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Food for Lean Muscle Building

To build muscle, your body needs proteins, including both essential and nonessential amino acids. However, many of the most "complete" proteins come from foods that are also high in saturated fat. To avoid the negative impact of too much fat intake, carefully choose protein-rich foods to build lean muscle.

  1. Eggs

    • Eggs are a good source of protein, and you can reduce the saturated fat content by eating just the egg whites. Opinions differ on whether it's best to eat the yolks and gain the added benefit of Vitamin B12, or skip the yolk due to the fat content. Consider your personal health goals and pre-existing factors, such as cholesterol levels.

    Lean Meat, Poultry & Fish

    • Poultry has long been lauded for its low-fat benefits, but fish like salmon is growing in popularity with health conscious eaters. Fish contains significant levels of protein and also has omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Another good choice for those looking to build lean muscle are extra-lean cuts of beef.

    Low-Fat Dairy Products

    • You can increase your protein intake with favorites like milk, yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese. These foods also supply other needed nutrients such as calcium.

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