Top 10 Foods For Muscle Recovery & Repair

Foods that help muscle recovery

If you’re eating to support muscle recovery, you should prioritise foods that are rich in protein and carbohydrates. Whether you follow a vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, keto or flexitarian diet, there are so many nutritious and tasty foods you can eat to help repair your muscles.These are some of the best muscle recovery foods that will help you get back to the gym faster, reduce muscle soreness when you’re not at the gym and help your muscles go from strength to strength.

Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is an excellent source of both whey protein known for its role in replenishing muscles quickly post-workout) and casein protein (a slow-acting protein which allows your muscles to continue recovering even as you sleep.These qualities make cottage cheese is a great snack to have before or after a workout! Enjoy it on wholegrain toast or with fresh fruit.

Sweet potato

Exercise can deplete your body’s glycogen stores, so it’s important to eat carbs afterwards to rebuild them — sweet potatoes are perfect for this as they are high in complex carbohydrates, as well as providing a range of other important nutrients, including vitamin A and potassium.Roasted, baked, mashed or even sliced to make toast, sweet potatoes are easy to prepare and delicious in every form.

Watermelon

One of the most refreshing fruits, you’ll want to add watermelon to your diet intake when your muscles are feeling overly sore.Watermelon is made up mostly of water (about 92%), so it’s fantastic for hydration. Watermelon also contains vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and magnesium.In addition, watermelon can help to reduce muscle inflammation thanks to its vitamin C content.

Salmon

Salmon packs a powerful punch with its high omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin B, potassium and selenium counts.So, how does salmon support muscle recovery? Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation in the body. In addition, the potassium found in salmon can help to replace electrolytes lost during your workout.And don’t forget protein: it’s key to helping repair and rebuild muscles after working out.

Eggs

Eggs are also rich in protein, which is good news when you’re trying to support muscle recovery.Consuming protein after working out gives your body the amino acids it needs to repair and rebuild muscle tissue. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack — eggs are versatile and easy to cook.

Spinach

Spinach is hard to beat. Containing vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K1, iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium, spinach ticks almost every nutritional box.When you work out and sweat a lot, your body becomes dehydrated. This means the level of electrolytes in your body decrease, but spinach, which is rich in potassium and magnesium (which are key electrolytes), is a great food to eat to help your body recover.Spinach is suited to savoury breakfast dishes, as well as many lunch and dinner meals (think salads, pasta, bakes, casseroles and risottos), so it’s easy to incorporate into your day, whenever you work out.

Bananas

Bananas are a fantastic source of carbohydrate, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium and fibre.Bananas are a great choice if you’re working out because they provide a quick source of energy, as well as some essential vitamins and minerals. It’s also thought that eating bananas can help to reduce exercise-related muscle cramps and soreness, due to their high potassium content.The best time to eat a banana? Before or after a workout — they’re a great option all day long. Team a banana with some protein in a smoothie for a nutritious snack.

Turmeric

With its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric is a no-brainer, go-to muscle recovery food.Better yet, there are so many ways to cook with turmeric! Turmeric can be sprinkled on roast vegetables or added to curries, soups, rice, juices and smoothie bowls or used to make golden milk.

Nuts and seeds

Loads of nut and seed varieties are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which work to fight inflammation and improve bone and joint health. In addition, they are also a good source of protein which is essential for muscle recovery!The star players? Walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, pecans and hazelnuts.Enjoy them as a snack when you’re on the go, add a handful to your smoothie or sprinkle them onto an acai bowl to get your dose in.

Green tea

Green tea is packed with catechins (a natural antioxidant) that can help prevent and reduce muscle cell damage caused by exercise.Green tea is also known for its ability to boost your metabolic rate — the higher your metabolic rate is, the more calories you’ll burn during your workout!