10 High-Protein Foods For Athletes That Help Build Muscle and Speed Up Recovery

Protein is essential for building, maintaining, and recovering muscles. That means if you’re regularly going to the gym, running, or playing other sports, you may need to pay extra attention to your protein intake.

When it comes to protein, guidelines recommend people eat anywhere from “1.2 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day,” said David Goldman, MS, RD, registered dietitian, director of research at Metabite, and visiting researcher at the University of Helsinki.

For active people, Goldman told Health, 1.6 grams (g) per kilogram of body weight each day is a good target—that shakes out to about 108 g of protein daily for a 150-pound adult.

So, for athletes looking to build muscle and recover faster, how can you tweak your diet to hit those protein goals? Here are 10 recommendations, per experts and the latest research.

The nutrition basics:

• Serving: 3 ounces (oz) cooked
• Protein: 25 g
• Calories: 186

Beef contains a number of beneficial nutrients for muscle growth and recovery, including:

• Creatine: The compound increases stores of energy in your muscles, enabling them to sustain tough workouts. It also helps with muscle recovery, reducing concentrations of enzymes linked to muscle damage.
• L-carnitine: This molecule carries fatty acids to the mitochondria, where they’re used for energy. This preserves some of the glycogen (energy) stores in your muscles, so you can train longer and harder. It preserves amino acids for the body to use for muscle rebuilding post-workout, too.
• Carnosine: One of the most abundant antioxidants in meat, carnosine helps reduce soreness and muscle tiredness by balancing the pH levels in the body.
• Beta-alanine: This is a building block of carnosine, found abundantly in beef and other meats.

For best results, eat lean beef post-workout. Try grilling it, stir-frying it with vegetables, or adding it to stews.

The nutrition basics:

• Serving: 3 oz, cooked
• Protein: 26 g
• Calories: 128

Chicken breast is a great source of lean protein. It contains many of the same nutrients as beef does, including creatine, carnosine, beta-alanine, and L-carnitine, though at slightly different concentrations. These are all beneficial for muscle growth and recovery.

After a workout, eat chicken breast on its own, or add it to salads or pastas.

 The nutrition basics:

• Serving: 3 oz, cooked
• Protein: 26 g
• Calories: 125

Very similar to beef and chicken, turkey breast is another great lean protein option for after your workout. Again, it contains nutrients such as beta-alanine and creatine to help with muscle performance and recovery.

You can add turkey breast to wraps, salads, sandwiches, and a variety of other dishes.

The nutrition basics:

• Serving: 3 oz, cooked or canned
• Protein: 20 g for canned light tuna; 17 g for cod
• Calories: 109 for canned light tuna; 71 for cod

There are lots of varieties of fish out there, but high-protein options include tuna, salmon, cod, trout, and sardines.

Fish—especially fatty fish—makes for an especially great post-workout meal, as it’s a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.

“Omega-3s have anti-inflammatory effects that can reduce muscle soreness after hard workouts and support quicker recovery,” Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, registered dietitian and owner of Greenletes, told Health.

Other studies suggest that omega-3s may be able to boost muscle growth, Rizzo added. Plus, “fish have a type of omega-3 called DHA which has been linked to better brain health and cognition,” she said. “This may help athletes have more mental clarity during intense workouts.”

After your workout, consider making fish tacos, fish sandwiches, or add fish to a grain and vegetable bowl.

The nutrition basics:

• Serving: 7 oz of Greek yogurt; 4 oz of cottage cheese
• Protein: 20 g for Greek yogurt; 12 g for cottage cheese
• Calories: 146 for Green yogurt; 92 for cottage cheese

Milks, yogurts, and cheeses are inexpensive sources of protein, great for either before or after a workout.

Dairy is rich in casein, a milk protein. Casein is absorbed slowly by the body, so amino acid levels stay high in your bloodstream for a longer period of time—that may help with muscle repair, particularly when dairy is consumed before bed.

Other research has found Greek yogurt helped muscles grow both after exercise and while resting.

