The foods that you eat after a workout are very important. Drinking a sports drink will not be enough. How you recover impacts on your physiology just as much exercise as does. After an exercise, your metabolism rate is increased and this is the period when fat reserves are burnt to provide much needed energy that was not adequately supplied to the muscles during the workout.
The following are three foods you can eat to enhance your recovery time.
1. Beets
Beets contain betalains and nitrates that boost blood flow, allowing for more oxygen to be transported to muscles, that need them, improving muscle contractions and reducing blood pressure. They also contain antioxidants that prevent oxidative damage to body tissues, caused by free radicals produced by the body’s chemical reactions, which now have a higher chance of happening after a workout as greater numbers of chemical reactions are carried out to produce the energy and substances the body needs urgently which could otherwise lead to inflammations and even cancer.
Beets and its juice have been shown to also increase performance when eaten before exercise. They can be eaten cooked, baked, roasted, pickled or juiced.
2. Eggs
Eggs are considered a super-food. They contain so good proteins that they have become the standard for measuring proteins in other foods. They also provide the nine amino acids that are essential for health, which helps the body to repair damaged tissues faster and better, increasing strength of muscles.
They also contain a variety of other nutrients and minerals like choline, vitamin D, which strengthen bones, as they will need to grow bigger to hold the growing strong muscles and zinc that boost red blood cell production and enhances their ability to carry more oxygen to muscles.
3. Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt contains a lot of proteins that your body needs to build body structures. They also contain water which you will need to re-hydrate yourself. Just stay away from varieties that contain fruits, as they will add excess and unnecessary sugars, just after you have finished exercising.
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