5 Foods That Make and Maintain Muscle

Building muscle goes a long way toward ensuring good health – muscle mass keeps your body and bones strong, keeps blood pumping through your veins, and even helps you maintain a healthy weight. But muscle is one of those things that you either use or lose, so to speak.

There is a strong connection between muscle mass and good health, says Robert Wolfe (in an article on MSNBC), director of Translational Research in Aging and Longevity at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. “As we age, we tend to lose muscle, especially if we are not using it,” says Wolfe. “These losses eventually affect quality of life, our balance, strength and ability to recover from an illness or accident.”

So how do you build muscle and/or keep the muscles you’ve got in great shape? First of all you need to work out. A combination of strength training and cardio training is your best bet. But building muscle is about more than just working out – the right diet plays a crucial role in maximizing that muscle.

5 Foods That Make and Maintain Muscle:

1. Fish. Lean protein is the building block of muscle. Fish is especially important because it’s packed with Omega 3’s – healthy fats that slow the breakdown of muscle. Eating fish is a one-two punch as it both builds and maintains muscle.

2. Sweet potatoes. The potassium and antioxidants in sweet potatoes help build muscle and neutralize free radicals created by working out.

3. Low-fat yogurt. Low-fat yogurt is rich in protein, potassium, calcium and vitamin D, all which your muscles need to function properly. Getting too little Vitamin D is associated with weak muscles.

4. Quinoa. You need good carbs alongside protein so your body is free to use the protein for building tissue and not for supplying energy. Quinoa, a long grain from South America, contains all the essential amino acids your body needs to support muscle proteins.

5. Pumpkin seeds. Loaded with iron, copper, magnesium, and manganese, pumpkin seeds contain the perfect combination of tissue and enzyme forming minerals. Magnesium helps build muscle protein and relaxes muscles after a workout. Manganese is essential to protein-building and contains enzyme antioxidants that help repair damaged muscle. Iron helps build muscle endurance.

Tip: Eating a mix of lean protein and good carbohydrates within 45 minutes of exercise helps your body recover and build muscle mass more efficiently.