Both nutrition and physical activity are critical if you want to gain lean muscle or strong muscle.
To get started, it’s essential to challenge your body through physical activity. However, without proper nutritional support, your progress will stall.
High-protein foods are very important for gaining strong muscle, but carbohydrates and fats are also necessary sources of energy.
If your goal is to gain lean muscle, you should focus on exercising regularly and eating more calories each day from muscle-building foods.
Here are 10 of the top foods for gaining Strong Muscle in Body :
1. Chicken Breast
There’s a good reason why chicken breasts are considered a staple for gaining muscle.
They are packed with protein, with each 3-ounce (85-gram) serving containing about 26 grams of high-quality protein.
They also contain generous amounts of the B vitamins niacin and B6, which may be particularly important if you are active.
These vitamins help your body function properly during the physical activity and exercise that’s necessary for optimal muscle gain.
What’s more, some research has shown that higher-protein diets containing chicken may aid fat loss.
2. Beans
Many different varieties of beans can be part of a diet for lean muscle gain.
Popular varieties, such as black, pinto and kidney beans, contain around 15 grams of protein per cup (about 172 grams) of cooked beans.
What’s more, they are excellent sources of fiber and B vitamins, in addition to being high in magnesium, phosphorus and iron.
For these reasons, beans are a good source of plant-based protein to add to your diet.
What’s more, they may play a role in long-term health and disease prevention.
3. Peanuts
Peanuts contain a mix of protein, fat and carbs. A half-cup (73-gram) serving contains 17 grams of protein, 16 grams of carbs and large amounts of unsaturated fat.
They also contain higher amounts of the amino acid leucine than many other plant products.
Each half-cup (73-gram) serving of peanuts contains around 425 calories.
So if you’re having a hard time getting enough calories to drive your muscle gain, eating peanuts could be a good way to get some extra calories and nutrients.
Additionally, nuts are thought to play an important role in an overall healthy diet.
4. Brown Rice
Although cooked brown rice provides only 5 grams of protein per cup (195 grams), it has the carbohydrates you need to fuel your physical activity.
Consider eating healthy carb sources like brown rice or quinoa in the hours leading up to exercise.
This may allow you to exercise harder, providing your body with a greater stimulus for your muscles to grow.
Furthermore, some research has shown that rice protein supplements can produce as much muscle gain as whey protein during a weight-training program.
5. Salmon
Salmon is a great choice for muscle building and overall health.
Each 3-ounce (85-gram) serving of salmon contains about 17 grams of protein, almost 2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids and several important B vitamins.
Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in muscular health and may even increase muscle gain during exercise programs.
6. Greek Yogurt
Dairy not only contains high-quality protein, but also a mixture of fast-digesting whey protein and slow-digesting casein protein.
Some research has shown that people experience increases in lean mass when they consume a combination of fast- and slow-digesting dairy proteins.
However, not all dairy is created equal.
For example, Greek yogurt often contains approximately double the amount of protein as regular yogurt.
While Greek yogurt is a good snack anytime, eating it after a workout or before bed may be beneficial due to its mixture of fast- and slow-digesting proteins.
7. Soybeans
Half a cup (86 grams) of cooked soybeans contains 14 grams of protein, healthy unsaturated fats and several vitamins and minerals.
Soybeans are a particularly good source of vitamin K, iron and phosphorus.
Iron is used to store and transport oxygen in your blood and muscles, and a deficiency can impair these functions.
Young women may be particularly at risk of iron deficiency due to blood loss during menstruation.
8. Protein Powders
While any good diet should focus on whole foods, there are times when dietary supplements can be beneficial.
If you struggle to get enough protein from foods alone, you could consider adding protein shakes to your daily routine.
Dairy protein powders, such as whey and casein, are some of the most popular.
However, there are other options too. Some protein powders use soy, pea, beef or chicken protein.
You can find a variety of protein powders online
9. Milk
Milk provides a mix of protein, carbohydrates and fats that helps to gain strong muscle.
Similar to other dairy products, milk contains both fast- and slow-digesting proteins.
This is thought to be beneficial for muscle growth. In fact, several studies have shown that people can increase their muscle mass when they drink milk in combination with weight training.
10. Eggs
Eggs contain high-quality protein, healthy fats and other important nutrients like B vitamins and choline.
Proteins are made up of amino acids, and eggs contain large amounts of the amino acid leucine, which is particularly important for muscle gain.
Also, B vitamins are critically important for a variety of processes in your body, including energy production.