The Road to Faster Recovery: Foods for Miraculous Results!

You had a great workout this morning and can’t wait to hit the gym again. Your body may feel a little sore and that’s just a sign of reaching a new level of strength. Nothing you can do about it, right? Wrong! Whether you’re a gym rat, dancer, or a runner, you must have experienced strain on your muscles at some point.

Sore shoulders, tendons, or cramps – these are signs that your body needs to recover. But in the zeal to achieve fitness goals, many people ignore the recovery process. Moreover, they feel that all they need is some rest to heal. While rest is crucial, there are certain foods that your body needs for recovery, and their consumption speeds up the process. They are:

1. Foods Rich in Protein
When your muscles are sore, your body’s demands for protein increases. Proteins are building blocks of muscles and are needed during recovery. To meet this demand, consume high-quality proteins after workouts.

Foods to eat: Eggs, chicken, low-fat dairy, lentils.

2. Foods Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are proven to reduce inflammation. Once the swelling around your muscles has decreased, the pain will reduce and recovery will follow.

Foods to eat: Flax seeds, walnuts, soybeans, fishes like salmon, cod, sardines, tuna, etc.

3. Foods with High Carb Levels
Carbs are one of the most important foods to consume post workouts. They promote insulin production and replaces the glycogen stores in your liver and muscles. Although, make sure that the ingredients are boiled or baked and not fried.

Foods to eat: Potato, Sweet Potato, Pasta.

4. Foods Rich in Vitamin C
The human body cannot produce vitamin C and hence needs it every day to manufacture proteins for tendons, blood vessels, and ligaments. These proteins directly affect your recovery time.

Foods to eat: Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, kiwi, broccoli.

5. Foods Rich in Antioxidants

Free radicals are toxins that move around your body and damage the cells that come in contact with them. They can enter your body through injury or foods you eat. Foods with high antioxidants help to eliminate free radicals and keep your body from taking further damage.

Foods to eat: Turmeric, ginger, coffee, strawberries, kidney beans.

While eating foods that help you recover is important, you should also avoid foods that hamper healing like alcohol, sugars, and fried snacks. With these things in mind, you can recover from muscle soreness faster and reach your fitness goals.