What Foods Promote Muscle Growth?

The simple answer to the question of which foods promote muscle growth is protein. Body builders and trainers will tell you, that while protein is essential to muscle development and growth, it is the combination of essential amino acids, as well as the combination of protein and carbohydrates, that best promote muscle growth.

The Facts

• Amino acids are the essential building blocks for proteins. While our bodies are capable of producing the majority of the amino acids required, there are nine amino acids which are called essential amino acids, which can only be obtained from digesting protein rich foods. For our bodies to build muscle tissue, all nine of these amino acids must be present in our bodies. These amino acids can be found in skinless turkey or chicken, pork, fish and lean red meat, as well as soy beans. Additional protein sources can be found in some vegetables, grains and fruits, but they are incomplete in that they do not provide all nine essential amino acids.

Misconceptions

• Protein was once believed to be the main source of energy for muscle, but it is now known that carbohydrates provide this energy. Protein still has an important role to play in increasing muscle mass and exercise. Exercising stresses muscle, which leads to a process of muscle breakdown, maintenance and growth. When dietary protein is consumed prior to exercise, the muscle breakdown is minimized, and muscle growth is stimulated.

Benefits

• Consuming carbohydrates in addition to proteins is the best way to build muscle. Carbohydrates cause a release of insulin, and insulin has been proven to decrease post-exercise muscle breakdown. When muscle breakdown is decreased, the muscle spends more energy in growth than repair. Therefore, it is likely that the combination of digested carbohydrates and protein causes an insulin release, which inhibits the breakdown of protein, and results in the amino acid stimulating muscle growth.

Solution

• Studies as reported by Jaclyn Maurer, PhD, RD in her report on protein fueling are showing that 0.045 grams of essential amino acids (found in complete protein sources) per pound body weight, plus 0.23 grams of carbohydrates per pound is all the body requires to build muscle growth. For a 130 pound individual, this amount of protein and carbohydrates can be found in 8 oz. of low-fat yogurt. Purchasing special protein powders and shakes is unnecessary, as often they contain far more protein and carbohydrates than necessary to stimulate muscle growth.

Other Suggestions

• Other ideas for pre or post exercise protein and carbohydrate balanced snacks include:
  1 cup low-fat cottage cheese and one small apple
  2 tablespoons natural peanut butter and two slices of high-fiber bread
  1 orange and ¼ cup nuts
  Whatever you choose to eat, it is the balance of proteins and carbohydrates that leads to the most muscle growth. It has yet to be conclusively determined if the best time to eat is before or after exercising.