If muscles were made from chips and beer, we’d look huge. But they aren’t, and we don’t–unless you count that sack o’ fat up front and dead center.
If not Doritos and double bock, then what? We decided to delve deep into the human anatomy to find the secret spot on every muscle where the word “ingredients” is stamped. With the help of Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D., an exercise and nutrition researcher at the University of Connecticut, and a really big magnifying glass, we found it. Eight foods are on the list: eggs, almonds, olive oil, salmon, steak, yogurt, water, and coffee. Add these ingredients to your stomach and faithfully follow the directions on the package–”Lift heavy weights”–and you can whip up a batch of biceps in no time.
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Eggs: The Perfect Protein
How they build muscle: Not from being hurled by the dozen at your boss’s house. The protein in eggs has the highest biological value–a measure of how well it supports your body’s protein needs–of any food, including our beloved beef. “Calorie for calorie, you need less protein from eggs than you do from other sources to achieve the same muscle-building benefits,” says Volek. But you have to eat the yolk. In addition to protein, it also contains vitamin B12, which is necessary for fat breakdown and muscle contraction. (And no, eating a few eggs a day won’t increase your risk of heart disease.)
How they keep you healthy: Eggs are vitamins and minerals over easy; they’re packed with riboflavin, folate, vitamins B6, B12, D, and E, and iron, phosphorus, and zinc.
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Hard Candy
When you present her with that box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day, save a few for yourself. Researchers at the University of California at Davis found that consuming flavanol-rich chocolate (such as M&M’s and Snickers) boosts your level of nitric oxide–a compound proven to help open blood vessels and increase bloodflow. Meanwhile, a Johns Hopkins study determined that nitric oxide–and the blood rush that follows–is a key element in triggering and maintaining erections. –Mike Zimmerman
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