Mackerel comes from the
same family as tuna but has a higher omega-3 content, which helps limit
the chronic inflammation generated by intense hypertrophy-based
training. Mackerel contains a variety of other nutrients, including
large amounts of
zinc, which is essential for maintaining testosterone levels.
A 2011 study found that adding zinc to the diet of hard-training
athletes increased testosterone levels following exhaustive exercise.
And a 2007 study on the hormonal effects of extra zinc found that it can
also prevent the decrease of thyroid hormones that results from intense
resistance training.


The nitrates found naturally in beets increase vasodilation and
improve performance. A recent study published in the Journal of the
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that eating two medium-sized
beets
an hour and fifteen minutes prior to exercise improved performance,
reduced the perceived level of exertion, and decreased the amount of
oxygen that subjects' bodies needed to complete a workout.
This "rewiring" of the muscular mitochondria opens the door for you
to force your body to do more work than it would normally be able to,
allowing you to elicit a greater growth stimulus from intense,
hypertrophy-based resistance training.
Greek yogurt is produced
in part by straining excess liquid and carbohydrates from regular
yogurt; the resulting concentrated product has twice the protein. Just
check the ingredient list before you buy, though, as some companies like
to cut corners by adding thickeners and gelling agents, such as pectin,
in an effort to give inferior products that classic Greek yogurt taste
and texture. The straining process used to create Greek yogurt results
in a higher concentration of
casein, a slower-digesting milk protein that provides the body with a steady increase in blood amino-acid levels.
A 2012 study published in Medicine and Science in Sports &
Exercise showed that consuming casein before going to sleep provided an
increase in blood amino-acid levels that was sustained throughout the
night and yielded a 22% increase in protein synthesis. Depending on your
calorie needs, you can use
full- or reduced-fat Greek yogurt as part of your muscle-building
efforts—but always reach for the plain version and avoid those with
added fruit and sugar.
Tuna is popular for good reason, but when it comes to raw, muscle-building power,
sardines
are even better. Like tuna, sardines come canned and ready to eat;
however, unlike tuna, which is most often packed in water or the
less-than-appealing vegetable oil, sardines can be easily found in
high-quality
extra-virgin olive oil.
Sardines also have 27 times less mercury than you'd find in canned
albacore tuna. Moreover, four ounces of sardines pack 1.8 grams of
omega-3 fats, while the same amount of canned tuna contains just 0.3
grams. Omega-3 fats, mostly known for their beneficial effects on heart
health, also have anti-inflammatory properties and can help fight
inflammation and joint pain associated with heavy, high-volume training.
More important is their function in making leucine, an amino acid,
more effective in its role as the catalyst for protein synthesis. Some
research also suggests that omega-3 fats can actually help older people
overcome agerelated deficits in anabolism, making omega-3s especially
important for older lifters.
The ability of kimchi, a traditional Korean dish consisting most commonly of fermented napa
cabbage,
onions,
garlic,
and spices, to improve your body composition has less to do with its
scant calories than the way in which it affects other food you consume.
Because kimchi is fermented, it contains beneficial bacteria that help
with digestion and nutrient absorption.
A 2011 study published in Nutrition Research found that adding kimchi
to subjects' diets for four weeks decreased waist size and body fat
percentage while improving blood-sugar control. This makes kimchi a
potential ally in warding off excessive fat gain during your
mass-building cycles.
The easiest way to include kimchi in your diet is to simply have it
as a side dish with your meals. While you can find kimchi in the
international section of most grocery stores, buy it from your local
Asian market whenever possible—your dollar will go a lot further,
allowing you to make kimchi a consistent part of your diet.
When you're out of
protein powder,
chocolate milk
is your next best option after workouts. Chocolate milk naturally
contains a blend of both fast- (whey) and slow-digesting (casein)
proteins. The added sugars in the chocolate boost the total carbohydrate
content of the drink, giving you more muscle-building calories and
recovery-boosting carbs.

