Unlock Ultimate Muscle Gains and Health Benefits with the Mediterranean Diet!

The Mediterranean diet, celebrated for its health benefits and delicious flavors, is more than just a culinary tradition; it's a lifestyle. Originating from the eating habits of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea like Greece, Italy, and Turkey, this diet emphasizes minimally processed, nutrient-rich foods while also promoting physical activity and social connections. An impressive amount of research shows that this dietary pattern reduces the risk of a number of chronic diseases, supports brain health, and promotes longevity. While it's well-known for its positive impact on heart health and longevity, its potential for bodybuilding and athletic performance is gaining increasing attention.

Foundations of the Mediterranean Diet

Rather than emphasizing specific foods or food groups, the diet encourages a variety of minimally-processed, nutrient-rich foods. While many versions of the Mediterranean Diet exist, studies use specific, validated lists to measure how closely dietary patterns adhere to the general Mediterranean-style diet guidelines. The Mediterranean Diet predominantly revolves around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seafood, lean poultry, and limited amounts of low-fat dairy and plant-based oils.

Core Components:

Fruits and Vegetables: Foundational to meals, providing complex carbs, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
Whole Grains: Opt for whole grain options most of the time, and include other grains such as barley, oats, and rice.
Legumes: Lentils, beans, peas, and peanuts, offering low-fat protein sources.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pine nuts, rich in unsaturated fats.
Fish: A wide variety, like cod, bass, mackerel, and salmon, high in protein and, in the case of fatty fish, vitamin D and polyunsaturated fats.
Olive Oil: A staple, rich in polyunsaturated fats and a primary source of fat.
Moderate Consumption: Poultry, low-fat dairy products, and eggs can be included in moderation. Red meat, butter, and full-fat dairy are limited.
Occasional Red Wine: Can be consumed in moderation, potentially supporting cardiovascular health due to antioxidant properties.

The Mediterranean Diet and Muscle Building

Muscles are built both at the gym and in the kitchen. Muscle-building has two parts: adding on lean muscle mass and increasing muscle size. This is accomplished by regular strength training and by your diet. A Mediterranean diet is good for building muscle, aka ‘lean body mass,’ because it’s primarily plant-based. That makes it an anti-inflammatory diet, which is good for muscle growth. Often, a diet for building muscle focuses on animal sources of protein. And while it can sometimes be easier to hit protein targets with meat sources, plant-based diets that prioritize high-protein foods can be effective as well; this includes vegetarian and vegan diets.

Protein Intake

Protein is a critical part of a muscle-building diet, but it’s not all that should be considered. The recommended dietary allowance suggests a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (or 0.8 grams per 2.2 pounds of body weight). For an adult weighing 135 pounds, that’s only about 49 grams of protein a day. To maximize muscle, the recommendation is 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilo a day.

Carbohydrates and Fats

To build muscle, most people believe we need protein and only protein, but this is erroneous. We need a little bit of protein-and can get more than enough from plant-based foods-and quite a bit of healthy carbohydrates. Fats are also important because they’re a primary fuel source for the body. Eating enough fats helps with satiety, helping you feel fuller and more energized for longer.

Foods to Include

Skinless poultry: Like turkey breast and chicken breast, is relatively low in fat but high in protein.
Foods from the sea: Like wild salmon, tuna, and shrimp, are all high in protein per serving size.
Healthy sources of carbohydrates: When combined with protein, carbs could help fuel muscle growth. Carbohydrates feed the mitochondria in the cells, which are the real powerhouses in terms of muscle growth. Instead of simple carbs, like pasta and white bread, focus on complex carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables (including root veggies like sweet potatoes), and whole grains (think brown rice and oatmeal).
Beans and legumes: Are great sources of protein, especially for those abstaining from animal products.
Nuts and seeds: Are full of healthy fats, which can aid in boosting muscle mass. Fats are an important part of a balanced diet, and getting them from sources like nuts and seeds, rather than processed foods, is better for you. Nuts and seeds are also often high-calorie snacks, which can be a bonus if you’re trying to increase your caloric intake for muscle growth.
Foods like tempeh, quinoa, and tofu: Are good protein sources that don’t include meat. In fact, tofu has all nine of the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source.
Whole eggs: Offer a nice mix of protein and fats, both important for muscle building. They’re also the only food that contain all the essential and non-essential amino acids your body needs. They can also help make a dent in your daily protein goals early in the day, with each medium egg coming in at about 5 grams of protein. If you’d like to bulk up the protein even more, you could add pasteurized egg whites to your full eggs.
Greek yogurt: There’s some evidence from animal studies that the combination of whey and casein-the proteins found in dairy products-can improve muscle protein synthesis. Greek yogurt is known for its high protein content.

