Post-workout foods to aid recovery
Recover post-workout with the right nutrition
After a workout, if you’re going to eat your next meal within an hour or so, you don’t need to worry too much about grabbing a snack or refuelling immediately. If you’re training intensely or your next meal isn’t until later, a snack that includes protein within 30 minutes is a good idea.
Milk and dairy foods, including whey protein shakes, contain the best balance of amino acids for muscle recovery and growth. Having some carbohydrate with dairy enhances the effect further so having a flavoured milkshake or yoghurt with honey is helpful.
If you’re avoiding dairy, a soya-based shake can be helpful. Alternatively, nut butter with oatcakes, porridge with nuts and soya milk, flapjack or eggs on toast can would all be good choices.
Protein shakes and bars can be useful if you’re on the run, but yoghurt blended with fresh fruit cuts out the processed food element of protein products and will give you the benefit of the fibre, antioxidants and vitamins from the fruit.
For your next meal after a workout, make sure you have a good balance of protein foods, some carbohydrates and plenty of vegetables. This may be some chicken or fish with some starchy vegetables and some green veg. It might be an omelette with vegetables and some salad or it could be some soya protein, noodles and vegetables.
