Those tears make you sore at first but ultimately help make you stronger by increasing muscle mass. The good news is you can get past the soreness with the right post-workout nutrition.

Foods with the right nutrient profiles, like bananas, berries, and spinach, can help your muscles recover faster and even lessen next-day soreness. Here's what you need to know about the foods, and a few drinks, that are great for post-workout recovery.

Taro root can be a good muscle recovery food option. It's a root vegetable like potatoes and carrots and comes with many nutrients. Some of the important ones are carbs and protein, which are beneficial for your muscles.

Spinach , as well as other cruciferous vegetables, are jam-packed with nutrients that help stave off inflammation. Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese are minerals in spinach.

Additionally, spinach contains essential vitamins, such as A, C, and folate. The leafy powerhouse also contains protein and antioxidant compounds known as flavonoids. Consider blending it into your post-workout smoothie or scrambling it in with some eggs if you're looking for ways to add spinach to your post-workout meal.

All fruits have antioxidants , which may aid in muscle recovery. There are many good reasons to eat berries, like blueberries and raspberries, with muscle recovery as a possible benefit. Additionally, blueberries contain one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits. However, Ryan M.

Greene, DO, MS , medical director at Monarch Athletic Club in West Hollywood, Calif. Chia seeds are a good source of plant protein. Even if you aren't eating them for recovery, they also offer a ton of nutrients, including:.

Chia seeds are one of the richest plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, a fat source known for their anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits. Researchers found that men who supplemented their diets with milligrams of green tea extract had reduced markers of muscle damage caused by exercise.

There are some things to consider if you're thinking about using green tea extract. The FDA does minimal regulation of dietary supplements, which may not be suitable for everyone. Supplement effects vary individually depending on variables like the type and any medication interactions.

Talk with a healthcare provider or pharmacist before you begin any supplements. Bananas are loaded with carbohydrates and potassium , two muscle-friendly post-workout nutrients.

It also helps that they're portable, meaning you can take one with you so you have it ready following your workout. The next time you have a muscle-working exercise session, it might be worth drinking chocolate milk afterward. The drink contains water, electrolytes, and all three macronutrients—carbs, proteins, and fat—which are all beneficial for recovery.

One review found that chocolate milk was as helpful or more helpful compared to other recovery drinks, but more research is needed.

Oatmeal is excellent because it's super quick and easy to make in a pinch. It's a carb- and protein-filled option to eat before or after your workout. Not to mention, oatmeal can also lead to a longer life. Consider eating eggs to help with your muscle recovery.

They contain protein, and some eggs are fortified with omega-3s. Consuming omega-3 fatty acids can be helpful for inflammation.

Watermelon juice can be a good option to drink before a workout. Researchers found that this type of juice was beneficial for reducing muscle soreness when drunk an hour before exercise.

In general, around 20 grams of protein after a workout has been shown to support rebuilding muscle after exercise. We also looked for snacks to select that offer electrolytes, are convenient, ready-to-go, and portable. It is important to consume adequate amounts of carbohydrates after exercise to help replenish glycogen stores which can often be in the form of added sugars.

So, keep in mind products with artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols may be under the recommended grams of carbohydrates after exercise.

For example, 8 ounces of chocolate milk has 24 grams of carbs and 8 grams of protein. Carbs sometimes come in the form of added sugar like some of the carbs in the chocolate milk , so you don't have to avoid added sugar at all costs. Choose snacks that have minimal ingredients and look for ingredients that you recognize, so you know the food isn't too processed.

If you choose an option such as a protein shake that is lower in carbohydrates, you might consider pairing it with a carbohydrate-containing snack such as a banana, crackers, or pretzels. In addition to carbohydrates, it is important to consume protein after exercising and throughout the day to help repair and rebuild your muscles.

Choosing a post-workout snack that contains protein can help get this process started for muscle repair. Ideally, around 20 grams of protein after exercise can help support muscle growth. Post-workout snacks can help meet this amount of protein by themselves or in combination with a later meal after exercise.

If you choose a snack option that is higher in mainly carbohydrates, we would recommend pairing it with another protein-rich snack such as a protein shake, eggs, yogurt, or cottage cheese. When we sweat, we lose not only water but also electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.

Replenishing these electrolytes—sodium in particular—can help you avoid dehydration. This is particularly important when you are exercising for longer than minutes, in the heat, or at altitude. While some people prefer to replace electrolytes with electrolyte drinks, choosing snacks that are high in sodium can also be a great option.

Replacing fluids post-exercise should be a top priority. While you might opt for water or a sports drink alongside your post-workout snack, options such as chocolate milk provide you with fluids in addition to carbohydrates and protein. It can be helpful to weigh yourself before and after exercise to determine sweat loss.

