When you engage in physical activity, you use a lot of energy, calories, and water. It can be difficult for your body to recover if energy levels are not replenished after your workout. Ideally, you should eat a small snack after exercise, whether it is intense or cardio, to restore your body's energy levels.
In this article, Angélique will give you advice on healthy foods to eat after your workout and explain the benefits each one provides to your body.
The need to have a snack after exercising
During exercise, the muscles use glycogen stored by the body, which comes from the glucose consumed when you eat.
Cardio sports, such as running or swimming, use more glycogen than resistance activities, such as weight training. Another effect of exercise is that the muscles develop small tears, and energy is needed to rebuild them.
By having a snack after your workout, you will help your body regain a good nutritional balance after exercise. This will restore energy levels and reduce fatigue, helping the body repair muscles and build strength for future exercises.
Protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats
After a workout, it is best to eat easily digestible foods to speed up nutrient absorption. Some foods should therefore be prioritized, particularly those containing carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein.
Here is a short list of foods containing carbohydrates:
- chia seeds
- fruit (berries, apples, bananas, etc.)
- rolled oats
- quinoa
- whole grains
Here is a list of foods containing protein:
- cottage cheese
- eggs
- Greek yogurt
- turkey or chicken
- salmon or tuna
- peanut butter
- tofu
Here is a list of foods containing healthy fats:
- avocado
- coconut oil
- flaxseeds
- nut butter
- nuts
What should you eat after your workout?
Here are some examples of foods and nutrients that help the body quickly absorb nutrients and speed up recovery.
Dairy products
According to scientific research, 9 grams of dairy protein may be enough to stimulate protein synthesis in the muscles, which would aid recovery after exercise.
Here is a list of protein-rich dairy products that are ideal to consume after exercise:
- milk
- Greek yogurt
- ricotta
- cottage cheese
- kefir
In fact, one serving of low-fat kefir contains 9.2 g of high-quality protein. These proteins can repair new cells, particularly muscle cells. They also contain all the essential amino acids, which can only be supplied to the body through the diet.
Studies have shown that milk-based proteins are more effective than soy-based proteins at promoting muscle cell growth after resistance exercise.
These same studies concluded that while milk and soy proteins help a person maintain and build muscle mass, milk proteins were more effective at supporting the rapid growth of lean muscle mass.
Eggs
Numerous studies indicate that consuming whole eggs after resistance exercise results in greater protein synthesis than consuming egg whites with the same protein content.
Researchers concluded that the nutrients in egg yolks helped stimulate muscles more effectively than those in egg whites.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Research indicates that including omega-3 fatty acids in the diet helps stimulate muscle protein synthesis and thereby build muscle mass in healthy young and middle-aged adults.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish, such as salmon. Tuna also contains high levels of fatty acids and protein. In fact, one serving of water-packed tuna contains 41.6 g of protein and 5.4 g of fat.
In addition to helping muscles rebuild quickly after a cardio session, studies also indicate that oil from fatty fish may help reduce muscle soreness after resistance training. In fact, consuming fish oil daily for one week before starting resistance exercise will reduce post-workout muscle soreness.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates must be consumed after exercise; on the one hand, they help promote glycogen storage in the muscles, and they also help combat the drops in immunity that may occur after exercise.
Carbohydrates are found in grains, sweet potatoes, and some fruits may contain high levels of them.
However, one of the foods containing the most carbohydrates is quinoa. Gluten-free, it is classified as a pseudocereal. It is rich in fiber and protein; one serving provides 8.14 g of carbohydrates, making it a superfood! In addition, quinoa has a low glycemic index, making it an excellent choice for people with diabetes, for example.
Herbal infusions
Herbal teas contain nutrients and chemical compounds that help the body efficiently process the carbohydrates and proteins consumed as a snack after your workout. The best infusions to drink after exercise are those made with yerba mate. In fact, one study compared athletes who drank herbal tea after exercising with those who drank water. The participants who consumed the herbal tea recovered their strength more quickly in the 24 hours following the workout. They were able to metabolize more quickly and expend more energy than those who did not drink herbal tea.
Water
It is essential to drink plenty of water before, during, and after a workout. In fact, the body loses water and electrolytes through sweating during your workouts. That is why drinking water during and after a workout promotes performance and recovery.
The amount of water each person needs varies depending on the type of exercise, the amount of sweat, thirst, and other factors, but generally it is recommended to drink at least 1.5 L of water throughout the day.