Post-Workout Foods

After tough bodybuilding sessions, you’ll want foods that nourish muscle growth and will aid in recovery.Be sure to eat these foods after weight training, not before, says Papanos. Foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories around training can inhibit the adaptations from training.Bananas are rich in potassium, a mineral that helps your muscle tissue recover.Wild salmon is a power-hitter because it’s high in protein as well as omega-3s. These fatty acids can help to increase muscle protein synthesis and reduce inflammation in the body.

Foods to Avoid

Highly processed foods: Which include things like sugary candies, sodas, sweets, processed baked goods (think Pop-Tarts). They are inflammatory and can stress out your insulin response and increase cortisol (stress hormone) production.
Refined oils and fried foods: These are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which can be pro-inflammatory. They’re also low in nutritional value and protein-and can make you gain weight.
Processed meats: Like bacon, hot dogs, and bologna. These are also inflammatory foods, and “inflammation in the body competes with muscle growth.
Alcohol: Alcohol quickly adds up in extra calories that offer no nutritional value, which can lead to increased body fat. It’s also been proven to impact protein synthesis, which is what helps build muscle.

Intermittent fasting has become a popular eating plan. When muscle building is the goal, it’s not a good idea. Fasting is not recommended because it often results in a caloric deficit and weight loss. It’s definitely not recommended when trying to build muscle mass because, without enough calories in the body to support daily functions and muscle growth, we will simply lose weight, including muscle.

Additional Tips

Getting enough protein throughout the day is important. Too often, people neglect their protein intake in the morning, leaving them with a whole lot of protein to consume at dinnertime. You may want to take a fitness supplement to aid your workouts or up your protein as well. A high-quality whey protein is a great option but can induce side effects; the most common is gastrointestinal issues. Pre-workout supplements have become popular as well, but the jury is still out on how effective they are. One interesting randomized, double-blind study looked at the effects of pre-workout supplements with MPP, a multi-ingredient pre-exercise workout supplement blend made up of creatine, betaine and a dendrobium extract. However, after six weeks, supplementing didn’t lead to changes in body composition or exercise performance. The study’s authors acknowledged that while it didn’t lead to physical changes, supplementing before workouts could lead to self-motivation, which could help individuals stick to an exercise routine, which could, in turn, lead to better results at the gym.

Scientific Evidence: Mediterranean Diet and Athletic Performance

Several studies suggest that the Mediterranean Diet can positively influence athletic performance.

Improved Strength and Power

A recent randomized, crossover, controlled trial has been conducted on 13 non-professional strength athletes. The subjects followed either an MD with a high carbohydrate content (HCMD-55-60% of daily energy derived from carbohydrates) and an MD with reduced carbohydrate content (RCMD-40-45% of daily energy derived from carbohydrates) for 8 weeks, with 6-weeks wash-out period in between. Several tests have been conducted to assess strength performance. No significant differences were found for strength performance parameters except for the elbow flexor maximum voluntary contraction test, indicating a decrease in biceps strength after 8 weeks of RCMD, even when compared to the HCMD intervention.

Read also: Delicious Mediterranean Recipes

Helvacı et al. investigated the impact of a Mediterranean-style diet on strength performance in adolescent ski-running athletes by conducting various tests. Results indicated significant improvements in vertical jump height and hand grip strength, as well as enhanced shuttle run performance, including increased test duration, total distance, and maximum oxygen consumption The study highlighted a reduction in upper middle arm circumference and an increase in height among the athletes.

A study conducted by Ficarra et al. on CrossFit athletes reported an increase in peak power (PP) and PP/kg of body weight after the MD or the traditional diet, during the Wingate test. Moreover, max speed significantly increased only in the MD group, and time PP was significantly reduced in the same group. Additionally, the power drop and its related measures were significantly higher or showed a trend toward significance only in the MD group. These results shed light on how an MD could improve anaerobic performance in CrossFit athletes. The same study revealed significant improvements also in strength parameters. Specifically, participants on the MD showed a notable increase in squat jump performance, in particular, jump height increased after 8 weeks of MD. Regarding CrossFit performance, the MD group showed significant improvements in the push-up test to exhaustion, the chin-up test to exhaustion, and the “Fran workout”.

Enhanced Endurance

Baker et al. investigated the endurance performance in a randomized-sequence crossover study after 4 days of MD and Western diet. Following the MD, participants completed a 5 km treadmill time trial an average of 6% ± 3% faster, equating to a reduction of 1.5 ± 0.6 min compared to the Western diet group. Notably, 10 out of 11 participants achieved quicker run times when adhering to the MD. Additionally, the average running speed during the third kilometer was higher in the MD group, further highlighting the performance benefits of the Western diet. No significant differences were found in different parameters related to anaerobic endurance performance during the Wingate Anaerobic test. Similar results were also found for hand grip strength and vertical jump performance.