The ISSN recommends replacing every pound lost during exercise with three cups of water. We recommend eating a post-workout snack, especially when you exercise for at least 60 to 90 minutes, in order to replenish muscle energy and repair muscles. If you are not able to eat a full meal within a few hours after exercise that contains carbohydrates and protein, then you will benefit from a post-workout snack.

Most people working out less than one hour most days of the week can meet their nutritional needs when following a normal diet. Adding in extra snacks on top of your normal eating schedule may not be needed assuming you are already meeting your nutritional needs.

If your workouts are long, at a high intensity , or you have a short recovery time before the next long workout, you could benefit most from an additional post-workout snack to your diet. After working out, you should focus on consuming carbohydrates and protein.

Different fruits contain varying amounts of carbohydrates, which is a good start. For example, a medium banana contains around 25 grams of carbohydrates, while an orange contains around 12 grams of carbohydrates.

For more complete recovery, we also recommend pairing fruit with a source of protein such as yogurt or cottage cheese. Fruits can be a good source of the electrolyte potassium but are low in sodium.

Therefore, if you are looking to replace electrolytes after exercise, pair fruit with an electrolyte drink, salty crackers, and a protein source for balanced recovery. Following a workout, you may want to avoid foods that are high in fat but low in protein and carbohydrates.

Incorporating snacks with some fat is fine, but you want carbohydrates and protein to be the main feature. Greek yogurt provides you with a good amount of protein and so can be an excellent post workout snack to support muscle repair.

While yogurt contains some carbohydrates, it may not be enough to help you fully recover. To further replenish your glycogen stores, we would recommend pairing yogurt with fruit, oats, or cereal to increase the carbohydrate content.

Protein is necessary post-workout for muscle repair. It is important, however, to be sure to also include fluids and carbohydrates after exercise.

For example, we would recommend pairing high-protein foods like eggs with a side of toast with jam or fruit. Protein powders and drinks are a common sports nutrition supplement, but they may not have the carbs needed for post-workout recovery.

Tamar Kane, MS, RD , is a Registered Dietitian and marathon runner. Tamar has her master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Teachers College Columbia University and specializes in working with plant-based athletes in need of quick protein sources.

Her goal is to help people understand how to properly fuel their bodies and supplement if needed! to optimize performance and well-being. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.

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Role of dietary protein in post-exercise muscle reconditioning. Nestle Nutr Inst Workshop Ser. Use limited data to select advertising.

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Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. Sports Nutrition. Here are the best types of foods to eat after exercise. When you work out, your muscles use up glycogen stores.

Additionally, studies show working out can break down and damage muscles. Research suggets that carbs, in particular, can help restore glycogen stores. Eating protein also aids glycogen synthesis while eating fats can help boost protein synthesis.

Protein, carbs, and fats are the best post-workout macros. However, some macros might be better than others, depending on your unique goals. Reminder: Exercise causes your muscles to tear and break down. Protein helps your bod rebuild it.

Eating enough protein after you work out gives your body the amino acids it needs to repair these proteins.

It also helps build new muscle tissue. The pros from the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommend that you eat 0. In a review , researchers noted that eating protein within a few hours of resistance-type exercise in particular boosts muscle protein synthesis rates.

Win: It also enhances the ability of muscles to adapt to prolonged exercise. Still, a study concluded that eating protein either post or pre-workout has a similarly positive effect on muscle strength, hypertrophy, and body composition. Therefore, rushing home from the gym to down a snack might not be that huge of a deal.

Eating protein in general — whether before or after your workout — is def important to muscle growth and exercise recovery. Some experts think chowing down within a few hours is best. Your body uses up your glycogen stores as fuel during exercise, which are basically carb-destination number 1.

So when you down some carbs afterward, those glycogen stores fill back up. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, eating about.

But how fast do you use up your precious glycogen stores? For instance, endurance sports make your bod use a lot more glycogen than resistance training does. Research also shows that insulin secretion — which helps promote glycogen synthesis — functions better when you eat carbs protein at the same time.

So, go ahead and eat that peanut-butter protein muffin or hummus wrap after you work it out. Carbs give your body fuel while you work out and help replenish your glycogen stores afterward.

Even though the research is pretty dated, nothing has been published since that contradicts it. Meanwhile, a small study of 20 men found that eating fat-filled cheese boosts protein synthesis rates both at rest and post-workout.

And a study found that whole milk was better at promoting muscle growth after a workout than skim. AKA, more fat might actually boost muscle growth. The U. Department of Health recommends getting less than 10 percent of cals per day from saturated fats for optimal health. However, it might slow digestion a bit.

But we need more research to prove all the perks. In that case, picking nutrient-rich, easily digestible food is perf. Whether you focus on carb or protein-heavy foods or ones with fat will depend on your unique exercise regimen. Here are some ideas to get you started:.