10 foods rich in protein for muscle building

If the opinion of bodybuilding legends is anything to go by, then success in muscle building depends to a good 90 percent on nutrition. Of course, proteins play a special role in this context, as they serve our organism as basic building blocks for any type of tissue, including muscle tissue. In the following article, we would like to introduce you to some protein-rich foods that are considered particularly high-quality sources of protein and support your muscle build-up due to their special individual properties. Even though we had to number the following foods for the sake of clarity, there is no descending order in terms of quality.

1 - Whole eggs

While pure egg whites are rich in protein, they are also lacking in essential fatty acids and other important micronutrients that are found exclusively in egg yolks. So it's no wonder that whole eggs are considered the non-plus-ultra among protein sources. In addition to their outstanding nutritional quality, whole eggs offer the advantage that they not only have a much broader spectrum of nutrients than meat, but are also less expensive to purchase. An average egg, weighing 70 grams, contains a good 7 grams of protein as well as a balanced amount of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, so there is hardly a better food for muscle building.

Tip 1 - Eat eggs either hard-boiled right away, add them as toppings to salads, or top your breads and rolls with them.

Tip 2 - If you are tired of the hassle of peeling hard-boiled eggs, you should simply place them in a bath of ice water for 15 minutes after cooking. After that, they peel themselves as if by magic.

Tip 3 - Whole eggs can also be used to prepare delicious protein cupcakes, in addition to scrambled eggs, omelets and the like. First, mix diced ham with grated cheese and some beaten eggs in a bowl and fill the mixture into a cupcake mold. Bake until the egg sets and turns a golden brown color.

2 - Whey Protein Isolate

If you already spend money on a protein preparation, then you should take one or two euros more in hand and reach for an isolate, since this has a higher protein quality and is also suitable for people with lactose intolerance. In addition, the isolate is also suitable for diets as an extremely low-calorie protein source, since it contains almost no carbohydrates and fats.

Tip 1 - To provide your breakfast with an extra portion of protein, you can simply stir a scoop of Whey Protein Isolate into your oatmeal. The variety of different flavors also provides enough variety.

Whey Isolate

Tip 2 - To always have a protein-rich emergency meal on hand when you're on the go, you should always carry a shaker with Whey Protein and Maltodextrin if possible.

3 - Beef

Beef is not only particularly tasty and nutritious, but also comparatively low in fat, making it an excellent universal source of protein. So there's not much to say against treating yourself to a delicious steak or a juicy burger. Beef is also rich in creatine, iron and vitamin B12. The zinc content is also six times higher than that of chicken meat.

Tip 1 - If you need a few extra calories to gain weight, but don't feel like stuffing yourself with carbs, you can alternatively reach for some fattier beef. This not only has the same qualities, but is also cheaper.

Tip 2 - If you're bored with standard sauces, you can make a great dip for your steak by using Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

Tip 3 - If beef jerky from the supermarket is too expensive for you, you can easily make your own. Cut beef into strips, season it and dry the meat for 8-10 hours at 70 degrees in the oven.

4 - Salmon

Salmon is primarily considered an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, but can also score in terms of protein quality and accordingly often ends up on the plates of strength athletes. In addition to the essential omega-3 fats, salmon also contains large amounts of vitamin B12, B3 and vitamin D. The latter is only available in significant amounts in the EU. The latter is only present in significant quantities in a few foods and must therefore be largely synthesized by our organism with the help of UV radiation.

Tip 1 - Add the final zing to your salmon by sprinkling some ginger on top and drizzling with lemon juice.

Tip 2 - Prepare a delicious omelet with chopped salmon, grated cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes and peppers. It's a delicious and healthy way to start the day.

5 - Seafood

Admittedly, seafood such as mussels, crabs and squid are not necessarily among the foods that rank very high on the menu of all exercisers. Nevertheless, it's worth taking a look outside the box, because seafood, like salmon, is particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, they contain large amounts of zinc, iron, magnesium and calcium, as is typical for seafood, and are also comparatively low in calories.

