Protein Rich Foods to Help You Get Leaner

If you’re struggling to lose fat and gain muscle, add more of these protein rich foods that help you get leaner.

Leucine is one of the nine essential amino acids (meaning our body can’t produce it so we need to get it in our diet every day) and research shows that leucine has unique actions on muscle protein synthesis and it may be the one that’s considered the limiting amino acid when it comes to helping us get leaner.

Dairy foods, fish, poultry and beef are all good sources of the BCAA. This list isn’t comprehensive but it’s just a guide to show you how the various protein options stack up. While one study found that 2.5 grams leucine stimulated muscle synthesis, there are currently no guidelines for how much leucine is required for optimal muscle synthesis, but most researchers recommend 20 grams of high-quality protein after exercise.

That’s easily achieved with having a cup of cottage cheese, a glass of milk with half a turkey or tuna salad sandwich. Of course, a whey protein supplement will work too, but it certainly won’t have the same nutritional benefits, taste or satiety value of real food. In addition, the leucine content of supplements vary greatly so you have to read ingredient labels closely to know what you’re actually busying.

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Leucine Load Your Muscles