Protein is an absolute must for anyone who is interested in building and maintaining lean Muscle.  Those who lift weights three to four days per week with the goal of packing on some lean mass need to consume about 1 gram of Protein per pound of body weight per day in order recover adequately and fully reap the rewards of the work put in at the gym.

While a top Muscle Building supplement or a quality protein powder certainly can help you reach your daily protein goals, you should get the majority of your protein from whole food sources.  This can seem like an uphill battle when you start reading nutrition labels, but there are some excellent options out there if you know where to look.  Here are some of the best muscle building foods for anyone who wants or needs to up their protein intake.

Lean red meat

Let’s face it – lean cuts of steak and lean ground beef are delicious, who doesn’t love a medium well flank steak or six ounce burger straight from the grill?  Thankfully for all of the carnivores out there, lean red meat and ground beef are also outstanding sources of Muscle Building Protein.  Just one three ounce serving of lean ground beef contains a whopping 18 grams of muscle building protein – so just imagine how close that six ounce burger will get you to your protein goal for the day.

Lean ground beef and steak are also rich in iron and B-vitamins which are both essential for folks who participate in intense training.  One thing to watch to keep an eye on with red meat is fat content as even some of the leaner cuts still have relatively high fat contents when compared to other protein sources on our list.

Poultry

Chicken and turkey have the power to deliver up to 30 grams of high quality muscle building protein per serving.  Combine this with a good protein to fat ratio and low calories and you’ve got a protein source that is super versatile, very tasty, lean and powerful.  White meat chicken or turkey works well with just about any side dish, on a sandwich or ground into a lean burger or meatloaf to provide plenty of protein, B vitamins, iron and magnesium.

Fish

Fish is a fantastic addition to just about any diet.  A fish like salmon is light, mild, versatile and packed with 25 grams of muscle building protein per serving.  Fish are also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which are an essential dietary addition for heart health.

Fish doesn’t have to be a hassle to prepare either – water packed tuna in a can is super quick and easy to prepare for a sandwich or salad and delivers the very same muscle building benefits as a more complex fish entrée.

Quinoa

This top notch grain is picking up steam with athletes, vegetarians, vegans and those just in search of a better, easier to digest source of protein.  Unlike many grain and plant based protein sources, the protein from quinoa contains all nine essential aminos.  This “super food” is also high in fiber and easy on the digestive system.

Nuts

Nuts are the ultimate source of protein on the go.  Nuts can deliver a delicious muscle building snack anywhere, at any time with no cooking or special prep required.

Just a few ounces of your favorite nut (almonds, cashews, pistachios, etc.) can delivery 8-10 grams of protein, heart healthy fats and fiber (which helps make you feel full for longer).  The only real downside here is that nuts are high in calories – so over indulgence could lead to packing on a few extra, unwanted pounds.

Cottage Cheese

It might not look like one of the ultimate muscle building foods, but cottage cheese packs a serious punch in the protein department.  A single serving, half cup pack of low fat cottage cheese delivers nearly twelve grams of muscle building protein and just two grams of fat.  Cottage cheese is also a quick and easy meal for those with tight schedules, no cooking or prep involved with this low calorie, low fat protein packed snack.

Eggs

Eggs are quick and simple to prepare, can easily be made to be portable (hard boiling) and work well in any number of styles.  Enjoy your eggs scrambled, over easy, in an omelet or chopped on a salad and reap the rewards of your time in the gym.

One whole egg contains about six grams of high quality protein (which begin to add up very quickly in an omelet or scramble).  The protein in eggs is also easily digestible and easier for your body to utilize than other protein sources making it an ideal meal or snack for those who want to build muscle.

Soy

In the form of soy beans (edamame), soft or firm tofu or milk – soy has the power to deliver plenty of high quality and easily digestible protein per serving.  Like quinoa, soy is a non-meat protein source that delivers all nine of the essential aminos acids which makes it a “complete” and very effective source of protein for building lean muscle.  Edamame is a great side served hot or can be used as a quick and convenient on the go snack; tofu is very easy to prepare and lends itself well to a variety of dishes and soy milk serves as a great alternative for those who don’t tolerate traditional milk very well.  In short, if you are looking for a super versatile and easy to prepare source of high quality protein – you should definitely add soy in one, or all, varieties to your shopping list.

Consuming 175-200 grams of protein per day (depending on your weight) can seem like a serious challenge.  Sure, you can take a supplement to help reach your protein intake. But, implement these traditional sources of muscle building foods, and you’ll be well on your way of reaching your daily requirement and begin to see that lean muscle pile on from all of those hours in the gym.