Protein (protein) is an indispensable substance for gaining muscle mass. This is known to everyone who regularly plays sports and has physical activity. However, the intake of protein foods helps not only to get a beautiful pumped up body, but also ensures the health of the body:
Protein deficiency can weaken the immune system, as well as lead to muscle atrophy and various diseases of internal organs. Therefore, it is very important to control the amount of protein consumed.
It is believed that the daily diet of an adult should contain at least 30% protein. For a more accurate calculation, medicine has derived the formula:
So, if you weigh 70 kg and lead a sedentary lifestyle, your body needs 70 g of protein per day. But if you weigh 70 kg and cannot imagine your life without intensive training, then your norm is 140 g of protein per day.
If you are interested in calorie content, you can calculate it as follows: 1 g of pure protein – 4 kcal.
Thus, the daily protein requirement of 70 g is 280 kcal, and in 140 g it is 560 kcal.
More than usual, ectomorphs need to take protein foods – people whose physiology does not allow them to quickly gain weight, who have difficulty building muscle. Protein is also important for those who burn fat and want to lose weight.
Modern dietetics identifies 2 types of protein sources – animal and vegetable products with a high protein content and sports nutrition (protein). What to choose? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each protein meal option.
There is a misconception: a lot of protein is contained in boiled sausage, mayonnaise, yogurt, “curd” and other food harmful to the body. Yes, it really is in it. However, not in the quantity and quality that can be obtained in natural protein products of animal and plant origin. To maintain health and quickly build muscle mass, you need to eat healthy foods that are rich not only in protein, but also in vitamins and minerals.
Fortunately, the list of healthy protein foods is diverse. Of these, you can choose those that are optimal for you both in composition and in taste.
Meat, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, cheese – these are the top 5 foods for gaining muscle mass. Remember them and try to consume them in moderation for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Below is a list of animal products with their protein content:
Products |
Proteins, g / 100 g (product) |
| Meat, offal, sausages | |
| 1st category beef | 18.6 |
| Category 2 beef | 20 |
| Lamb (1st category) | 15.6 |
| Lamb (2nd category) | 19.8 |
| Pork (meat) | 14.3 |
| Pork (fatty) | 11.7 |
| Veal | 19.7 |
| horsemeat | 19.5 |
| Rabbit meat | 21.1 |
| Beef liver, kidneys | 17.9 |
| Beef heart | sixteen |
| Light beef | 15.2 |
| Beef tongue | fourteen |
| Pork liver | nineteen |
| Pork kidneys | 13 |
| Heart, pork lung | fifteen |
| Pork tongue | fourteen |
| Milk sausages | 11.4 |
| Sausage doctor’s | 12.8 |
| Amateur sausage | 12.2 |
| Semi-smoked sausage | 16.5 |
| Ham | 22.6 |
| Raw smoked loin | 10.5 |
| Beef stew | sixteen |
| Pork stew | fifteen |
| Minced sausage | 15.2 |
| Liver pate | eleven |
| Bird, eggs | |
| Chickens (1st category) | 18.2 |
| Chickens (2nd category) | 20.8 |
| Chicken egg | 12.7 |
| Goose | 15.2 |
| Turkey | 19.5 |
| Duck | 15,8 |
| Fish, seafood | |
| Chum | 22 |
| Pink salmon | 21 |
| Herring | nineteen |
| Burbot | 18.8 |
