These days, there are muscle building supplements for everything. Want to lose weight? There’s a supplement for that. Detox? Check. How about pump up your workout, build muscle, get your protein, or give yourself a little (or big) energy boost? Check, check, check, and check. There are weight loss supplements and body building supplements for all of those. It maybe sometimes sounds too good to be true.
Sorry to burst your bubble folks, but a lot of supplements aren’t all they’re chalked up to be. When it comes to exercise supplements specifically, research is often inconclusive or straight up non-existent with regards to their effectiveness. In many cases, they’re over priced, come with additives and sweeteners, and are unnecessary or potentially harmful when taken in high doses. As for those the active ingredients in these protein, body-building, health, nutrition and muscle building supplements? Those can often be found right on our plates, with bonus vitamins and minerals and none of that extra stuff we don’t want (like fructose, maltodextrin, and artificial sweeteners).
We know it may seem like an easy fix but there’s no such thing as a supplement that’s going to make getting in shape easy. While protein powder can provide a little boost to your breakfast smoothie, for the average exerciser, I wouldn’t suggest relying on these exclusively in the long term. Instead, we’ve compiled a yummy list of foods to provide these muscle building, body building, exercise boosting, ‘super nutritious’ ingredients. Look no further for answers to all your burning muscle building supplement questions.
Pin or share this handy graphic for the next time you’re wondering if a supplement is the tastiest and most cost-effective way to get to your goals. If you do chose to take any supplements for health reasons, always consult with your doctor or a registered dietitian first.
Have any other health or muscle building supplement related questions or a favorite way to incorporate these foods into your diet? Let me know in the comments below!
Contribution by AK Dietetic Student Olivia Cupido
Updated on April 2nd, 2016
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
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