written by The Nutrition Twins,
Fuel your body with three foods that can take your workouts to the next level by easing soreness, speeding muscle recovery, and boosting performance.
For: Quicker muscle recovery
Eat: Tomatoes
Aside from being totally delicious, tomatoes may deliver your muscles a little TLC. One study showed that athletes who drank tomato juice before and after exercising had faster muscle recovery than those who carb-loaded after each workout. Ideal for hydrating, tomatoes also pack water and potassium, which helps replenish the electrolytes you lose while sweating. Plus, their loads of antioxidants may hasten muscle recovery by reducing inflammation.
Try it:
- A Caprese Sandy: Top a slice of hearty whole grain bread with two thick slices of tomato, a small piece of mozzarella, and fresh basil. Snack on the remaining tomato with basil.
- Tomato smoothie: Blend 1/2 cup of ice, 1 cup grape tomatoes, 3/4 cup frozen strawberries, 6 ounces nonfat strawberry yogurt, and 3 medium size basil leaves until smooth.
For: Less muscle soreness
Eat: Tart cherries
Studies have revealed that tart-cherry juice can help athletes bounce back faster after tough workouts. The little ruby reds possess anti-inflammatory properties that seem to block the enzyme associated with muscle soreness.
Try it:
- Add a 1/2 cup of tart cherries to nonfat vanilla yogurt
- Blend 1/2 cup of tart cherry juice in a smoothie with a banana, 1/2 cup ice, and nonfat yogurt
For: Improved performance and delayed fatigue
Eat: Beets
Thanks to their high nitrate content, beets increase nitric acid in the body which improves blood flow. However, drinking beet juice one time before a workout may not help so much; research shows that nitrate supplements taken six days in a row gave the real performance boost. Recent research also suggests that the juice may be most effective for shorter, more intense workouts. (Related: 3 Ways to Eat Beets)
Try it:
- A salad with several sliced, roasted beets
- A beet drink: Juice 3 small beetroots (small ones tend to be sweeter), a celery stalk, 2 carrots, and lemon juice. (Don’t have a juicer? Try this beet powder)
- Borscht (a beet soup from the Ukraine)
BONUS: The following recipe combines all three performance-boosting foods.
Performance-Enhancing Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 cups arugula or mixed greens
- 1 large beet, sliced (or 3 small beets)
- 1 Persian cucumber, sliced
- ½ cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 6 radishes, sliced
- 2 tbsp tart cherries
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Salt, to taste (optional)
- Pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, in spray bottle
Directions: Combine all ingredients except for the olive oil and mix well. Spritz with olive oil and mix thoroughly.
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- 2 cups arugula or mixed greens
- 1 large beet, sliced (or 3 small beets)
- 1 Persian cucumber, sliced
- ½ cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 6 radishes, sliced
- 2 tbsp tart cherries
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Salt, to taste (optional)
- Pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, in spray bottle
- Combine all ingredients except for the olive oil and mix well. Spritz with olive oil and mix thoroughly.
