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Get advice on healthy eating, nutrition, and weight loss from expert dietitian Tara Gidus.
See all posts »Tart Cherries for Post Workout Recovery
Don’t waste your workout! When you get done
with an intense workout or long competition, your muscle glycogen stores
(energy stores) are severely depleted. Muscle tissue also gets damaged as you
train and compete and requires repair immediately. The sooner you can get your
post workout nutrition in, the quicker you can recover! Sure low fat chocolate
milk is one of my favorite things to recover with,
but I also like having options. If you
haven’t tried tart
cherry juice to help with post workout recovery, you
should think about it as another option!
For athletes and weekend warriors, tart cherry juice makes an excellent post-exercise drink. Since cherries are rich in phytonutrients, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and other antioxidants, it can:
- help reduce the oxidative stress muscles undergo during exercise
- reduce muscle soreness and weakness following strenuous exercise
- help to reduce overall inflammation
This is also a great beverage for those athletes who do not like fruits and vegetables -- one bottle of Cheribundi (a popular brand used amongst college and professional athletes), contains between 45 and 50 cherries. You will also get all the benefits of getting some extra
- Vitamin A
- Potassium
- Iron
- Calcium and
- B vitamins
Whether or not you decide to give tart cherry juice a try, just be sure to get a combination of carbs, protein, and fluid in within 30 minutes of working out! Think to yourself, when you want it the least, you need it the most. One of the easiest things to get down post workout is liquid calories.
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About the Author
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