Protein Power Foods for Men

It goes without saying that oftentimes men don’t always make the best food choices. Although there are those that are avid gym goers, in general a man’s daily diet does not always consist of the food items that will help him lead a healthier life later on down the line. Protein is one factor that is essential not only for proper health but in building muscle, which is undoubtedly one of the main goals for men that work out. However, it is helpful to choose the right food items that contain natural levels of protein aside from a hearty helping of meat.

Many men might be surprised to know that there is more to protein than chucking down steak, hot dogs and hamburgers. There are plenty of natural sources of protein that are found in other foods aside from meat products, which will not only help boost the health of the male body but in a way that is nutritious. The variety of food items to choose from for more protein is ideal for just about anyone’s taste palette, which means that you can easily find one or more food combinations to incorporate into your daily eating regimen.

Men that enjoy power shakes will want to gather together the following ingredients to create a homemade peanut butter and chocolate power shake: 1 1/2 cups of ice, 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese, 1 cup of a chocolate (2%) dairy beverage and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Preparing this recipe is a snap and only requires throwing all of these ingredients together into a blender and blending on high for about 30 seconds. Now it is ready to serve!

Instead of stopping by the taco truck and ordering a hefted-up burrito, prepare your own healthier version at home by gathering 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons of salsa, 1/2 cup of lean, diced ham, 1/4 cup of low-fat, shredded Cheddar cheese, 1 large egg, 4 beaten, large egg whites and 1 large, whole-wheat tortilla. To put together this flavorful dish, start off by sautéing the diced ham in a non-stick skillet until it starts to brown. Add the ham to the tortilla then use the skillet to scramble the eggs. Mix with cilantro and add to the tortilla, followed by the salsa and cheese and you’ll be good to go.

Are you a fan of oatmeal? Then you’ll enjoy adding a few protein rich ingredients into this traditional meal. You’ll need 1/2 cup of fresh berries, 1 cup of rolled oats, 1 scoop of vanilla whey-protein powder, 1 cup low-fat milk, sugar (to taste), ground cinnamon and salt (both of which only need a dash). In a large bowl, mix together the milk and oats and microwave for one minute. Stir to thoroughly blend the ingredients together and then microwave for an additional minute. Now add in the sugar, salt, berries and cinnamon. After it has cooled a bit, mix in the protein powder, stirring to make sure it is well blended.

Supplements: Which Kind is Right for You? Do You Even Need Them?

In the past, all people needed to do in order to stay healthy and in shape was hit the gym and eat right. However, the concepts of nutrition, health and wellness have expanded to the point where it takes much more to really guarantee that you are on top of your overall health. Among the many changes that people now incorporate into their daily lives includes the use of supplements.

Fitness and nutrition experts often swear by the use of supplements as a way to increase your energy, provide your body with essential vitamins and minerals and even boost the look and feel of your muscles. However, to the average, everyday person, knowing what role supplements should play in their lives can be difficult to determine. If you don’t know all of the information to help you decide, you could end up using the wrong type of supplement or you may find that you don’t even need them. It is a good idea to do some research beforehand so that you’ll know which supplements, if any, can help you with your nutrition, health and/or exercise goals.

Although most people tend to think of protein supplements and similar products used by gym goers and body builders, these are not the only types of supplements that are available. Perhaps the most basic kind of supplement that everyone can benefit from is the multivitamin. Specially formulated with the proper levels of essential vitamins and minerals, multivitamins make sure that we receive the right amounts of these nutrients on a daily basis. Let’s face it: we’re not always able to eat as healthy as we want and even the best efforts cannot always guarantee that we’re taking in the proper levels of vitamins and minerals. If you happen to lead a hectic lifestyle, have a poor diet or want to make sure that you’re covering all of your bases, then you’ll want to make sure to take your multivitamin once a day or as directed on the label. There are multivitamins for adults, teens and even young children. It is not mandatory to take multivitamins, however, it helps a lot.

Aside from multivitamins, the other types of supplements on the market include those used by fitness enthusiasts, namely creatine, protein and glutamine supplements. You can find these in pill, powder or beverage form. These products serve a number of purposes, including conditioning and strengthening the muscles, tissues and replenishing energy levels during and after a workout. Creatine, protein and glutamine supplements can be purchased at any health food store and vitamin shop as well as online. If you are not an active gym goer, chances are you don’t need these types of supplements.

Some people tend to have a deficiency of some kind. This can include not producing enough of a certain vitamin or mineral in the body. In these instances, specialized supplements are needed. For example, those with a vitamin E deficiency can simply take vitamin E pills to increase their levels and make sure they can avoid the deficiency in the future.