Food for Muscle Recovery — Ways to Bounce Back!

A pumped-up workout — there is nothing more empowering than the feeling after that, but raise your hand if you have ever been too stiff post muscle training. Too sore to raise your hands?  

Working hard for that ripped body comes with its own set of hurdles. Any tough training will give you that crippling muscle ache and thoughts of quitting. While a fitness hangover can seem demotivating, let’s not cramp our style and bounce back with these simple foods that will help ease sore muscles. 

1. Salmon 

Salmon packs a powerful punch with its protein, rich omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B, and selenium for terrific nutrition required to repair muscles after a workout. The omega-3 fatty acids present act as a tool to reduce any inflammation caused post-workout. Get fancy with the way you eat your salmon, chop up some avocado, smoked salmon, and mozzarella into small pieces then layer all your ingredients onto a plate with a twist of black pepper between each layer and finish it off by drizzling a zig-zag of Italian Garden Dressing. Push away the unnatural help of supplements and shift towards the goodness of salmon. 

2. Mānuka Honey 

This honey isn’t like any other ordinary honey that you will find sitting in your kitchen cabinets. This pure nectar is monofloral honey derived from a plant called Manuka. The unique flavor gives a much milder taste and a thicker consistency than any ordinary honey. Manuka Honey is a potent anti-inflammatory that helps to suppress exercise-induced inflammation in the body. Mixing it up with some yogurt is a delicious way to treat yourself after an exhausting workout. 

3. Spinach 

Let’s all go Popeye the sailor man! A bite of spinach gives you unmatchable energy. We hear healthy and we vision green, and what’s greener than a bunch of spinach leaves. Spinach is rich in nutrients like iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin K1, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium — the last two being the hero nutrients with key electrolytes that soothe the sore muscles allowing you to move more freely. Our greens intake is preferably in a form of a smoothie — a cup of plain soy milk, 3/4^th cup of packed fresh spinach leaves, and 1 large banana, sliced — blend, blend, blend — muscle cramps gone! 

4. Turmeric 

Turmeric is an age-old remedy famously known to fix damaged cells, degraded muscles, and extreme exhaustion from prolonged hours of workout. This golden powder contains a compound called Curcumin that has anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants that play a vital role in reducing inflammation, easing pain and swelling by blocking the effects of pro-inflammatory enzymes and chemical pain messengers. These properties are the cure to the micro-tears in your muscle tissues leading to healthier muscle recovery and growth. The ancient Golden milk made with a pinch of turmeric mixed in warm milk energizes your drained body relieving you from pain and soreness. 

5. Watermelon 

Your summer workout dreams are made of juicy, sweet watermelons! This refreshing fruit is 92% water — almost like “eating” your water. It not only fills you up but also keeps you hydrated throughout the day. Days when your workout has drenched you, watermelons rescue you from losing an important electrolyte; Potassium. Thanks to I-citrulline and Vitamin C in this fruit that help reduce inflammation and soreness in your muscles.  

6. Sweet Potato 

Roasted, mashed, as cubes, or swirled around a stick — sweet potatoes are delicious in every way. Sweet potatoes can be vital for muscle recovery as it contains vitamin A and potassium. 

Glycogen, a tissue stored in our body as carbohydrates deplete every time we work out, and what better way there can be to regain these lost carbs than some air-fried sweet potato fries mixed in smoked paprika and herbs — mouthwatering! 

Sore muscles aren’t necessarily a sign of a good workout. However, when you first start a new workout program, these muscle cramps are very common. Make some of these changes to your routine and ease the muscle tension in your body for an effective, pain-free fitness journey.