Once upon a time, fitness enthusiasts who wanted to build muscle mass had limited options when it came to protein powders. Today, new plant-based sources offer discerning bodybuilders a wider variety of choices, including lifters who favor a vegetarian or vegan approach to eating and those who try to eat a low-glycemic diet, one meant to avoid sharp swings in blood sugar.

One of these new clean-and-green proteins is taken from sunflower seeds. It is particularly helpful for creating a sculpted look because it contains a trio of substances called branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs).

Making Muscle

Weight lifting doesn’t build muscles directly. Instead, it creates a state in which tissue suffers tiny areas of damage known as microtears. During the recovery period between training sessions, your body responds by fixing the microtears—and creating even more muscle tissue in the process.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, the stuff muscles are made of. The BCAAs are three amino acids—isoleucine, leucine and valine—that are particularly suitable for muscle building. In fact, among all the amino acids, leucine is the single biggest driver of protein synthesis.

BCAAs are even more important if you’re trying to get lean while adding mass. That’s because the leaner you become, the more your body will want to break down muscle for energy. And as you eat less, protein creation will slow down. BCAAs can counteract this effect, increasing the rate at which protein is created while reducing the rate of protein breakdown.

Article is compliments of Energy Times magazine May/June 2017 issue.

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As always, do not make any changes in your diet or lifestyle without first consulting with your preventive healthcare provider. We pray for your health and prosperity, 3 John 2, blessings, Donna.