue growth, shown to help prevent muscle weakness and cramps).

Some Health Benefits Include:

  • Reduced blood pressure
  • It may help protect against strokes
  • May help prevent kidney strokes
  • May reduce water retention

7. Lean Beef

Lean beef, especially red meat has been shown to increase the amount of lean mass gained with strength training.

It is loaded with high levels of protein and is a great source of iron and zinc, two crucial muscle-building nutrients.

Lean beef also contains a fair amount of B vitamins and creatine (which has been shown to improve strength, increase lean muscle mass, and help the muscles recover more quickly during exercise).

8. Chicken Breast

This is a common source of protein for most.

Eating chicken breast won’t only help you build muscle, but will help you stay fuller longer. This is because chicken is composed mostly of protein, which takes longer to digest than carbohydrates such as rice, bread or spaghetti.

9. Turkey Breast

Just like chicken breast, turkey breast provides a high level of protein.

But… Chicken breast is higher in protein than turkey breast, but turkey thigh is minimally higher in protein than chicken thigh.

If we were to compare 28 grams (g) of cooked breast meat, chicken has just 1g protein more than turkey.

  • Chicken breast: 9g
  • Turkey breast: 8g

When we compare 28g of thigh meat, turkey provides an extra 1g of protein compared to chicken.

  • Chicken thigh: 7g
  • Turkey thigh: 8g

10. Red Meats

DID YOU KNOW – Red meat is better than white meat when it comes to building muscle.

Turns out red meat not only contains higher levels of protein, but also contains higher levels of iron, zinc and B vitamins.

Examples Of Red Meat Include:

  • Beef (including burgers)
  • Pork
  • Goat
  • Lamb and mutton

11. Tofu

Tofu, AKA bean curd, is a great choice for building muscle.

Not only does tofu (or bean curd) provide high amounts of protein, but it also helps build and maintain muscle mass, increase muscle strength and helps muscles recover after a long day at the gym (thanks to it’s high content of all 9 essential amino acids).

12. Chickpeas

Fruits and vegetables are usually the last group of foods that come to people’s mind, when it comes to building muscle or gaining.

But not this one…

Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein. One cup provides; 269g of calories, 14.5g of protein, 45g of carbs and 12.5g of fiber.

13. Peanuts And Peanut Butter

DID YOU KNOW – One tablespoon of peanut butter provides four grams of protein, making it a go to source of protein for building muscle.

As for peanuts, they contain a ton of beneficial fats, vitamins and minerals, and give your muscles the energy they need during a workout/exercise.

1 cup of peanuts provides; 37.67g of protein, 23.55g of carbohydrates and 12.4g of fiber.

14. Quinoa

Foods rich in protein are very essential for muscle growth, but we also need to understand the importance of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are a must for any muscle building diet.

Quinoa ain’t only a go to protein source, it’s also high in carbs.

1 cup of cooked quinoa has more than 39 grams of carbohydrates, fueling your muscles and giving you the energy you need at the gym.

15. Beans

These come in different names and colours.

  • Fava beans
  • Pinto beans
  • Kidney beans
  • Mung beans
  • Lima beans

One cup (171g) of pinto beans boiled with salt provides;

  • Calorie: 245
  • Carbs: 45g
  • Fiber: 15g
  • Protein: 15g

16. Brown Rice

Don’t take this the wrong way

White rice is an excellent go to food for muscle growth.

In fact, majority of bodybuilders and powerlifters prefer white rice over brown rice.

But… Brown rice is a better option at most times of the day because the carbs it contains are less likely to be stored as body fat compared with those found in white rice.

Brown rice also contains more protein, carbs and fiber than white rice.

17. Buckwheat

Not only a great source of protein, buckwheat contains a fair amount of carbohydrates, fiber, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium and iron. All you need to build muscle. 

This unique grain has the ability to boost muscle building power.

One cup, or 168 grams (g), of roasted, cooked buckwheat groats contains;

  • 5.68g of protein
  • 1.04g of fat
  • 33.5g of carbohydrates
  • 4.5g of fiber
  • 148 milligrams (mg) of potassium
  • 118mg of phosphorus
  • 86mg of magnesium
  • 12mg of calcium
  • 1.34mg of iron

18. Lentils

Lentils are a plant-based protein.

One cup, or 198 grams (of cooked lentils) provides; 230 calories, 39.9g of carbs, 17.9g of protein, and 15.6g of fiber.

19. Edamame

A decent source of soy protein, edamame helps store and transport oxygen in your body and muscles, thanks to it’s amazing source of iron.

  • Lack of oxygen to muscles may cause pain, ache, discomfort or fatigue when you hit the gym or perform an exercise.

One cup, or 155g of shelled edamame pods contains;

  • Calories: 188
  • Protein: 18.4g
  • Carbohydrates: 13.8g
  • Fiber: 8g

DID YOU KNOW

Edamame has almost the same amount of protein as three large egg’s.

20. Jerky

Jerky is a perfect on the go source of high quality protein.

Dried beef or turkey jerky contains 10-15g of protein per Oz.

Most of the fat has been removed while making it, which means that you’re only getting calories from the protein in the meat.

SUMMARY

Jerky makes the perfect protein-rich snack that you can easily transport to the gym or your workplace.

Other Foods Great For Muscle Include:

21. Greek yogurt – Five ounces (Oz) of Greek yogurt contains about 12-18g of protein.

22. Homemade protein smoothies – I recommend you make your own homemade smoothie, since store-bought protein shakes are typically loaded with sugar and lack some nutrients.

23. Lean pork – Lean pork or fresh ham contains nearly 40g of protein per cup.

24. Tilapia – Just like your favorite seafood, tilapia contains a load of protein. A single (87-gram) fillet provides around 23 grams (g) of protein.

25. Avocados – A single avocado provides 332 calories, 29g of healthy fats, and 17g of fiber.

CONCLUSION

Just like your training nutrition is key to muscle growth.

You need to eat protein-rich foods, combined with essential carbohydrates and fats to fuel you during workouts.

Now remember… When you step out of the gym, you need the right foods to help your muscle tissues recover and grow bigger and stronger.

So… Which of the foods above are your favorite muscle food or weight gain snack? Let me know in the comments 😉.