When you think of muscle building foods, fruit probably isn’t top of the list, right? They may not be the most obvious choice but fruits can help you to achieve your fitness goals more easily.
Fruits can be very beneficial for both promoting muscle mass and reducing fat.
If you’ve been scared to eat much fruit because of the fructose content, here’s why you’ll definitely want to have a rethink about your fitness nutrition!
Why fruits are good for muscle growth
Fruits are a fantastic source of nutrients that can support muscle growth. One of these is potassium, which has an important role to play in keeping your muscles healthy.
Fruit is also rich in carbs, which means that your body won’t resort to burning muscle for energy. Getting a balance of carbs, protein and fats is highly recommended for building muscle
You may not associate fruits with protein but some are a good source of this too. Protein is so crucial for building muscle and certain fruits can be even more beneficial for muscle growth as a result of this.
If you’re not eating much fruit as part of your muscle-building nutrition, it’s definitely time to rethink this approach!
Fruit for muscle growth
Which fruits are good for building muscle? You can’t go wrong with these ten picks!
Banana
Bananas pack a punch for muscle growth for several reasons. As a nutrient dense food, they’re perfect if you’re in a bulking phase.
As a high-carb food, banana delivers glycogen to the muscles and helps them to repair after your workout. Bananas are one of the best fruits to replenish your glycogen stores, which is why they’re such a popular ingredient in post-workout smoothies. You can also eat them before workouts.
And as a source of potassium and magnesium, bananas are also a good choice to avoid post-workout muscle cramps and muscle fatigue.
Avocado
As a great source of potassium, avocado is another fruit that’s good for building muscle. Avocado is one of the fruits that are a good source of protein and of course, it’s packed with healthy fat. Getting plenty of healthy fat in your diet can boost testosterone levels and promote muscle growth.
Pineapple
The bromelain enzyme in pineapple helps reduce inflammation so it’s an ideal choice after a workout. It’s also rich in vitamin C and manganese, two antioxidants that can help to reduce inflammation.
Cherries
Cherries are highly anti-inflammatory and are known to reduce muscle inflammation and promote recovery. Sweet red cherries or tart cherries are a great choice for this.
Tart cherries in particular are incredibly anti-inflammatory and have been shown in studies to reduce muscle soreness and decrease the potential for muscle loss.
Oranges
The vitamin C in orange juice protects nitric acid from being impacted by free radicals. Nitric acid is important since it boosts blood flow to the muscles and improves recovery after a workout. The faster you can recover, the easier it is to build muscle.
Watermelon
Staying on the nitric acid theme, watermelon is another fruit that is rich in it. It’s also loaded with potassium.
Watermelon juice has been shown in studies to reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery in between workouts.
Apricot
As a good source of potassium and a fruit with protein content, apricot is smart choice for muscle growth.
Dried apricots can easily be included in homemade protein bars – just be careful with the sugar content!
Jackfruit
It’s commonly used as a meat substitute due to its texture but jackfruit is technically a fruit. Compared to most fruits, it’s high in protein and can offer as much as 3g per cup. It also provides vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and manganese, all of which can support healthy muscles and muscle growth.
Kiwi
Kiwi is a fantastic source of minerals needed for healthy muscles, including potassium, zinc, manganese and iron.
We don’t always realise how important iron is when you’re trying to build muscle but it helps to deliver oxygen to the muscles.
Manganese is a crucial mineral for protecting against muscle strains and can support the bones that your muscles rely on for support.
Apple
A study published in the Cell Metabolism journal has suggested that ursolic acid, a compound in apple peel, can help build muscle while also reducing body fat. It’s thought that ursolic acid may boost hormones that build muscle.
Ursolic acid has been linked to an increase in muscle and may even extend the gains from strength training. This means that the muscles have to work that little bit harder to produce new muscle tissue when ursolic acid is involved.
But to get the benefits, you need to eat the peel too!
Fruit can be one of your secret weapons for muscle growth, and many fruits have a huge role to play thanks to their carb and nutrient content. Some even offer a protein boost too!