| Horse mackerel | 18.5 |
| Mackerel | 18 |
| Perch | 18.3 |
| Crucian carp, pike, river perch | 17.7 |
| Bream | 17.1 |
| Hake | 16.7 |
| Navaga | 16.1 |
| Flounder | 16.1 |
| Carp | sixteen |
| Cod | sixteen |
| Pollock | 15.9 |
| Capelin | 13.4 |
| Squid | 18 |
| Shrimp | 18 |
| Crab | sixteen |
| Chum salmon caviar (granular) | 31.6 |
| Sturgeon caviar (granular) | 28.9 |
| Pollock roe | 28.4 |
| Cod liver | 4.2 |
| Dairy products | |
| Cow’s milk (pasteurized) | 2.8 |
| Protein milk | 4,3 |
| Condensed milk (with sugar) | 7.2 |
| milk powder | 25.6 |
| Kefir (bold) | 2.8 |
| Kefir (low fat) | 3 |
| Curdled milk | 2.8 |
| Ryazhenka | 3 |
| Yoghurt (1.5%) | five |
| Sour cream (20%) | 2.8 |
| Cream (10%) | 3 |
| Cream (20%) | 2.8 |
| Cream (dry) | 23 |
| Curd (fatty) | fourteen |
| Cottage cheese (bold) | 16.7 |
| Cottage cheese (low-fat) | 18 |
| Cheese and curd masses | 7.1 |
| Cheese (Dutch) | 26.8 |
| Cheese (poshekhonsky) | 26 |
| Cheese (Swiss) | 24.9 |
| Cheese (Russian) | 23.4 |
| Cheese (processed) | 24 |
| Brynza | 17.9 |
| Butter | 0.6 |
| Ice cream | 3.3 |
| Margarine | 0.3 |
Legumes, nuts, spinach, mushrooms – delicious and healthy plant foods are also rich in protein. Eat them to diversify your protein diet. A complete list of plant foods with an indication of the amount of protein in them is presented in the table below:
Products |
Proteins, g / 100 g (product) |
| Legumes, nuts, seeds | |
| Soy | 34.9 |
| Lentils | 24.8 |
| Peas | 23 |
| Beans | 22.3 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 30.2 |
| Peanut | 26.3 |
| Sunflower seeds | 20.8 |
| Almond | 18.6 |
| Cashew nuts | 18.2 |
| Pistachios | 20.3 |
| Hazelnut | 16.1 |
| Brazilian nut | 14.3 |
| Walnut | 13.6 |
| Cereals, bakery and pasta | |
| Hercules | 13.1 |
| Poltava groats | 12.7 |
| Buckwheat grain | 12.6 |
| Millet | 12.1 |
| Oat groats | 11.9 |
| Semolina | 11.3 |
| Pearl barley | 10.4 |
| Barley grits | 9.5 |
| Barley grits | 9.3 |
| Corn grits | 8.3 |
| Rice groats | 7 |
| Wheat bread (from 1st grade flour) | 7.6 |
| Wheat bread (from 2nd grade flour) | 8.4 |
| Rye bread | 5.5 |
| Pasta (egg) | 11.3 |
| Pasta (1st grade) | 10.7 |
| Pasta (premium grade) | 10.4 |
| Vegetables, mushrooms, dried fruits | |
| Potatoes | 2 |
| Beet | 1.5-2.5 |
| Brussels sprouts | 4.8 |
| Kohlrabi cabbage | 2.8 |
| Cauliflower | 2.5 |
| White cabbage | 1.8 |
| Garlic | 6.5 |
| Spinach | 2.9 |
| Radish | 1.9 |
| Turnip | 1.5 |
| Carrot | 1.4 |
| Pepper (red sweet) | 1,3 |
| Pepper (green sweet) | 1,3 |
| Eggplant | 1,2 |
| Mushrooms (porcini) | 3.7 |
| Champignons | 4,3 |
| Dried apricots | 5.3 |
| Dates | 2.5 |
| Prunes | 2,3 |
| Raisins | 1.9 |
Remember: for one meal, the human body is on average able to assimilate 30 g of protein.
The degree of assimilation depends on various factors:
Scientists have found that proteins of animal origin are absorbed 1.5 times better than plant proteins: animal proteins – by 70%, vegetable proteins – only by 35–40%.
Protein digestibility in foods:
To make protein foods easier to digest, they need to be steamed and consumed along with fruits and vegetables (non-starchy). When fried, they are enriched with fats and increase in calories.
For optimal digestibility, take carbohydrate meals with a small addition of protein for breakfast – oatmeal in milk, for lunch – poultry or beef, for dinner – lean fish (pollock, carp) or seafood.
