Doing the gym regularly? That’s not enough. Post workout fueling is as important as your exercise.
Muscle building and keeping fit aren’t just about heavy workouts. You’re working your muscles, you need to let them relax as well. Exercising produces micro-tears within your muscles. Now to get bigger and stronger, you need your muscles to rebuild. Including the right foods in your diet help you rebuild these torn muscles. There are several foods that help you recover quickly and build better.
Your post-workout muscles are sore. To recover well, you should eat right and sleep well. Now you know how to sleep also know how to workout at home but not quite what to eat. We’re here to tell you just that. You generally need to eat something within an hour of every workout session. So, what are the best foods for muscle recovery? Here are the 8 powerful foods to speed-up the post-workout recovery.
Greek yogurt
We’ll start with the best. The Greek yogurt is easily one of the best things you can have after a grinding workout session. The extremely low-fat yogurt is high on protein and gut-promoting bacteria. It hence works great in reducing muscle inflammation.
A six-ounce serving of Greek. Yogurt gives you the protein you get from three ounces of lean meat. You can up your protein, fiber, and antioxidants game by adding a few berries and almonds. Also, as this yogurt is low on barbs, add a spoon or two of oatmeal to turn it into a complete meal.
Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese got overshadowed by the limelight that Greek yogurt achieved. But, it’s as good as that. A cup of cheese contains more protein than yogurt. Also, it has just 3 grams leucine per cup. It’s thus a great food to rebuild and maintain your core body. Protein supplements offer two kinds of protein. These proteins are whey and casein. Cottage cheese has both these proteins. Whey protein is an excellent quick recovery agent for worked-out muscles. On the other hand, casein is a low-acting protein. This makes sure that your muscles are recovering even while you sleep.
Apart from proteins, cottage cheese is rich in healthy bacteria as well. These bacteria boost up your muscle building by breaking down and absorbing the essential nutrients. Include it in your snack or breakfast menu.
Tart cherries
Tart cherry is a tasty way to muscle recovery. These cherries are paced with anti-inflammatory and antioxidants helping you with speedy recovery with decreased inflammation. It can even work amazingly well for athletes under intense training.
You can have tart cherries in various ways take it fresh or in a smoothie. Frozen cherries would serve the purpose as well. The cheery juice is also seen to lower the systolic blood pressure and help with sleep.
Salmon
Salmon is yet another great food for muscle recovery. Its abundance of omega-3 fatty acids makes it an absolute anti-inflammatory food. These fatty acids can keep the post-workout muscles soreness at bay.
Another great thing about salmon is it’s rich in protein. A 3.5 ounce of salmon serves you with about 25 grams of protein. Although salmon can be a bit expensive, it’s highly beneficial as a recovery food. Make sure you have it within an hour of workout.
Spinach
Spinach not only helps you recover but prevents serious conditions like cancer and heart issues. The food packed and loaded with antioxidants fights and free radicals in your body. For its immense benefits for a healthy and strong body, it’s a range among fitness freaks.
Spinach can be a part of your salad, smoothie, or even dinner. It’s rich in magnesium that helps support muscles and nerves. Also, it keeps the blood sugar and blood pressure in check.
Whole eggs
Whole eggs and not just the egg whites can be a better diet while in intense training. While eggs support your ripping better. Taking three of four whole eggs post exercising greatly enhances your protein synthesis.
Muscle building with whole eggs is 40 percent more effective than egg whites only. Nutrients like healthy fats, vitamins, phosphorus, and iron let your sore muscles effectively use the white’s high-quality proteins.
Quinoa
Are you a vegetarian? Do you avoid animal protein? Quinoa, a grain from Peru can be your best recovery food in that case. Quinoa is a source of complete protein containing all essential amino acids. A food as vegan and beneficial as quinoa is hard to find.
Quinoa is loaded with proteins and fibers. A cup full of it has as much as 8 grams of proteins and 40 grams of carbohydrates. That’s how it makes a great recovery meal. Although quinoa is a top choice for everybody, it’s a special boon for people trying to find a gluten-free vegan option. It helps you up to your protein and fiber intake without going non-veg.
Proteins
Want to fight muscle soreness and inflammation? You obviously need protein for that. The top decider for a great recovery food is protein. So if that’s your prime requirement, you can’t forget your most convenient option, the protein supplements.
Protein-based meals aren’t available on the go and can be costly as well. This is the fact that makes protein powders as popular as they are. Whey proteins can be a great option if you aren’t a vegan. If so, you can alternatively or with plant proteins. For the best bang for your buck, an organic rice protein powder works wonders for your recovery and is easy to digest. A single serving of whey protein gives you about 24 to 30 grams of protein.
Another amazing way to obtain proteins is protein snakes. These shakes are the quickest in muscle recovery. Whey protein-based shakes work even better.
Bottom line
Muscle soreness is normal when in intense training or starting a new regimen. But we’ve got you covered. Include the above foods in your diet and you’re good to go.
For a regular gym-goer, muscle recovery is as important as exercising. There’s no fitness without recovery. Recovery foods thus play an important role in your muscle building. With a proper diet, you gain proper and gain in leaps and bounds.
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