I think one of the best feeling’s in the world is going hard in a workout and absolutely smashing it. The post exercise high makes you feel like your on top of the world! Then, shortly followed, you start to feel some stiffness and slight aching in those muscles. The next day it hurts trying to sit down and your not going to even attempt to walk up those stairs! You worked those muscles hard and they’re not shy about letting you know! It takes time to let your muscles repair but luckily we can give them a hand by incorporating certain foods into our diet. The foods i’m going to discuss today are packed full of essential nutrients that will give you a boost in recovery! So let’s find out how you can recover quicker and get back into the gym sooner then you expected!
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is an amazing source of natural whey and casein protein. Whey protein absorbs into the muscles quickly, whilst casein is a slow acting protein that absorbs overtime so you can recover whilst you sleep.
It also great as a pre or post workout snack due to the carbohydrates which give your body fuel and therefore a boost in energy!.
You can enjoy cottage cheese as a sweet or savoury snack. To find out more about cottage cheese and how you can eat it, check out my article dedicated to it!
Brazil Nuts
This delicious little snacks contain the highest amount of magnesium than any other nut. Magnesium is essential as it aids over 300 biochemical reactions in our body, including recovering muscles.
Magnesiums most helpful job, when it comes to recovery, is preventing calcium build up in the muscle cells. A build up of calcium causes painful cramping. It is also known to have natural anti-inflammatory properties, which reduces inflammation and soreness.
The great news is, to get your recommended amount of magnesium per day, you only need to eat 3-4 brazil nuts! Super easy!
Wholegrain Bread
Repeat after me: don’t fear the carbs! I spent way to long avoiding carbohydrates and not understanding how essential they are for our body.
Carbs provide the body with a fuel source during exercise, making you go harder for longer. Quality carbohydrates, such as wholegrain bread, help replenish the muscles fuel stores and due to a bit of magnesium, can help prevent cramping. Wholegrain bread is also full of essential nutrients such as b vitamins, iron, fibre, zinc, copper and a splash of protein.
Wholegrain bread is a perfect pre or post workout out snack, as it replenishes the muscles with carbohydrates and protein (This combo helps stop the body from breaking down muscle as a fuel source)
Spinach
Spinach is full of beneficial nutrients and vitamins, such as; calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, copper, potassium, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate.
This leafy green is full of magnesium which is perfect for reducing inflammation and cramping. 1 cup (around 180 grams) of cooked spinach has 158 mg of magnesium which is 37% of the Daily Value (DV).
Other leafy greens that share similar nutritional value include; kale, collard greens, turnip greens, and mustard greens.
Include some spinach in your salad, blend it into a smoothie or mix it in with your scrambled eggs in the morning!
Salmon
One of my all time favourite foods, salmon has some serious amount of muscle recovery nutritents.
High in protein, which aids in the production of new muscle proteins, (process know as muscle protein synthesis) which is the basis for muscle repair.
Also contains large amounts of omega 3 fatty acids which is necessary for reducing inflammation. This 2019 report suggests that lower inflammatory markers were linked to a diet higher in omega 3 fatty acids. The report also found that salmon contain levels of potassium which helps replace lost electrolytes during exercise.
Other great sources of omega 3 fatty acids include; mackerel, sardines, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, flaxseed oil, soybean oil and canola oil.
Eggs
An absolute staple in most people fridge and one of your best friends when it comes finding muscle recovery foods.
Containing high amounts of protein, fatty acids, zinc, vitamin A and selenium, eggs are perfect for recovery.
A single egg contains around 6 grams of protein, similar to a cup of yogurt.
Eggs are rich in protein, fatty acids and a range of nutrients such as zinc, selenium and vitamin A, making them a great food for muscle recovery. The amount of protein in eggs generally is about six or seven grams (per egg), which is similar to the amount of protein in a cup of yoghurt.
Research found that the yolks contain high amounts of 10 different vitamins.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a great and natural anti-inflammatory and also contains lots of antioxidants.
A key component in turmeric is curcumin, which gives it its lovely yellow/orange colour. Curcumin also helps to prevent the production of certain enzymes (cyclooxygenase (COX), lipoxygenase (LOX), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)) which aid in inflammation.
To include turmeric in your diet try adding it into curries, on roast veggies or make yourself a golden milk.
Or try taking some turmeric tablet or capsules!
Watermelon
Watermelon is not only refreshing but also contains an amino acid called L-citrulline, which can help reduce muscle soreness.
This delicious fruit is great for hydration as it’s made of 92% water. It also contains potassium, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin A. These compounds are great for soothing sore achy muscles.
The vitamin C is also great for supporting blood circulation.
Learn more about recovery on the blog!
Find out about 7 muscle recovery supplements that will boost your workouts in this article!
Want to know why you have to have magnesium for recovery? Read this article!