Studies show that, compared with a traditional sports drink
containing carbohydrates and electrolytes, chocolate milk is superior at
resynthesizing
muscle glycogen; stopping muscle breakdown through multiple channels;
and kicking muscle growth into action by supporting muscle-protein
synthesis at the molecular level.
One additional anabolic advantage that chocolate milk holds over other
post-workout drinks
is the presence of antioxidants in cocoa that can help reduce the
oxidative, stress-induced muscle damage that occurs after intense
training, especially workouts that emphasize forced reps and negatives.
Almonds contain more protein and
fiber
than most nuts you'll find at the supermarket: One shot glass full of
almonds contains 160 calories and 6 grams of protein. Almonds are also
high in a naturally occurring type of
vitamin E: alpha tocopherol, which is a more effective free-radical scavenger than the synthetic version found in most supplements.

They also contain high levels of
B vitamins—essential
for energy metabolism—making them the perfect adjunct to any
mass-gaining diet; research from City of Hope National Medical Center
suggests that using almonds to increase calories over carbohydrates will
yield better improvements in body composition.
Shuttling nutrients toward your muscles and away from your fat cells is a key factor in developing a lean, muscular physique.
Vinegar
can help you do that. Animal studies show that the addition of vinegar
to a high-carb meal causes more of those carbohydrates to be stored as
muscle glycogen. The vinegar seems to act as a nutritional "trail
guide," shuttling carbs to your muscles, to be used
for recovery and for fueling your next workout.
This effect appears to be more pronounced with faster-acting, more dense carb sources, like
potatoes.
In order to elicit the nutrient-partitioning effects of vinegar, you
don't need much: Studies in humans show that the beneficial effects of
vinegar on metabolism start to appear after just a two-teaspoon dose.
Vinegar is the perfect addition to any salad, and goes well on
green beans.
Add vinegar to your first post-workout meal to maximize its
glycogen-replenishing effects, then again at your last high-carb meal of
the day so you'll benefit from the extra calories while still
controlling insulin levels and the release of glucose into your body.

While
avocados were once
withheld from muscle-building diets due to their high fat content, we
now know that they provide a unique combination of nutrients that makes
them a near-perfect lean-mass builder. The average avocado contains 20
different essential nutrients, 250 calories, 10 grams of fiber, and 15
grams of monounsaturated fat.
Research shows that substituting monounsaturated fat for saturated
fat can shift fat gain away from the midsection. This will help keep
your core looking and feeling tight during a mass phase, even if you
gain some fat. Avocados can also improve the absorption of antioxidants
known as carotenoids up to 15 times. Carotenoids are important nutrients
for cell growth as well as for supporting a healthy immune system.
Avocados are best eaten when they're slightly soft to the touch. If
your avocado is ripening too fast, just put it in the refrigerator (if
it's been cut open, drizzle the flesh with some
lemon juice first) to stop the ripening process. Avocado can be eaten sliced in an omelet, mashed with
salsa as guacamole, or with a spoon right out of the shell.
Whey and casein protein powders are popular because of their
convenience, but also because of their high levels of essential and
branched-chain amino acids.
However, overuse of these proteins can actually lead to the development
of a low-grade allergic response, so it's good to switch up your
supplemental protein source every so often.
Pea protein
is highly digestible and, unlike many other vegetarian protein sources,
does not contain any "anti-nutrients" that inhibit the absorption and
digestion of other nutrients. In addition, pea protein contains all the
essential amino acids, including high levels of branched-chain amino
acids and
glutamine, making it a true muscle-building powerhouse.
Raspberries play several
roles in building muscle. They improve digestive health so that the
body is better able to extract all the nutrients from the food you're
eating.
They also contain the most fiber of any berry, packing up
to 8 grams per cup. Maintaining a high-fiber diet as part of your
hypertrophy plan is important—it "works out" your intestines, ensuring
they are toned and in top shape.
The rich, red color of raspberries is indicative of the high content
of anthocyanin antioxidants. Research shows that antioxidants, like the
anthocyanins found in raspberries, can boost your brain's sensitivity to
leptin, an important hormone responsible for regulating your metabolic
rate and insulin sensitivity.
Kefir is a cultured dairy product produced through the fermentation
of the lactose found in completely lactose free, making it a viable
beverage for people with lactose intolerance. Kefir also contains a
unique mixture of probiotics and bioactive peptides that allow it to
produce additional muscle-building benefits beyond those elicited by the
14 grams of high-quality protein found in each cup.
The bioactive protein peptides found in fermented milk products like
kefir have been shown to stimulate the immune system and immunoglobulin
production. This is important, as it can help counteract the stress that
frequent, high-volume hypertrophy training puts on your immune system,
allowing you to continue training hard and growing big.
Research published in July 2012 also shows that kefir can block the
genetic signals that jumpstart fat-cell growth, providing you additional
support for your efforts to stay lean while still getting big. Bonus:
the probiotics in kefir will help keep your digestive tract running
optimally by boxing out bad bacteria and supporting the breakdown of all
the food and nutrients you need to feed your body in order to make it
grow.
Lentils are a triple
threat. They're packed with fiber, protein, and low-impact,
slow-digesting carbohydrates. One cup of cooked lentils contains 230
calories, 18 grams of protein, and 16 grams of fiber. Lentils come in
three main varieties—brown, green, and red. Each has a slightly
different flavor; but if you're in a pinch and need food fast, reach for
red lentils, which cook up in about 15 minutes, compared with 30 or 45
minutes for other types.
For a quick and easy muscle meal, try a traditional Middle Eastern
dish called mujaddara—a combination of one cup of lentils, a cup of
brown rice, and one caramelized onion.
High-volume, low-calorie foods like
broccoli
and cabbage are typically withheld from muscle-building diets as they
can cause the early onset of satiety and fullness, which makes hitting a
high-calorie target harder. But withholding broccoli and other
vegetables that are members of the cruciferous family is a mistake,
because they provide a hormonal advantage by reducing estrogen.

