The Elite Eight: The Perfect Muscle-Building Foods (Part 2)

Our list of the best muscle-building foods continues with the final four.

5. Coffee

Rich in caffeine, coffee helps you lift weights longer. Down a cup or two a few hours before you workout and you'll be able to pump out more reps. (If you have high blood pressure, then coffee's not for you.)

6. Olive Oil

Olive oil should be in everyone's diet...the extra-virgin kind, especially. It lowers your risk of heart disease, colon cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes. On top of that, it prevents your muscles from breaking down.

7. Beef

Beef is a great supplier of zinc and iron (two of the most important muscle-building nutrients). It also contains the most creatine of any food on the planet. Creatine provides your body with energy for weight lifting. Make sure to choose extra lean beef (rounds or loins).

8. Almonds

If you're looking for vitamin E in the form that's best absorbed by the body, then it's almonds you want. Two handfuls a day is enough to prevent free-radical damage after heavy workouts. Free-radicals prevent muscle recovery after exercise.

(See part 1)