Impact on Body Composition

In the study conducted by Malaguti et al., no statistically significant results were observed in terms of BMI and body fat percentage changes after 2 months following an MD. Similar results have been found by Ficarra et al., where no significant changes were observed in anthropometric measurements or body composition parameters after the 8-week intervention. Likewise, in the study conducted by Helvacı et al., no statistically significant differences in key body composition metrics such as body fat percentage, lean body mass, and total body weight were noted following the implementation of the MD.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects

While regular physical activity is known to enhance muscle performance and boost energy metabolism, engaging in unfamiliar or excessive exercise can lead to cellular damage. This can compromise muscle function by inducing tissue inflammation and increasing oxidative stress. The growing body of evidence on exercise-induced oxidative damage and its effects on athletic performance has driven significant research in this area. MD is rich in a wide range of important antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, such as bioactives, vitamins, folates, flavonoids, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which have been investigated for their potential muscle-protective effects. Vitamin C, albumin, vitamin E, carotenoids, and flavonoids are able to slow down the oxidation of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and DNA and help counteract the oxidative stress induced by physical activity. Moreover, nutrition plays a crucial role in restoring the immune system after exercise. The existing literature indicates that carbohydrates, along with an appropriate intake of antioxidants and phytochemicals, can attenuate exercise-induced increases in circulating cytokines and the redistribution of neutrophils, monocytes, natural killer cells, and lymphocytes.

In this regard, considering its important micronutrients, MD benefits have been attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which enhance metabolic efficiency and recovery, particularly for longer and more intense sessions, by supporting sustained energy levels and reducing fatigue.

Overcoming Potential Drawbacks

When followed correctly, the Mediterranean Diet poses no health risks and has very few drawbacks. The Mediterranean Diet is rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, and other minimally-processed foods. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that about 10 percent of the American population live in food deserts, which are areas with very low access to grocery stores. Fortunately, it’s still possible to follow a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern using frozen and canned foods. Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutrient-dense as fresh options.

The Mediterranean Diet is omnivorous, but it can be modified for vegetarian, vegan, or kosher diets as well as restrictions due to allergies. A vegan or vegetarian version of the Mediterranean Diet could lack vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and zinc, which are all found in their most bioavailable (or absorbable) forms in animal products. In that case, supplementation can help fill in the nutritional gaps. Additionally, the Mediterranean Diet features poultry and high-protein veggie options. However, it may not be fair to call it a high-protein diet.

Common foods in the Mediterranean Diet - like nuts, olive oil, and artichokes - can be high in fat or fermentable carbs known as FODMAPs. Although these are excellent fuel for gut microbes, they can cause gas, bloating, and loose bowels in many people, especially those with irritable bowel syndrome. Some foods might need to be limited, and it can take several days for the gut to adapt more dietary fiber. FODMAPs can also cause digestive distress for some people if they’re eaten too close to a workout, so athletes may need to choose their pre-workout meals with this in mind if they’re prone to exercise-induced indigestion.

Adapting the Mediterranean Diet for Bodybuilding

While the Mediterranean Diet offers a solid foundation, some adjustments may be necessary to optimize it for bodybuilding:

Prioritize Protein Intake: Bodybuilders typically require a higher protein intake than the average person. Emphasize protein-rich foods like fish, poultry, legumes, and Greek yogurt.
Time Your Meals: Distribute protein intake evenly throughout the day, including a protein-rich meal or snack after workouts to support muscle recovery and growth.
Adjust Carbohydrate Intake: Depending on training intensity and goals, adjust carbohydrate intake to fuel workouts and replenish glycogen stores. Opt for complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Monitor Fat Intake: While healthy fats are essential, monitor overall fat intake to maintain a calorie balance that supports muscle growth without excess fat gain.
Consider Supplementation: Depending on individual needs and dietary restrictions, consider supplementing with creatine, whey protein, or other supplements to support muscle growth and performance.

Sample Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan for Bodybuilding

Breakfast: Steel-cut oats with fresh berries, nuts, and a scoop of whey protein.
Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with mixed greens, vegetables, olive oil dressing, and a side of whole-grain bread.
Snack: Greek yogurt with fruit and a handful of almonds.
Dinner: Baked salmon with roasted vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers, and zucchini) and quinoa.
Post-Workout: Protein shake with fruit and a source of healthy fats like avocado or nuts.

tags: #mediterranean #diet #benefits #for #bodybuilding