Plus, the calcium in dairy is “vital for promoting strong and healthy bones,” added Michael Reavis, Jr, MS, RD, LDN, lead sports and medicine dietitian at Fit With Food in Maryland. “Without strong bones to support the forces the muscles are creating, athletic endeavors would be near impossible.”

To add more dairy into your diet, make parfaits with Greek yogurt, or add cheese to eggs, salads, and sandwiches.

The nutrition basics:

• Serving: 1/2 cup, cooked
• Protein: 16 g
• Calories: 148

As far as plant protein goes, soybeans get high marks—they don’t have every single amino acid, but they come close.

Soybeans contain compounds called phytoestrogens, which are similar to estrogen, so some people worry they won’t be as beneficial for muscle growth. But research has shown soy protein works just as well as whey protein for building muscle.

In fact, isoflavones, one type of these phytoestrogens, have “antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and support faster recovery,” Rizzo explained.

After your workout, you can boil edamame, make a tofu scramble, or stir-fry tempeh.

The nutrition basics:

• Serving: 3 tablespoons, hulled
• Protein: 9.5 g
• Calories: 166

Just one serving of hemp seeds provides over half of the daily value (DV) for magnesium and around one third for zinc. For iron, it provides about 30% of the DV for men and 13% for women.

“Zinc, iron, and magnesium all support training and recovery,” Goldman said. “Zinc helps with protein synthesis and immune function, iron is critical for delivering oxygen to muscles, and magnesium helps with muscle contraction and energy production.”

Hemp seeds are a great choice for breakfast—you can add them to oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, or baked goods—but can be enjoyed before or after a workout.

The nutrition basics:

• Serving: 1/2 cup, cooked
• Protein: 9 g 
• Calories: 115

Most plant foods, including lentils, don’t have all the essential amino acids the body needs, so they can be less effective at helping muscles grow. However, eating lentils alongside a grain such as rice can help with protein synthesis, making them a good choice for athletes.

However, when it comes to lentils, make sure you’re eating them after a workout—or, at least be cautious when eating them before you exercise. Lentils are rich in fiber, Reavis Jr explained, and “the last thing an athlete wants is a side stitch while they are in the midst of a high-intensity effort.”

Lentils are good additions to soups, stews, and protein bowls, or can be used to make lentil “tofu.”

The nutrition basics:

• Serving: One large egg
• Protein: 6 g
• Calories: 72

Eggs are known for being a high quality protein. And though egg whites are popular, you’re better off using the whole egg if protein intake and strength-building is your goal—egg yolks contain over 40% of the total protein in an egg.

Plus, one study found that consumption of whole eggs after strength training led to greater muscle growth than consumption of egg whites alone.

You can eat eggs before or after a workout, and though they’re a popular breakfast choice, eggs can also be added to casseroles, ramen, or grain bowls for extra protein.

The nutrition basics:

• Serving: 1 oz, about 23 kernels
• Protein: 6 g
• Calories: 164

Almonds are a good source of protein, but similar to other foods on this list, they also are rich in antioxidants. In fact, one serving of almonds provides almost 50% of your recommended DV of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.

This makes them a great snack for athletes—vitamin E and other antioxidants help tamp down inflammation in the body, which can otherwise make you feel tired and sore.

“Antioxidant-rich foods are an amazing addition to any diet and should definitely be included in an athlete’s diet,” Reavis Jr said. “But prioritize this throughout the day, and do not overemphasize it in the pre- and post-workout period.”

You can add almonds to energy bites, yogurt, oatmeal, trail mixes, or smoothies. Or, try adding almond butter to toast or pancakes.

If you spend a lot of time exercising, it’s important to incorporate high-protein and high-quality foods into your diet. It’s even better if those foods contain nutrients such as carnosine or creatine, or various forms of antioxidants to support your workouts and recovery.

It depends on the individual, but in general, aim to eat 60–90 g of carbohydrates and 20–30 g of protein post-workout, Reavis Jr recommended.