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Vegetables—the word certainly doesn’t bring to mind anything remotely close to sexy. In fact, for the majority of people, it represents a harbinger of childhood misery and the hours spent at the dinner table in hopes of getting your parents to understand that you simply were not about that vegetable life. For the sweet-toothed children, vegetables meant a forfeiture of delicious desserts unless you capitulated and worshipped at the Brussels sprout altar. But times have changed, you’re an adult now, and just as your life has evolved so too should your relationship with vegetables.
Vegetables are chock full of the necessary proteins, vitamins, and acids that are critical to your body’s functions. For example, beets perform amazing feats in your body like reducing your oxygen intake during workouts, allowing you to exercise for up to 16 percent longer. With that, here are 10 Vegetables That Will Make You Stronger (And Sexier).
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Spinach
Remember when Popeye would down that can of spinach and 30 muscles of varying sizes would bulge out of his toothpick arms? Well, Popeye wasn’t too far off the mark. Spinach is a rich source of glutamine which is an amino acid that helps to boost muscle strength, size, and even your metabolic rate. Plus, spinach has some really complex-sounding but useful ingredients like beta ecdysterone and octacosanol that help your muscles better absorb proteins.
If you’re still unconvinced, spinach is super easy to make if you don’t want to use the frozen kind at any local grocery store. Sautee some baby spinach in a pan with a teaspoon of olive oil and a dash of pepper and non-salt seasoning, or throw some oil and vinegar and heirloom tomatoes together for a healthy, muscle-strengthening salad side. Guarantee that your significant other will get chills watching your muscle-y self sassily sauté that spinach.
Kale
Keeping it real, kale is not the most delicious vegetable out there. Roughage found in the Brassicaceae (bok choy, kale, etc.) can be a bit hard to get down in their raw form. But throw some kale into a smoothie with some apple juice and a few of your favorite fruits and you’ve got a calcium-packed drink that’s great pre- or post-workout. Calcium helps muscle movement and regulates muscle contraction, which allows for better performance and a more efficient workout.
Broccoli
Broccoli can be a touch tasteless, but if you steam those green tiny-trees to a soft, palatable near-mush, you’ll find that you have an easy and quick to make side dish for any time of the day. Broccoli has a phytochemical which (long story short) weakens estrogenic effects like fat gain and water retention. On the flip side, it helps strengthen testosterone’s anabolic effects like muscle strength and growth.
Avocado
Frankly, anyone who doesn’t find avocado delicious when paired with just about any dish is plain nuts. Well, maybe not nuts, but you might reconsider when you hear some of its benefits. Avocado contains a boatload of healthy, monounsaturated fats which help to lower cholesterol and promote boosts in testosterone and growth hormone production. Plus, it contains calcium and magnesium which play super important roles in regulating muscle function and fluid balance. In layman’s terms, avocadoes are delicious and help with muscle recovery—after a super tough workout you need something to help repair your muscles for stronger future performance. And the best part: you can eat them raw! No prep time, no nothing, just peel and enjoy.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is somewhat reminiscent of “white broccoli,” but it absorbs seasonings much better. Like broccoli, you can steam it and mix it up with some low-fat margarine or your favorite non-salt seasoning mix for a tasty, quick, and healthy side dish. Now, you might ask yourself, “Why the heck would I do that?” Here’s why: Cauliflower contains tons of Omega-3 fatty acids which are super necessary for muscle growth. So, steam those tasty puppies and get moving.
Asparagus
Asparagus is packed with protein and absolutely delicious when dipped in runny eggs for breakfast or with a low-fat dip as a snack. Yeah, it makes your pee smell a little strange, but so what? It’s low in calories and even professional weightlifters consider it a top muscle mass building vegetable—so you know it’s real. Plus, it’s super easy to prepare and extremely versatile.
Potato
Typically, one wouldn’t want to eat too many potatoes if you’re going for a leaner look, considering how calorie dense and starchy they are. But if you’re looking to do a little toning work, those same cons make potatoes a great post-workout meal, fueling muscle growth and replenishing your muscle’s energy pockets. Eating potatoes also triggers the release of powerful hormones like insulin which bolster protein synthesis, muscle growth and recovery, and your energy levels. Beware, you’re probably going to need all the energy you can get to contain all that sexy.
Beet
A 2009 study conducted at the University of Exeter showed that beet juice helped to reduce oxygen uptake allowing individuals to exercise for up to 16 percent longer. Apparently, drinking a liter of beetroot juice for a week doubles the amounts of nitrates in your blood, which causes the muscles to use oxygen and perform more efficiently. You wouldn’t put regular gas in a BMW, right? Well, consider yourself a fully tricked out M6, and beetroot juice is your premium potion to help you run as efficiently and as a smoothly as a kitten’s purr.
Sidenote: Unfortunately, beet juice tastes quite earthy, so try blending it with some of your favorite berries or even freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice to improve the taste.
Green Pepper
Green peppers are another awesome source of Vitamin C that guarantees healthy muscle contraction that is kind of necessary for, well, movement. Vitamin C can also help to repair muscles by easing soreness and damage from exercise. Peppers are also low-calorie and contain just about zero fat (unless sautéed), so they’re perfect to use as a side dish with your cooked entree or even to eat raw as a late-night snack.
Butternut Squash
Squash, like potatoes, are a great starchy, post-workout meal, and their high carb content refills depleted muscle glycogen storage. (Glycogen are basically the body’s travelling, depository energy units.) Squash gives you the energy to push out that last rep—plainly put, squash helps you get it done. Plus, squash is a great source of Vitamin A, which is a necessary part of protein turnover, development, and growth. Without Vitamin A your muscles would eventually begin to breakdown, and no one wants that.