Tip 1 - Don't serve seafood with sugared and greasy cocktail sauces; instead, reach for Tabasco, lemon juice or high-quality pesto.

Tip 2 - If you're looking for a tasty finger food snack, consider sautéing some shrimp in garlic butter and using slightly soured Greek yogurt as a dip.

Tip 3 - Place 250 grams of cooked crab in a small baking dish with a whole egg, 60 grams of almond flour, a diced onion, a chopped bell pepper and a little chili sauce. Then cook your crab casserole in the oven at 180 degrees until a golden brown crust forms.

6 - Liver

Well, liver is really not everyone's cup of tea, and yet it is a true superfood for muscle building, which you should also give a chance at least once, as soon as it smiles at you from the refrigerated counter. Liver shines not only because of its low fat content, but primarily because of its richness in micronutrients. The concentration of phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper and the amount of vitamins of the B-complex is particularly high.

Tip 1 - If you don't like the taste of liver, you still don't have to miss out on the micronutrient benefits, as there are special liver tabs available for purchase in various online stores that even oldschool bodybuilders of decades past resorted to.

Tip 2 - Liver can also be made into excellent burger patties when chopped up along with a pound of fresh ground beef.

Tip 3 - To reduce the somewhat harsh taste of the liver you can soak it in lemon juice and apple cider vinegar and store it in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.

7 - Low fat curd

Low-fat quark is an excellent snack for in between meals or before bedtime. It can be varied extremely versatile and has a lot of protein and hardly any fat. Low-fat quark is an excellent food for effective muscle building. It contains a unique combination of numerous important proteins as well as amino acids, which complement each other very well. Above all, low-fat curd cheese contains a lot of glutamine.

Tip 1 - Low-fat quark can be used super for sauces of all kinds instead of cream.

Tip 2 - Mix a scoop of protein powder, fresh berries and/or a few nuts into the low-fat quark - the perfect snack is ready.

8 - Chicken

We don't want to say too much about chicken meat at this point, as it is the protein source par excellence. However, it should not go unmentioned that chicken meat is not only low in fat, but also has a high vitamin A content.

Tip 1 - So that the sometimes very dry meat doesn't become monotonous too quickly, you should always combine it with a variety of sauces. Low-calorie salsa or garlic sauce is particularly suitable.

Tip 2 - Prepare a delicious muscle-building salad by placing 150 grams of diced chicken in a bowl with fresh spinach leaves, 100 grams of cooked quinoa and a chopped onion. Now add a homemade dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Tip 3 - You can easily make chicken nuggets yourself. Cut the fresh meat into small pieces and then turn them in egg yolk and almond flour before frying them in a pan until golden brown.

9 - Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt is a very flexible source of protein, which can be eaten both in sweet combinations with fruit and savory with meat, fish and. A 200-gram cup of low-fat Greek yogurt contains just over 100 kilocalories, but 18 grams of protein, which makes it ideal for diets. The dairy product also has a high calcium and magnesium content.

Tip 1 - When you mix Greek yogurt with a little lemon juice, you get a great dip that goes great with meat and fish.

Tip 2 - Combine the Greek yogurt with some protein powder and you get a very tasty protein smoothie.

Tip 3 - Together with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic, Greek yogurt can also be used to make a delicious salad dressing.

10 - Black beans

On 100 grams black beans contain 15 grams of protein and thus belong to the vegetable protein sources with the highest protein content. This is especially beneficial for vegetarian bodybuilders. In addition, the micronutrients contained in the beans are attributed numerous health-promoting influences. One property frequently mentioned in this context is the possible influence on reducing the development of colon cancer.

Tip 1 - Mix black beans with rice, some salsa as well as two tablespoons of Greek yogurt and you'll have a protein-packed muscle-building meal.

Tip 2 - You can reduce the cooking time of fresh beans by soaking them overnight in a little water and letting them swell.

Tip 3 - You can easily make vegetarian burger patties using black beans by mashing them in a bowl with some grated cheese and then shaping them. You can then fry your bean patties in oil as normal.