Muscle food diets are more popular than ever; this is the case for both men and women. Where previously these diets were just associated with professional bodybuilders, they are now a seen as an excellent way to remain healthy and in shape. Building and understanding how muscle works help people keep their weight under control and look the way they desire. Fish is often overlooked in muscle diets due to it containing less protein than other forms of meat like beef, lamb or chicken but this can be a mistake when one’s overall health is considered. The aim of a muscle diet is indeed to build more muscle mass, but too much emphasis on this can actually be detrimental to one’s health.
Many benefits of eating Protein Rich Seafood
Fortunately, there is a solution; fish unlike other some of the meat mentioned above contains more nutrients and can be eaten in greater quantities without becoming a risk to one’s health. For example, too much red meat like beef and steak can actually be bad for you despite its protein content. The human body itself can also only absorb and make use of so much protein at once. With this in mind, it’s healthier to eat a protein-rich food that also contains other additional health benefits, providing a balance that still allows the individual to consume a sensible amount of protein. Lots of fish comes as fat-free fillets, but one of its bigger selling points is that fish like salmon contains omega-3. This is one of the healthiest substances on the planet and along with its protein content makes it the perfect food for anyone pursuing a muscle food diet.
Includes Selenium & Iodine
Every diet plan needs to be balanced, and food like beef and chicken etc. are still suitable choices for a muscle diet, ideal even, but anyone choosing to go down this path really should consider eating more fish on a regular basis, substituting it for the meat they would usually consume for the various health benefits it provides. For starters, fish is full of minerals, which other sources of protein either don’t have or have in short supply. Minerals like selenium and iodine are helped support the thyroid gland which itself is a part of the body that helps regulate our metabolic rate and how many calories our body burns. Maintaining a healthy thyroid gland is essential for those on a muscle diet and eating any food that contributes to this is clearly an obvious choice. The fact that fish is also protein-rich is an added bonus.
Great source of omega-3
It’s also worth pointing out that a healthy thyroid gland plus regular helpings of omega-3 greatly improve our immune system and therefore our overall fitness. While nutritionists have mostly debunked the concept of a ‘superfood’, it appears that eating lots of oily fish may still be the closest thing to it. In order for this to be the case though it’s important to eat a variety of fish, as this helps increase the range of different minerals that your body is taking in rather than overloading on the same ones. While oily fish is incredibly healthy, it’s recommended that fish that is high in mercury be eaten sparingly. While oily fish is dynamite for anyone on a muscle diet, too much mercury can make different people react in different ways and may not be safe. Luckily this is just something to be aware of, it would take a large and frequent intake for this to ever be an issue and oily fish can still be eaten with meals several times a week and still be safe.
Healthier Fats
Building muscle is the point of a muscle food diet, and even with the additional health, the benefits fish brings the selling point needs to be on what it can do in this area. All meat contains some form of fats, but fish contains healthier fats than beef and chicken. Eating fish means the body breaks down certain amino acids slower than it would with other meat, one of these is glutamine which is important to maintaining muscle mass, it also helps support the body produce more glycogen which is a growth hormone that stimulates the production of muscle. Glycogen is a bodybuilder’s best friend as it helps convert carbohydrate into muscle rather than fat. Many on diets avoid carbs due to the way it can encourage weight gain, but this is not always the answer. Eating foods that bulk you up is fine as long as they are coupled up with food that compliments it. Glycogen acts as a filter, preventing the body from producing as much fat, this plus a high amount of protein and a sensible amount of carbohydrate is a match made in heaven that professional bodybuilders already know. The good news here is you no longer need to ditch the carbs; you can still have the food you enjoy just consider having it with lean fish!
Affordable
Anyone who has started a muscle food diet will tell you that it can also hit your right in the wallet. Quality meat is expensive and eating it in high volume can have a devastating impact on your bank balance. With fish, this doesn’t have to be the case. From small tins of tuna and mackerel to seafood hampers that can be ordered online, buying fish is much more forgiving on those who may be on a limited budget. Seafood hampers themselves are an excellent way to include more fish in your diet. One hamper can fill your fridge for a week making meal planning simple, affordable and in line with a muscle food diet. Even buying one hamper a month from AO Seafood will save money in the long run, but more importantly, it will help you build muscle the right way.
The fact is fresh fish is an excellent bodybuilding tool no matter what your aim may be. Be it trying to tone up, get the right kind of bulk by adding muscle mass, or it may be to eat a more varied high protein diet simply.