Pros:
Minuses:
Protein Blends are a modern alternative to natural products of animal and plant origin that allows people with active lifestyles to get their daily protein intake, prevent muscle breakdown during vigorous workouts and quickly restore them.
However, many are afraid to take them, confusing protein with hormonal drugs and anabolic steroids. This is a big misconception.
All protein shakes are just sports supplements with a high protein content (concentration ranges from 70-95%). They come to the rescue when there is no time to eat (before or after training) or it is impossible to accurately calculate the amount of protein in the dish. Handy when planning your daily diet.
According to the method of production, protein is divided into synthetic and organic. According to the production technology – for whey protein concentrate and protein isolate, which differ from each other in protein concentration and cost. The first contains up to 80% of protein, and the second – up to 95%, therefore it is more expensive.
You can find out more about what whey protein is and how to take it here.
The daily protein intake is calculated using the standard formula: 2 g per 1 kg of body weight. A daily portion must be divided into 6 equal parts – mixture receptions. The protein is mixed with water or milk in a shaker at the rate of 25-50 g of powder per 300-500 ml of liquid.
Protein shakes come in many different types, each with its own benefits and features. Check them out in the table below:
Type |
Benefits | Opening hours | Speed of assimilation | Biological value | Recommended serving | Time of appointment |
| Whey | Relatively inexpensive, mixes well with liquid, has a powerful amino composition, is quickly absorbed | 1-2 hours | 10-12 grams / hour | 90-95% | 30 grams | Morning, before and after training |
| Whey hydrolyzate | One of the best sources of quality protein | Up to 1 hour | 20-25 grams / hour | 99-100% | 25-30 grams | Before and after training |
| Casein | Longer operating time, slower degradation into amino acids | 4-10 hours | 4-6 grams / hour | 75-85% | 35 grams | Before bedtime |
| Lactic | A fairly inexpensive product that is a derivative of conventional whey | 3-4 hours | 4-5 grams / hour | 85-90% | 35 grams | Between meals |
| Egg | Contains all the amino acids necessary for the body, as well as vitamins, minerals and other useful substances | 3-5 hours | 9-11 grams / hour | 99-100% | 30-35 grams | In the morning, before and after training |
| Soy | Long-term absorption, lowers cholesterol levels, great for the female body | 3-5 hours | 3-4 grams / hour | 70-75% | 35 grams | Between meals, after exercise |
| Complex | It is a mixture of balanced proteins with different digestion rates, suitable for the implementation of any tasks | Up to 8 hours | 5-8 grams / hour | 70-95% | 30 grams | Between meals, before and after training |
Protein mixtures help prevent protein deficiency in the body, however, they are contraindicated in people:
Pros:
Minuses:
The range of protein mixtures is varied. We have selected for you 5 sports nutrition products that are optimal in terms of price-quality ratio. Find the right one for you!
Iso Sensation 93
Brand: Ultimate Nutrition
Type: whey
Protein – Fat – Carbohydrates: 93% – 0.0% – 3%
Price: 3 098 rubles. for 2.27 kg
HydroPure
Manufacturer: Nutrabolics
Type: hydrolyzate
Protein – Fat – Carbohydrates: 90% – 0% – 1.5%
Price: 5 590 rubles. for 2.04 kg
Iso Whey Zero
Manufacturer: BiotechUSA
Type: whey
Protein – Fat – Carbohydrates: 85.6% – 0.9% – 2.9%
Price: 4 200 rubles. for 2.27 kg
ProStar Whey Protein
Brand: Ultimate Nutrition
Type: whey
Protein – Fat – Carbohydrates: 83.5% – 3.3% – 6.5%
Price: 2 850 rubles. for 2.39 kg
Whey Gold Standard
Manufacturer: Optimum Nutrition
Type: whey
Protein – Fat – Carbohydrates: 75% – 3% – 15%
Price: 3,590 rubles. for 2.35 kg
To get a beautifully shaped body, it is not enough to drink protein shakes and take protein foods. Without intensive training, you cannot gain muscle mass. Personal training will help you achieve good athletic performance. Our instructors will create a personal training program and an optimal protein nutrition plan – everything you need to be successful in fitness!
