Nutrition is a fundamental piece for those aiming to build muscle mass.
Food choices need to be meticulously made to achieve satisfactory results.
However, it’s not just about consuming calories without considering the quality of the food. Here are 5 essential foods that should be part of your diet if you want to gain more muscle mass.
1. Banana
Bananas are rich in carbohydrates. A small banana contains about 25g of carbohydrates.
It’s an excellent option that doesn’t require consuming a large quantity of the food. Just for comparison, 100g of white rice has approximately 28g of carbohydrates.
When comparing the quantity of food, it’s easier to eat a banana than 100g of rice.
But this is just to illustrate the quantity relationship; don’t replace rice with bananas and stop eating rice altogether, haha.
2. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter can be both helpful and harmful if not consumed mindfully.
It’s a high-calorie food with a good amount of healthy fats.
However, excessive consumption can hinder progress by introducing more fat into our bodies than needed.
Peanut butter can be combined with other foods to create a well-rounded meal in terms of macros.
For example, with bananas: you can blend bananas with peanut butter, whole milk, and whey protein.
Creating a smoothie for breakfast, for instance.
3. OATS
Oats are a cereal rich in various nutrients beneficial for health, available in flour, flakes, or bran forms.
Many associate fiber with a healthy diet, but few are aware of the actual benefits this superfood offers and the nutrients in oats responsible for these effects.
That’s right. Oats are rich in beta-glucans, a dietary fiber with numerous health benefits, making it a standout nutrient in oats.
For those aiming to build muscle mass, oats can be consumed to increase carbohydrate and fiber intake, providing more energy for workouts and aiding muscle recovery.
Moreover, oats are abundant in other nutrients important for muscle growth, such as minerals and protein.
4. Eggs
Sometimes, it’s challenging to find good protein sources for breakfast, as the primary sources are usually meat.
In Brazil, it’s not common to have meat for breakfast, leaving dairy as the only option, which isn’t always accepted by everyone.
Eggs are a great choice to boost protein intake at breakfast due to their excellent amino acid profile.
Eggs are an excellent protein source that can help stimulate muscle gain and prevent catabolism.
The quantity, of course, varies according to your nutritional needs.
Adding eggs to your breakfast will ensure you get the necessary amount of this nutrient and kickstart your day with an anabolic boost.
5. Rice
White rice is a carbohydrate source primarily meant to provide energy. It’s the most consumed type of rice in Brazil.
It’s a source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, and E. Rich in complex carbohydrates, it provides energy for all metabolic activities.
It also contains phosphorus, iron, and calcium, contributing to red blood cell formation and cellular regeneration.
White rice is quickly digested, allowing for efficient absorption by muscles during workouts.
If you opt for brown rice, it also provides fiber, essential for proper intestinal function and the prevention of diseases such as:
- Colorectal cancer;
- Obesity; and
- Diabetes.
Let’s not forget that rice has low sodium content and minimal amounts of fat.
So, which of these foods are you already consuming, and which ones do you need to incorporate?
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Delano Pinheiro 