Legumes are a very complete food and with very good nutrients. It belongs to the family of legumes and is embedded as the well-known dry seeds. We must not forget that everything that belongs to the seed family is the healthiest we can eat. In our diet for athletes we will address what legumes exist with more protein to gain muscle, since this super food has all the best for this discipline.
These plants They are a fruit that is inside a pod, They are seeds that are collected and left to dry to eat them cooked. Its tradition already has a history, since it has been used in gastronomy for more than 10.000 years.
What do we need to increase muscle mass?
The main source is protein. It is a very grateful nutrient for muscle formation, but carbohydrates will also be part of this intake and a fair source of calories for good muscle development. Everything together is essential and legumes provide vegetable proteins that are very useful for this growth.
What do legumes give us for our muscles?
Magnesium, iron, selenium and potassium are minerals that minerals provide us. They also provide us with a source of B vitamins and vitamin E with an antioxidant effect for the body. They provide nutrients with an anti-inflammatory effect, beneficial for anabolic processes, and unsaturated fats cannot be missing to gain that muscle mass.
Can legumes replace meat? If you do not like meat or have problems eating it, we must say that legumes can substitute part of this food. They have multiple benefits as we have mentioned and turn out to be a good source for people who do sports. Chickpeas, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans are some of the best, but we are going to take a detailed look at which ones are best for building muscle.
Legumes with more protein to gain muscle
Legumes are a good food contribution to any diet. We must highlight its great protein and carbohydrate value, whose objective will be to create benefits for athletes and especially those who want to gain muscle.
Lentils
The lentil has many varieties in its class, but any variant is good for the objective we want to achieve. It is one of the best foods to gain muscle mass and has beneficial nutrients such as proteins with a contribution of around 23,5%, iron, potassium, lots of fiber and folic acid. It also has a great source of quality carbohydrates, very beneficial for the muscles.
Chickpeas
It is another essential legume for bodybuilding. Its vegetable protein intake is also high, 100 grams of chickpeas contain 19,4 g of protein. In addition, it offers other nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium, iron and magnesium. More vitamin contributions that cannot be missing are the folates, niacin, thiamine and vitamin E.
Beans or beans
This legume also has many variants, it offers many sizes and even unique colors ranging from white, brown, black, red or brown. This food is rich in fiber with almost 9 grams to promote intestinal transit, and a high amount of protein with a number similar to that of meat. It also contains amino acids, an excellent contribution to the body without any cholesterol.
Lupins
Lupins is a variety of legumes and with a high protein concentrate to be able to form that muscle, reaching 36% of this nutrient. This food is also called lupines and they are prepared in a different way, since they are made with brine. They can be taken as snacks, in stews or salads.
Broad beans
This legume can also be obtained dry. Then you have to soak it and cook it like the traditional legume. It contains 26 grams of protein per 100 grams and also happens to be an excellent source of fiber. It also contains quality carbohydrates for muscle building.
Soybean
This type of legume is oily, it is also sold in dry grain to be able to hydrate it and thus cook it. There are versions of soybean flour, tofu or textured soybean on the market, offering up to 36 grams of protein per 100 grams. It also stands out for its high content of amino acids, high-quality carbohydrates and unsaturated fats, much more favorable for the body.
Peanut
It's a nut, but it also fits like a oily legume just like soybeans. Offers up to 28% protein, a great contribution of great quality, and it turns out to have a beneficial contribution of carbohydrates and fats of vegetable quality. In order to get a good performance from this food, it can be eaten toasted without further ado, or as a peanut butter and as an accompaniment to salads.
As a rule, all legumes are beneficial for athletes who want to complement their diet with a more vegetarian diet and eliminating meat. The legumes that we have reviewed are the ones that have the most protein and other nutrients that are beneficial for gain muscle, but we cannot leave out other beneficial foods such as eggs and white meat.