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Mackerel
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.
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Beets
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.
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Greek Yogurt
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.
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Sardines
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.
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Kimchi
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.
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Chocolate Milk
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.
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Vinegar
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.
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Avocado
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.
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Pea Protein
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.
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Raspberries
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.
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Kefir
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.
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Lentils
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.
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Broccoli
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.
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Quinoa
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.
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