The Best Post-workout Foods For Bodybuilding

You have a prime opportunity to stimulate muscle growth and recovery in the first 20 to 30 minutes after your strength-training session, according to the "British Journal of Sports Medicine." Consuming a protein- and carbohydrate-rich post-workout meal can help you grow more muscle than if you didn't eat anything after your workout. Consuming the best post-workout foods will maximize one of the most important moments in a bodybuilder's day.

Chocolate Milk

Many people associate chocolate milk with school-day lunchtime. However, chocolate milk is a serious muscle-recovery beverage that performs just as well as many commercially available sports drinks, according to the October 2006 issue of the "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism." The high-quality protein and fast-digesting carbohydrates in chocolate milk promote the release of insulin from your pancreas. High levels of insulin promotes muscle growth and shuttles nutrients into muscle, which can enhance recovery.

Meat

All meats are rich in the essential amino acid leucine. Leucine is known as a branched chain amino acid. Branch chain amino acids are important for bodybuilders as they are more easily incorporated into muscles than other amino acids, according to "Ironman's Ultimate Guide to Bodybuilding Nutrition." Leucine-rich foods after a workout stimulate a process called protein synthesis, which is important for muscle growth. Opt for chicken and other lean forms of meat rather than beef and pork rich in saturated fat.

Egg Whites

Not all forms of protein are created equal. Certain protein sources, such as soybeans, vegetables and nuts, are known as incomplete protein as they do not contain all the essential amino acids muscles need. The January 2009 issue of "Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care" says your body's response to high-quality protein sources after your workout is optimal. Egg whites are an especially high-quality protein source.

Whey Protein

Whey protein is a form of dietary protein that's easily digested and absorbed by the body. Whey protein can be taken with you to the gym. Opt to mix your whey protein with juice or milk to get the carbohydrates your body needs after a workout.