Foods that strengthen muscles even after the age of 50

By consuming protein with every meal and after training, as well as whole grains and antioxidants, you help your muscles to recover, strengthen and stay strong and healthy.

Adopt the best eating habits to build muscle after 50. As you enter your later years, your body begins to go through some changes that you can influence with healthy diet and exercise.

Muscles can naturally begin to weaken over time, making strength training essential.

But how can you optimize your path to building stronger muscles in a healthy, sustainable way?

One of the changes you can make is adopting some daily eating habits that can help your body strengthen and build muscle when you exercise.

Experts Amy Goodson and Courtney D’Angelo share their thoughts on the eating habits that can help you build stronger muscles after 50.

Consume high-quality protein

Protein is a key nutrient in building stronger muscles and improving overall health, but getting enough protein throughout the day can be a challenge.

“Protein is essential for building and repairing muscles. And while many think about proteins at lunch and dinner, they often neglect them at breakfast and snacks,” they explain.

It’s true that research supports eating roughly 30 grams of high-quality protein at each of our three main meals and snacks.

– This could look like two eggs, whole grain toast and 180 g of Greek yogurt for breakfast, a salad with about 120 g of salmon or chicken, cheese and vegetables combined with fruit for lunch and a beef steak of about 140 g of brown rice for dinner. Then add protein like cheese, nuts, beef, and even protein bars at snack time, Goodson says.

Especially after exercise

Not only is it important to get enough protein during the day, but getting enough protein after a workout is key to building muscle and getting results.

– Exercise causes damage to muscle mass, and protein in the diet helps to repair it so that the muscles become stronger. The goal is to eat a post-workout snack with 15 to 25 grams of high-quality protein as soon as possible, but definitely within 45 minutes of your workout. This helps to speed up the muscle resynthesis process and also aids in recovery. It can be a smoothie made of cow’s milk, Greek yogurt and fruit, mix 15 to 25 grams of protein powder in water and pair it with fruit or a granola bar, or consume a protein bar with the right amount of protein – suggests Goodson.

Eat whole grains

Another important eating habit you can adopt to build more strength is to make sure you’re consuming enough whole grains, especially as a substitute for refined carbohydrates.

– One of the biggest advantages of whole grains is that they usually contain a good amount of protein. They also contain zinc that helps build muscles and magnesium that can help in their recovery. Examples of whole grain foods include whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, oatmeal, brown rice, and buckwheat. Adding whey protein powder to your oatmeal can be a great habit in your morning whole grain diet – says D’Angelo.

Add antioxidants to your diet

Another important part of building strong muscles is giving your body the nutrients it needs to recover properly after a workout. Including enough antioxidants in your daily diet can help with this.

– If you train hard, you will probably feel pain in the muscles caused by exercise. Although it can be frustrating and uncomfortable, there are many recovery strategies that can help reduce muscle soreness, minimize exercise-induced damage and speed up recovery, Goodson points out.

She also notes that antioxidants top the list of nutrients that can help the body recover from free radicals that cause cell damage.

By consuming foods and beverages such as berries, orange vegetables and fruits, beets, spinach, cherry juice, 100 percent pomegranate juice, and many other healthy foods, you can help your muscles recover as quickly as possible and stay strong and healthy.