One of the most important aspects that is overlooked when trying to diet, lose weight or in our case, building lean muscle, is nutrition. You have to eat clean “term used by most bodybuilders”. Eating clean means that you have to maintain nutrient intake ratio between protein, carbohydrates and fats.  The general rule of thumb is that you apply the 40-40-20 principle for eating clean and make adjustments accordingly.  This means that your daily nutrient intake should consist of 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 20% fat.  It is important to follow the ratio as best as you can, if you are building lean muscle for a more defined body.  The following is a list of the healthiest foods that you can get.  This will help you get an idea as to what foods are the best for building lean muscle for your body.

Vegetables

• Onions – An onion can help to protect against cancer.  A cup of onions offers 61 calories, 0 fat, and 3 grams of fiber.
• Broccoli – Broccoli can help protect against breast cancer, and it also contains a lot of vitamin C and beta-carotene.  One cup of chopped broccoli contains 25 calories, 0 fat, and 3 grams of fiber.
• Spinach – Spinach contains carotenoids that can help fend off macular degeneration, which is a major cause of blindness in older people.  One cup contains 7 calories, 0 fat, and 1 gram of fiber.

Fruits

• Apricots – Apricots contain Beta-carotene which helps to prevent radical damage and also helps to protect the eyes.  A single apricot contains 17 calories, 0 fat, and one gram of fiber.  You can eat them dried or soft.

• Mango – A medium sized mango packs 57 MG of vitamin C,  which is nearly your entire daily dose.  This antioxidant will help prevent arthritis and also boost your immune system.
• Cantaloupe – Cantaloupes contain 117 GG of vitamin C, which is almost twice the recommended dose.  Half a melon contains 853 MG of potassium, which is nearly twice as much as a banana, which helps to lower blood pressure.  Half a melon contains 97 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 2 grams of fiber.
• Tomato – A tomato can help cut the risk of bladder, stomach, and colon cancers in half if you eat one daily. A tomato contains 26 calories, 0 fat, and only 1 gram of fiber.

Grains, beans, and nuts

• Peanuts -Peanuts and other nuts can lower your risk of heart disease by 20 percent.  One ounce contains 166 calories, 14 grams of fat, and over 2 grams of fiber.
• Pinto beans – A half cut of pinto beans offers more than 25 percent of your daily folate requirement, which protects you against heart disease.  Half a cup contains 103 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 6 grams of fiber.

Skim milk

• Skim milk offers vitamin B2, which is important for good vision and along with Vitamin A could improve allergies.  You also get calcium and vitamin D as well.  One cup contains 86 calories, o fat, and 0 fiber.

Seafood

• Salmon – All cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids, which help to reduce the risk of cardiac disease. A 3 ounce portion of salmon contains 127 calories, 4 grams of fat, and 0 fiber.
• Crab – Crab is a great source of vitamin B12 and immunity boosting zinc.  A 3 ounce serving of crab offers 84 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 0 fiber.