Combined with strength training, foods like Greek yogurt can help build muscle, a nutritionist said.
Muscle-building diets should include meals rich in protein and calories, like salmon, she added.
Foods like walnuts, which have Omega-3s, can reduce inflammation and soreness after a hard workout.
While no one food will make you stronger, there are some foods that can aid in the process, according to the sports nutritionist Angie Asche.
Asche, the owner of Eleat Sports Nutrition, told Insider that in addition to strength training, eating protein-rich, higher-calorie foods aids muscle growth. Protein is made up of amino acids, which the body breaks down and absorbs to build muscle tissue, Insider's Rebecca Strong previously reported. Your body then needs a surplus of calories, Asche said, to fuel the muscle-building process.
Foods like full-fat Greek yogurt and salmon are rich in calories and filled with protein, Asche told Insider. Avocados and tempeh are great protein-rich vegan alternatives, she added.
Full-fat Greek yogurt is packed with calories and blends well with smoothies
Full-fat Greek yogurt is a great muscle-building food because it's calorie-dense and protein-rich, Asche said. According to Healthline, 100 grams of full-fat yogurt has 61 calories and 3.5 grams of protein. She said the recommended amount of protein for an active person trying to build muscle was 1.6 to 2 grams per kilograms of body weight (1 kilogram is about 2.2 pounds) a day. The number of calories someone on a muscle-building diet consumes depends on their height, weight, age, level of activity, and fitness goals, she said. Experts generally recommend eating 10 to 20% more calories than your body needs for muscle growth.
The full-fat version of yogurt has more calories, as well as healthy fats, Asche said, which helps the body absorb nutrients, regulate hormones, and reduce inflammation.
Greek yogurt is also incredibly versatile, she said, and can be put into foods like smoothies as a way of getting more calories and protein in a ready-to-eat form.
Avocados are a calorie-dense vegan option
Asche recommends avocados as another calorie-dense food that can be added to a variety of meals. There are about 250 calories in one medium avocado. Asche said she puts them on sandwiches and eggs to add some calories and fats to her meal.
Avocados are also a great source of vitamin E and fiber, she added.
Fatty fish are full of protein and can reduce inflammation
Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, herring, and halibut are another great source of protein, Asche said. They're full of Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation when strength training, she said. Omega-3s are also an essential nutrient that the body is not able to make on its own and have been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke
Tempeh is more calorie-rich than other vegan options
Nuts are a protein-filled snack