12 Most Effective Foods for Clean Bulking: Which of Them Makes The Cut

Best foods for clean bulking

Most Effective Foods for Clean Bulking

There’s a lot of confusion surrounding clean bulking in the fitness community. One of the most damaging misconceptions is that you can eat everything with wild abandon while disregarding the sugar, carb, and protein count. This strategy won’t help you bulk up.

You need to find the right muscle-building, and high-intensity exercises and pair them with the best foods for clean bulking. When following a clean bulking diet, you have to regulate your calorie surplus to prevent excessive fat gain and stay away from processed whole foods for leaner body composition with muscles in all the right places.

So, without any ado, let’s explore certain foods that can help you create your clean bulking diet plan!

12 Best Foods for Clean Bulking

Here are twelve delicious and healthy foods to bulk up and work toward your dream body:

1. Salmon

When bulking up, you want to generate 30% of your calories from healthy protein to ensure enough amino acids for your new muscles. Salmon is an excellent, calorie-dense protein source packed with omega-3 fats and amino acids. It will help you build your muscles, fight inflammation, and keep your joints free of pain as your training intensifies. Moreover, you can pair it with multiple green veggies, such as asparagus, for a flavorful meal.

Most Effective Foods for Clean Bulking

2. Lean Beef

When choosing your meat, look for cuts labeled lean, round, or loin, and trim away visible fat before preparing your meals for clean bulking. This way, you can enjoy a high-quality protein source without worrying about the right number of calories. Moreover, lean beef is a natural source of creatine and one of the finest sources of stearic acid, a beneficial saturated fat that doesn’t impact your cholesterol level. Plus, there are so many ways to cook lean meat that you won’t get bored of eating the same dish over and over again.

3. Rolled Oats

Oats are an unquestionably versatile grain that you can use to boost your calorie intake without stuffing yourself to the brim. You can eat rolled oats as oatmeal for breakfast, mix them with chocolate protein powder and fruits, or blend them into a delicious smoothie for a refreshing breakfast meal. Regardless of how you enjoy them, rolled oats will help you build your muscles. You can also enjoy them as healthy snacks for bulking up.

4. Skinless Chicken Thigh

Skinless chicken thighs are a somewhat classic muscle-building food that you can cook in multiple ways. Chicken thighs have a smoother texture and more flavor than chicken breasts, and they can help give you the extra calories you need to advance your muscle-building efforts. Plus, chicken tastes good with just about anything. So, you can pair it with multiple nutritious veggies, grains, and nuts for a complete meal.  

4.Skinless Chicken Thigh 12 Most Effective Foods for Clean Bulking: Which of Them Makes The Cut

5. Whole Eggs

Stop binning those nutritious egg yolks! Contrary to popular belief, whole eggs are one of the best foods for clean bulking. They are great sources of protein and fat, and each egg offers around 75 to 90 calories. Many individuals worry about the high content of fat and cholesterol in eggs. However, unless you’re eating a huge pile of eggs a day, you don’t have to worry about the saturated fats. Moreover, the cholesterol in eggs is healthy! So, enjoy these delicious and versatile sources of protein on your muscle-building journey.  

6. Quinoa

You will also need to add the right starchy carbohydrates to your meals for clean bulking. After all, you will need a filling meal after your intensive workout. Quinoa is a South American grain that can help you gain the calories you need for muscle-building. You can enjoy this grain in cold or warm dishes, have it as a breakfast meal like oats, or cook it with chicken or red meat for a healthy lunch or dinner. Since it has a high protein and zinc content, it will help you build strong muscles.

6.Quinoa 12 Most Effective Foods for Clean Bulking: Which of Them Makes The Cut

7. Sweet Potato

Another excellent source of carbohydrates for your clean bulking needs is sweet potato. This food is jam-packed with carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. Plus, it’s the ideal veggie for clean bulking as you can incorporate it in multiple protein recipes or have it as is. You can make sweet potato fries, bake the veggie, or have it with your choice of meat. Since Sweet potatoes are low GI carbohydrate sources, you can incorporate them into your pre-workout snacks for prolonged energy.

8. Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is a surprising and versatile muscle-building drink. You can add it to protein shakes, Greek yogurt, or sautéed veggies for a boost in your calorie count without feeling full. Coconut milk contains medium-chain triglycerides, which are saturated fats that can be digested and absorbed, unlike unhealthy fats. It makes them more accessible for energy consumption and prevents them from being stored in your body.

9. Sprouted Grain Breads

If you’re looking for an alternative to regular bread, choose sprouted grain bread made from grains that have already sprouted. They have lower carbohydrates, a lower glycemic index, and higher proteins compared to traditional bread. It results in healthy calories and better blood sugar control, which will result in an excellent muscle-fat ratio. Since sprouted bread isn’t packed with preservatives, keep it in the freezer to avoid mold growth.

9.Sprouted Grain Breads 12 Most Effective Foods for Clean Bulking: Which of Them Makes The Cut

10. Avocado

The best foods for clean bulking will give you the right fats to achieve a higher calorie count. Avocados contain high levels of monounsaturated fats, which will keep your midsection tight as you bulk up. Moreover, healthy fats can also help build your muscles, especially when you pair them with the right protein sources. Avocados can also help you boost your fiber intake without filling you up.

11. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil needs to be a part of your clean bulking dietary efforts. You can drizzle it on avocados, salads, meat dishes, and vegetable-based meals. It is packed with healthy fats and polyphenols, a superior class of antioxidants that will help you train to your maximum potential. Make sure your olive oil has a peppery taste, as it means it’s packed with polyphenols.

12. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is one of the best healthy snacks for bulking up and satiating your sweet tooth. Moreover, chocolate with more than 75% cocoa is full of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. If you want to give yourself a calorie-boosting, nutritious treat, melt some dark chocolate and pour it over neatly sliced bananas covered in organic peanut butter.

Now that you know all about the best foods for clean bulking, make sure to add them to your diet. These foods will help support your muscle-building efforts and be beneficial for your body in the long run.

DID YOU KNOW?

Music can help to distract you from the fatigue and pain you may be feeling during your workout. Instead of focusing on how tired you are, you can let the music transport you to another place. Second, music can help to increase your motivation and focus. When you’re feeling low on energy, a pump-up song can give you the boost you need to keep going. And finally, music can provide a much-needed sense of rhythm and tempo. This can be especially helpful when you’re doing repetitive exercises like running or cycling. So next time you hit the gym, don’t forget to bring along your tunes!

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