These kinds of vegetables, especially broccoli, contain several
unique antioxidants and compounds that can help to improve your health
in a variety of different ways, not limited to fighting cancer.
Indole-3-carbinol and D-glucaric acid are two other nutrients found in
cruciferous vegetables that aid in clearing excessive estrogen and
toxins from your body.
These compounds not only play a role in the binding and clearing of
naturally occurring estrogen, they can also bind xenoestrogens—synthetic
compounds that mimic estrogen. Indole-3- carbinol in particular can
interact with the genes responsible for putting together estrogen
receptors by either blocking their action or decreasing their
effectiveness.
The combination of these two unique compounds in broccoli works to
clear excess and chemically similar estrogens while also impacting the
ability of estrogen to work on target tissues. This allows you to
minimize the negative effects of estrogen on your muscle-building goals.
If you're still worried
about the satiating effects of broccoli, roast or steam it; this will
remove some of the intra-vegetable water content, making it easier to
eat and less filling.
Brown rice is the traditional go-to
carbohydrate for muscle-building diets, but
quinoa,
a grain that was once a nutritional staple of Peruvian Incas, provides
several distinct advantages, both nutritionally and practically, over
other classic carbs.
The unique nutritional characteristics of quinoa may be due in part
to the fact that it isn't a grain, like rice; instead, the quinoa plant,
whose seeds are harvested and eaten, more closely resembles
spinach. One cup of quinoa contains 222 calories, 8 grams of protein, more zinc and
magnesium than brown rice, and almost twice the fiber.
But where quinoa really sets itself apart as a top-notch muscle-building food is in its amino-acid profile and its place on the
glycemic index:
The glycemic index value of quinoa is only 53. This means you get
a slower burn from the carbs in quinoa, giving you a sustained infusion
of calories—and therefore energy—following your meal. Unlike the other
carbohydrates in your diet, quinoa contains all the essential amino
acids.
From a practical standpoint, quinoa also wins: It cooks up in just
15 minutes, which is three times faster than brown rice. To prepare
quinoa, use two parts water or chicken stock to one part quinoa. It can
be eaten as a hot side dish with your protein of choice, or mixed in
cold as the base of a muscle-building salad.