23/09/2016
All About Fruits for Bodybuilding or for Muscle Mass Development
"Fruit provides valuable phytochemicals that benefit health, yet the fructose content is a concern for many because it is a type of sugar that cannot be directly utilized by the muscles," admits M&F Senior Science Editor Jim Stoppani PhD. "Only the liver has the capability of converting fructose into glycogen—the storage form of carbohydrates."
The problem with fructose arises when the liver glycogen levels are full. At this point, fructose gets converted to fat and that helps to increase the size of the fat cells. Since we aren't equipped with fuel gauges to tell us how full our livers are, many bodybuilders opt for avoiding fruit all together. But such extreme measures are not necessary. There are actually a few times when fruit is not only okay—it's actually helpful.
The best time to eat fruit is immediately upon waking. While you sleep, your liver burns up its glycogen to supply needed glucose to the brain during your nightly fast. When liver glycogen levels begin to dip a signal is sent to the brain to start breaking down muscle protein to convert amino acids into glucose for the brain. When you wake in the morning you are a muscle-burning machine. At this time of day you will not have to worry about fructose being converted to fat, so eat up. The fructose will be put to good use for restocking the liver glycogen levels and switching off the signal to burn muscle protein.
The value of fruit goes way beyond glycogen replenishment. Check out these little-known supplement-mimicking benefits of some popular produce:
1. Grapefruits. Subjects who ate half of a grapefruit with meals or drank 8 ounces of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 4 pounds (with some losing more than 10 pounds) in 12 weeks without dieting.
2. Oranges. The king of the citrus world is a great pre-workout snack because the vitamin C helps protect nitric oxide (NO) from being broken down by free radicals. It also helps to have one post-workout because of these same antioxidant effects.
3. Apples. Apples contain polyphenols which have been proven to increase strength and fat loss.
4. Cherries. Grab a handful of cherries post-workout to reduce inflammation and enhance recovery. The wonder ingredient? Anthocyanins.
5. Watermelons. This citrulline-heavy melon helps you with blood flow and nutrient delivery since citrulline gets converted to arginine and NO.
Source: http://www.muscleandfitness.com
6. Bananas. As bananas are among the most carbohydrate-dense fruits, eat them with your breakfast to help restock muscle glycogen levels and put a halt to muscle breakdown. Or blend one into your post-training protein shake to help replenish muscle energy stores. Bananas are also a fabulous source of potassium, an electrolyte necessary for proper muscular contraction.
7. Frozen Wild Blueberries. Food scientists at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) found wild blueberries pack a huge antioxidant payload. Harvested at peak ripeness, frozen blueberries are flash-frozen after picking to lock in those antioxidants. Many supermarkets stock subzero wild blueberries in their frozen-food section. Add them to shakes, oatmeal and yogurt.
8. Kiwis. Ask 10 bodybuilders which fruit packs in the most vitamin C, and the majority will name the orange. In fact, kiwi fruit possesses higher levels of this potent antioxidant, which could help you trim fat off your frame. Scientists at Arizona State University (Mesa) found poor vitamin C status can hinder fat burning during exercise because vitamin C is necessary for the synthesis of carnitine, a molecule required for the proper oxidation of fatty acids.
9. Avocados. This fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) is packed with dietary fiber — a whopping 13 grams per avocado. Bodybuilders on a high-protein diet may be coming up short in the fiber department, but seeing as a high-fiber diet has been shown to help whittle the middle (likely by reducing spikes in blood sugar and discouraging fat storage), adding fiber where you can is key. Avocado is also a leading source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Spread avocado on rye crackers or add slices to your dinner salads.
Source: http://www.muscleandperformance.com
10. Tomatoes. High in lycopene, which prevents cancer. The lycopene in tomato paste is 4 times more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes. Have pizza or pasta with tomato sauce & olive oil post strength training.
Source: http://stronglifts.com
Note: Images have been borrowed and collated only to educate without any intent to infringe on copyright.