Red meats

Red Meats

Red meats are probably one of the best muscle-building foods available.

Steak, for example, contains around 3 grams of leucine per 6 ounces. Leucine is the key amino acid your body needs to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and add new muscle tissue.

In addition to this, red meats are one of the best sources of dietary creatine, which is possibly the world's best muscle-building supplement.

They also have more calories and fat than leaner meats, helping you take in extra calories and add weight.

In one study, 100 elderly women added 6 ounces (170 grams) of red meat to their diets and performed resistance training sessions six days a week for six weeks.

The women gained mass, had an 18% increase in strength and an increase in the important muscle-building hormone IGF-1.

Both lean and fatty meats are a great source of protein, although fatty meat provides more calories, which can help you gain weight.

BOTTOM LINE:

Red meat is an excellent source of protein that will help you gain muscle. It contains leucine, an amino acid that helps stimulate muscle protein synthesis. The fattier the meat, the more calories you will take in.