When it comes to muscle-building meals, adding clean foods high in protein is key. On the flip side, avoiding processed foods and pseudo-protein foods is equally important.
What’s a pseudo-protein?
A pseudo-protein is a food that would be high in protein and considered healthy if it wasn’t lathered in carbs and sugar or fried in inflammatory oils. Think of things like any sweet-tasting buffalo wings or a fried chicken sandwich or lean ground beef covered in cheese and sour cream for a taco. We recommend saving these foods for special occasions, and being mindful to choose lower inflammatory foods a majority of the time.
In order to maximize your healthy protein per meal, stick with high-quality foods that have one ingredient. These are our top four power protein foods for muscle:
Salmon
Wild-caught salmon is one of nature’s true superfoods. A simple 4oz serving contains a host of healthy nutrients, including:
- 24g of protein
- 0g carbohydrates
- 0g sugar
- 6.7g of healthy fats
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- healthy doses of niacin, selenium and phosphorus
- only 165 calories
Filet Mignon
Filet mignon isn’t just for fancy steakhouses anymore. With services like Butcher Box and others willing to deliver grass-fed, free range meat straight to your house, you can enjoy the taste and the protein benefits of a nice filet in your own kitchen. A serving of filet contains:
- 22g of protein
- 0g carbohydrates
- 0g sugar
- source of iron, B-12 & zinc
- creatine
- only 227 calories
Quinoa
Quinoa is an ancient grain that is a terrific source of plant protein. It works perfectly as a side dish to any seafood or meat, but it can also be used as a base for everything from vegetable stir fry to breakfast with blueberries and honey.
Just one cup of quinoa contains:
- 8g of protein
- 39g of healthy carbohydrates
- 5g of healthy fiber
- 1g of sugar
- only 222 calories
All-Natural Pumpkin Seeds
Far too many people only eat pumpkin seeds around Halloween after carving their pumpkins. And worse, some people throw them away! Let this be a lesson to all of you. The simple pumpkin seed is loaded with nutrients, as well as a hefty dose of protein.
One quarter cup of pumpkin seeds contains:
- 8g of protein
- 0g trans fat
- 0g sugar
- 6g carbohydrates
- 187 calories
