Runners and athletes need to focus on good muscle recovery to avoid muscle pain or injuries. And to eat these recommended natural foods, will support good healthy muscles.
Whether for their protein content, iron content, anti-inflammatory properties, or amino acids, these foods can help your muscles heal faster.
1. COTTAGE CHEESE
Cottage cheese has around 27 grams of protein per cup. The casein protein found in cottage cheese are often isolated and used as a workout protein supplement. As a slow-digesting protein, casein can help build and rebuild muscle while we sleep if it's in our night dinner meal.
The essential amino acid leucine is also present in cottage cheese, and comprises around 23% of the essential amino acids in muscle protein. Foods with leucine can help us build muscle by activating protein.
2. SWEET POTATOES
Adding sweet potatoes to our post-workout meal can help replenish our glycogen stores after a run or tough workout. Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin C and beta-carotene as well, and are loaded with fiber which helps to control appetite and maintain healthy digestion and build muscle.
3. BAKING SPICES
What we can put on our sweet potatoes, it turns out some baking spices are good for post-workout recovery as well. Cinnamon or ginger, significantly reduced muscle soreness post-run or exercise. If you're already having a sweet potato, make it a little sweeter with some cinnamon, add it to oatmeal, or put some in your coffee for the extra boost.
4. COFFEE
About 2 cups of caffeinated coffee can reduce post-workout pain by 48%, and increase energy. And if we drink some coffee before running or exercising, it will support our energy level and muscle strength.
5. TURMERIC
Another spice on the list, turmeric contains the compound curcumin, which is an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant, and has been shown to be a proven and reliable pain reliever. Whether it's helping us with delayed onset muscle soreness or pain from an injury, turmeric eases both pain and swelling by blocking chemical pain and pro-inflammatory enzymes.
6. OATMEAL
Oatmeal can help relieve muscle soreness. This complex carb gives us a slow and steady release of sugar, along with iron needed to carry oxygen through our blood, and vitamin B1 (thiamine), which can reduce stress and improve alertness.
This is why oatmeal is a great way to start the day, but it also includes selenium, a mineral that protects cells from free-radical damage and lowers the potential for joint inflammation.
7. BANANAS
Easily sliced into oatmeal, added in smoothies, or eaten alone, not only are bananas a healthy way to replace sweets, bananas are also a great way to get much-needed potassium. Potassium helps reduce muscle soreness and muscle cramps like the dreaded spasm that contracts our muscle against our will.
8. PEANUT BUTTER
The healthy fats and protein found in nut butters like peanut or almond butter can help repair sore muscles. A reliable source of protein for muscle building, with fiber for blood pressure support, vitamin E for antioxidant properties, and phytosterols for heart health, peanut butter offers many benefits, and easy to eat.
9. NUTS AND SEEDS
A good recommendation for protein balls, to add nuts and seeds for the recipe, which are great additions to these protein-rich foods.
While providing essential omega-3 fatty acids to fight inflammation, various nuts and seeds can provide us protein for muscle protein synthesis, electrolytes for hydration, and zinc for an immune system boost. Something as simple as almonds, walnuts, pumpkin, and cashews can help maximize our muscles.
10. MANUKA HONEY
Manuka honey comes from New Zealand, with a milder flavor than other versions of honey and a much thicker texture. It's anti-inflammatory and rich in the carbs needed to replenish glycogen stores and deliver protein to our muscles.
11. GREEN TEA
Green tea is particularly helpful for muscle recovery. With anti-inflammatory antioxidants, it makes an excellent pre- or post-workout drink to prevent muscle damage related to exercise, and also helps us stay hydrated.
12. CACAO
Cacao has high-levels of magnesium, antioxidants, and B-vitamins, which reduce exercise stress, balance electrolytes, and boost immunity and energy levels. The antioxidant in cacao also help the production of nitric oxide in our body, which allows our blood vessel walls to relax, lowering blood pressure and promoting healthy blood flow.
Adding cacao powder to our high-quality protein shakes or a glass of cow/almond/coconut milk post-workout will bring us the benefits.
13. TART CHERRIES
Tart cherry juice has been shown to minimize post-run muscle pain, reduce muscle damage, and improve recovery time in professional athletes like lifters. We should enjoy tart cherry juice as a drink, or include the dried fruit as a part of our own muscle-building trail mix with the nuts and seeds recommended.
It's not the only fruit or fruit juice we might include either. The nutrients in fruits like oranges, pineapples, and raspberries can also help speed up our recovery.
14. SALMON
Rich with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, muscle-building protein, and antioxidants, salmon is an extremely efficient post-workout food.
Not an option if you are vegan or vegetarian, but for the meat eaters among us, or those on the Paleo diet, salmon can specifically help prevent delayed onset muscle soreness, reduce inflammation, and provide us with an abundance of the protein needed for muscle growth.
15. EGGS
Eggs are great way to gain protein first thing in the morning, and an even more effective food to have immediately post-workout to help prevent DOMS (Delayed Muscle Soreness). Like cottage cheese, eggs are a rich provider of leucine, and like salmon, eggs contain vitamin D.
16. SPINACH
Spinach is a powerhouse of antioxidants, not only can spinach help prevent diseases like heart disease and various cancers, but it also helps us recover quickly from intense exercise. Spinach's nitrates help to strengthen our muscles, and the magnesium content helps maintain nerve function. Spinach helps to regulate our blood sugar. We can add to smoothie, in our salad, or other meals.
RESIST DAMAGE AND RECOVERY QUICKLY
These foods help with recovery from DOMS and reduce the amount of soreness we get in the first place by providing our body with the proteins and nutrients it craves when we're working out or running to the best of our ability.
Focus On These Good And Healthy Natural Foods, To Avoid Muscle Pain, Injuries Or Some Disease, And More Energy For Nice Runs And Workouts!
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