Top 5 Foods for Recovery

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Lean meats

Some of my favorite meats are chicken breasts, turkey, and fish. If you happen to have meats with fat, simply remove the fat to make it “lean”.

Flax and chia seeds

Flax and chia are great toppings to add on such as oatmeal, smoothies, and yogurt. Both are high omega 3 fatty acids to help fight inflammation. Our diets mostly consist of omega 6 fatty acids but we need to complement these with the aforementioned omega 3’s to avoid negative, pro-inflammatory effects.

Tart cherry Juice

Tart cherry juice has been trending for some time now in sports nutrition but for a good reason. This can be the ideal drink, when paired with a protein source to maximize recovery. Tart cherry juice contains antioxidants to fight inflammation along with melatonin to aid in sleep, on top of carbohydrates, which are needed to refuel the tank.

Avocado

We need fat in our diet, however most consume too much unhealthy fat such as trans and saturated fat. Avocado is a good source in mono and poly-unsaturated fat. This helps lower Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) levels and raises our good levels of High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL).

Chocolate Milk

The most common recovery drink we see still stands because of its carb-to-protein ratio for absolute recovery. If you happen to be lactose intolerant, simply switch the milk for soy or any other lactose free milk. Just be aware that some may only contain a few grams of protein.

 

These select foods are either anti-inflammatory to aid in repair from further muscle damage or contain complete protein for more efficient muscle rebuilding. Add them in your recovery meals or shakes to make the most out of your workouts and to maximize health and wellness.

To incorporate this in your diet, a good example after a workout would be to chug a cherry juice and a chocolate milk. Then, have a balanced post-workout meal. Make sure to compliment your meat (or other protein source) with some avocado, vegetables, and whole grains. Serving sizes vary and can depend on your goals. If you decide to consume a protein snack before bed, don’t be afraid to add chia or flax seeds with it.