| An exciting development in the functional food area is | | | | Whole Grains |
| the fortified egg. Bodybuilders know that eggs are a | | | | Bodybuilders may find whole-grain foods helpful in |
| good source of protein, but eggs can now also be a | | | | providing steady energy for hard training. Whole-grain |
| good source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Some | | | | foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and essential |
| egg producers are adding flaxseed to the feed of | | | | fatty acids. Some examples of good whole-grain |
| hens. Adding omega-3 fatty acids, in the form of | | | | foods include oatmeal, whole-wheat flour, barley, spelt, |
| flaxseeds, to the diets of hens increases the omega-3 | | | | brown rice, and some hot and cold breakfast cereals. |
| fatty acid content of eggs by over six times that of | | | | Be wary of products labeled 100% wheat, |
| regular eggs. Eating two fortified eggs may provide an | | | | stone-ground, multi-grain, seven-grain, 12-grain, or |
| adequate amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Egg | | | | organic. They often contain very little whole grain. |
| producers also add vitamin E to the flaxseed feed to | | | | Instead, look for whole-grain products that say 100% |
| keep it stable. This can cause the vitamin E content of | | | | whole wheat. |
| fortified eggs to be as much as eight times higher than | | | | Salmon |
| that of normal eggs. It is also worthy to note that eggs | | | | One of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, |
| can taste better with the vitamin E enrichment | | | | salmon is a great way to add more musclebuilding |
| Legumes | | | | protein to your diet. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are |
| Sometimes referred to as the poor mans meat, | | | | important building blocks of cell membranes and, like |
| legumes are an excellent source of soluble fiber, which | | | | protein, may help athletes recover from strenuous |
| is important for keeping an athletes blood sugar and | | | | workouts. Omega-3 fatty acids are also a great |
| energy levels stable. As far as plant foods go, most | | | | addition to anyones fat-loss plan. |
| legumes are relatively high in protein and are a good | | | | Tomato Products |
| source of slow releasing complex carbohydrates. This | | | | Not often do you find a natural food that actually |
| is great for providing a more stable and longer lasting | | | | benefits nutritionally by being cooked and processed. |
| supply of energy for working out. Legumes can be | | | | This seems to be the case, however, for tomatoes. It |
| eaten in chili, stews, and soups, and are also enjoyable | | | | appears that even though some vitamin C is lost when |
| when served cold in bean salads. Some of the more | | | | tomatoes are heated, the antioxidant power is |
| common legumes found in the U.S. include pinto beans, | | | | increased during the process. Researchers have found |
| kidney beans, navy beans, lima beans, black beans, | | | | that the antioxidant lycopene, which is the pigment that |
| chickpeas, lentils, and black-eyed peas. Legumes can | | | | makes tomatoes and other fruits like pink grapefruit |
| be purchased dry, canned, and sometimes frozen. | | | | and watermelon red, is made more bioavailable to the |
| Allium Vegetables | | | | human body after heating. Foods rich in lycopene |
| Allium vegetables, such as garlic, chives, onions, | | | | include canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice, |
| scallions, and leeks, are a flavorful way to add healthful | | | | tomato paste, salsa, and ketchup. |
| nutrients to a bodybuilders diet. The benefits of garlic | | | | Flaxseeds |
| and other allium vegetables may come from their | | | | Also known as linseeds, flaxseeds are small, |
| abundant flavonoids, such as quercetin, and also from | | | | oval-shaped seeds from the blue flowering flax plant. |
| their sulfur-containing compounds. Allium vegetables | | | | Flaxseeds are considered one of the best plant |
| may be more beneficial when uncooked. So you may | | | | sources of healthful omega-3 essential fatty acids, and |
| want to add them to sandwiches, salads, salad | | | | they're also a good source of fiber. Flaxseeds (but not |
| dressings, and other raw recipes to get the most from | | | | all flaxseed oil) are rich in phytochemicals called lignans |
| them. | | | | that may have strong antioxidant properties that can |
| Mollusks | | | | help you stay healthy. There are several sources of |
| Low in fat, a source of protein, and high in essential | | | | lignans, such as whole grains, various berries, and |
| minerals, mollusks can be a good addition to a | | | | soybeans, but flaxseeds are the best source. For |
| bodybuilders diet. Three popular and nutritious mollusk | | | | easier digestion, flaxseeds should be ground first; a |
| choices are clams, oysters, and mussels. Clams, in | | | | coffee grinder is good for this. The pleasant, nutty |
| particular, lead the way for all foods in heme iron | | | | flavor of ground flaxseeds can be enjoyed in many |
| content. Heme iron found only in red meat, poultry, fish, | | | | foods, such as baked breads, muffins, and cookies. |
| and seafood is iron bound to a nonprotein compound | | | | They can also be eaten in salads, cereals, soups, |
| that is much more easily absorbed by the body than | | | | sauces, or mixed with a serving of NITRO-TECH |
| free iron. Clams are also an excellent source of | | | | protein powder. |
| vitamin B12 and copper. These three nutrients may | | | | Cruciferous Vegetables |
| help maintain good blood status for delivering oxygen | | | | Vegetables such as watercress, broccoli, cauliflower, |
| to working muscles. Along with copper, mollusks are | | | | kale, brussels sprouts, and cabbage are known as |
| also rich in zinc and selenium. These minerals are | | | | cruciferous vegetables. These vegetables are high in |
| necessary for the proper functioning of the bodys | | | | fiber, rich in vitamin C, very low in calories, and a good |
| immune system and its antioxidant defenses. Mollusks | | | | source of healthful phytonutrients. Eating cruciferous |
| can be cooked in a variety of ways, including steaming, | | | | vegetables is a good way to take in important |
| stewing, roasting, baking, broiling, sauting, poaching, and | | | | micronutrients without taking in a lot of calories. |
| frying. | | | | Bodybuilders wishing to lose bodyfat will find |
| Nuts | | | | cruciferous vegetables to be a good addition to a their |
| Nuts are a very rich source of nutrients, including | | | | focused diet. Try to get three or more servings of |
| polyunsaturated fatty acids, vegetable proteins, fiber, | | | | these vegetables each week. |
| vitamin E, potassium, folate, magnesium, zinc, selenium, | | | | It is also interesting to note that cruciferous vegetables |
| copper, phosphorous, phytosterols, antioxidants, and | | | | can be a dieting bodybuilders best friend, as in many |
| arginine. Although nuts are considered a fatty food, the | | | | cases they require more calories to be digested than |
| fat in them may be beneficial. Some healthful choices | | | | they provide. Cruciferous vegetables not only help fill |
| for the bodybuilder include almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, | | | | you up, but they also help you burn more calories! |
| cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, | | | | Bodybuilders put great demand on their bodies during |
| pine nuts, and pistachios. But remember, eating too | | | | heavy training. Eating well will keep you going strong |
| much of a good thing can really increase your caloric | | | | and staying healthy. Remember, a healthy bodybuilder |
| intake, which could lead to an increase in bodyfat. A | | | | is a better bodybuilder, so try to add some of these |
| good guideline may be to eat one or two servings per | | | | superfoods today. |
| day. A serving is one ounce (24 almonds). | | | | |