High Protein Foods
High protein foods are the raw foods. There is a big difference in the protein content between a raw and cooked food, so bodybuilders should calculate their daily intake based on the cooked values. Fact is that cooking decreases the weight of the meat, hence the protein and fat also decrease. On average, a four-ounce raw piece of meet - be it chicken, beef or fish - cooks down to about 3oz, loosing about 25% of its weight. Of course, cooking methods greatly influence the results.
Chicken breast is amongst the best high protein foods, containing 31 grams of protein when cooked. The ground beef has about 26 grams, while fresh tuna takes the first place with about 30 grams of protein. Of course, here we are talking about the same weight of cooked versions - 3.5 oz.
Some people think that high protein foods could present a potential problem to your kidneys, but over the past decade or so, numerous studies have been conducted on athletes who follow diets extremely high in protein for prolonged periods. The results showed that kidney functioning was intact, with no signs of any damage. This is just a myth that high protein foods are harmful to kidneys. In fact, the opposite is true.
Bodybuilders must consume foods high on protein in order to recover and build muscle mass. You must consume at least a gram of protein daily for every pound of bodyweight. This rule is true for those who are trying to add up some muscle mass as well as for those who are dieting. Lean cuts of beef are an excellent source for a bodybuilder in a growth phase or on a diet. In the past, steak was classified as a fatty food. This bad rep came from the fact that cheap cuts of beef were not trimmed of fat. But this is not the case for today's quality lean cuts. In the modern American diet, and especially in bodybuilding circles, leaner cuts, such as porterhouse, filet mignon and T-bones are more popular. Buy quality cuts and trim off the visible fat and forgo the gravy. It's important that you cycle the protein consumption. Protein cycling is a great way to stimulate greater protein retention and muscle growth. The idea is to consume less protein for five days (like 0.7-0.8 grams instead of 1 gram per pound of bodyweight) and then boost protein consumption 10 days. You need the right combo of carbs and protein in order to promote a muscle-building state. This is much better than a diet overloaded with protein and short on carbs. Not taking enough carbs will prevent your body from growing optimally. Ostrich is red meat's alternative, on par with chicken in terms of protein and it's also low on fat. You can eat ostrich as a staple, several times a week. Eight ounces of ostrich top loin, precooked weight, has about 50 grams of protein and only 7g of fat. Beef liver is the most nutrient-dense food available. It has creatine for strength, carnitine for testosterone support, B vitamins for energy and metabolism and iron to support the production of myoglobin.
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