Smoothies are excellent to get more nutrients into your diet in a short space of time. You can include more fruits and vegetables, add extra protein, and include nuts or seeds without even thinking about it. Green smoothies are often highly recommended, but you do not just need to use up your green vegetables in this way.
Sometimes it is worth adding other ingredients to your smoothies. You want a mixture of ingredients that will provide a specific function.
After a workout, it is all about good muscle repair. Whether you have done cardio or strength training, your muscles will feel it. They tear and break throughout the workout so that they can rebuild stronger and fitter than ever before. This is only possible when you add the right nutrients to your meals. A post-workout smoothie will help you get just the nutrients you need.
However, Why Are Smoothies So Good?
One of the biggest benefits of smoothies is the speed at which the nutrients will get into your system. The ingredients have already been broken down. There’s no need for your stomach acid to get to work, meaning the nutrients get into your digestive system quicker. This is where the nutrients are absorbed into the body.
Because the nutrients have already been released, the digestive system gets to work absorbing them. The nutrients can get to their desired destination effortlessly.
Your body will be tired after a workout. You need to support it as easily as you can. Do not make it work more than t needs to. Allow the protein and fat to get around easily, and make it simple for the carbs to refuel your body. Not only will your muscles repair, but you will have the boost of energy afterward to get on with your day.
Eating a heavy meal after your workout is not a good idea. Your digestive system takes longer to work, so it will make it harder for the nutrients to reach your muscles. Getting something easy to digest is essential.
Smoothies will also allow you to add more ingredients without thinking about them. Protein powder is easily added in without tasting it. You can fill up with plenty of vitamins and minerals that will help to support the overall health.
You would not be able to eat all the ingredients in one sitting usually. The chewing and digestive process will lead to the body feeling fuller much sooner than usual. There’s much fiber to get through. By opting for a smoothie, you trick your body into letting you have more in one sitting.
Of course, this can backfire. You still need to consider your portion sizes. Make sure you only make enough smoothie for one portion to avoid getting extra, unnecessary calories. You do not want to outweigh the good that your workout has done for your body. The recipes we have at the end of this article will give you the perfect portion sizes for your needs.
Creating the Perfect Smoothie for Muscle Repair
Science shows up that protein is one of the best nutrients for building muscles, but you need more than this to help support muscle repair. Your muscles will need other vitamins and minerals, while your body needs additional macronutrients for energy support. You will also need to think about the quality of the ingredients. Not all are made the same!
While we will have five smoothies to try out, you will want to adapt and add more recipes to your list. You will need to know the overall types of ingredients to add to your smoothies to make sure they will always help to keep your muscles strong and ease the repair process after a workout.
Opt for Clean Protein Powders Always
There are so many protein powders out there, but they are not all made the same. They have all sorts of labels and marketing statements, but that does not mean they are going to do the job they state. It does not mean they will not cause other problems to your health. You need to check the ingredients of all protein powders to make sure they are clean.
Look out for those that specifically state they have non-GMO ingredients. Organic ingredients are even better. You may also want to look out for vegan-friendly or gluten-free ingredients. The latter two are not as important depending on your diet. If you see whey protein powder, it is not vegan-friendly. However, it can be perfect for your muscles.
Watch out for added sugar in the ingredients. This includes fructose, syrup, and even coconut sugar. Sugar is the last thing your body needs after a workout. All you are going to do is add the sugar to your bloodstream and cause an insulin boost. You will get a quick energy slump right after. Sure, fruits will have sugar in them, but this is natural, and you have plenty of fiber working with the sugar to prevent the insulin boost. You get the complex carbs from fruit and vegetables that your body desperately needs after a workout.
Companies that make a clean protein powder will want to rant and rave about this. After all, so many people look for it now. The FAQs on a manufacturer’s website will tell you more about whether the protein powder is clean or not.
Stock up on Leafy Greens
While you do not just need leafy vegetables in your post-workout smoothies, you will want to add at least one in. Dark leafy greens are your best friend when it comes to multiple nutrients. They can be better than red meat and milk for your calcium intake!
Most importantly, dark leafy greens are packed with magnesium. This is a nutrient we tend to overlook but is necessary for the recovery of your muscles. The magnesium will help to keep the levels of cortisol (stress hormone) in your body low. This is a hormone that peaks after a workout, so you want to prevent it increasing too much. Large amounts of stress will disrupt your metabolism, digestive system, immunity, and natural oil production balance. Your muscles will not be able to gain as much protein as it needs when the hormonal balance is out.
On top of that, the dark leafy greens will offer fewer calories compared to all other ingredients, while keeping your nutrient levels up. They are packed with fiber for a healthy digestive system, helping to ensure all the other ingredients work effectively.
Opt for spinach or kale as a base for your post-workout smoothie. Swiss chard and collards are other good options.
Do Not Forget About Superfoods
You may have heard of some foods being classed as “superfoods.” These are foods that are maximized with nutrients. They are packed with fiber, complex carbs, and numerous micronutrients to keep your body working effectively throughout the day. Even if you have not done a workout, you will want to add more superfoods to your diet to protect your health.
You will be surprised at some of the superfoods out there. Cacao (cocoa in its raw form) is one of them; yes! Many of the superfoods may be fruits that you cannot pronounce, or you have never heard of before, but that does not stop them from being good.
Look out for chia seeds, goji berries, spirulina, maca, and even wheatgrass powder for your smoothies. Not sure where to get them or worried about the cost? Well, there are fruits and ingredients easily found in your local grocery stores. Stock up on berries (of all type, but blueberries are among the best) and do not forget about the non-dairy milk. Almond and coconut are excellent options, but you can also gain superfood benefits from soy milk.
Unsweetened vanilla flavors of the non-dairy milk offer an excellent way to get a sweeter taste to your smoothies. They are already naturally sweet but avoid the added corn syrups and fructose to help keep your blood sugar levels in check.
When you opt for superfoods, make sure you stock up on vegan, organic, raw versions and always look out for non-GMO ingredients. Most of them are naturally gluten-free, so you do not have to worry about that. Like with protein powder, keeping the ingredients clean will help to add more health benefits to your smoothies.
Opt for Low GI Fruits as Much as Possible
While you want fruits in your smoothies, you will need to consider the best options for your health. Fruits are full of natural sugar. While they have fiber to balance out the sugars, some fruits are lower on the glycemic index (GI) than others. You want to choose fruits on the lower end of the scale to avoid high blood sugar spikes.
You will be surprised at the sweetness you can get from low GI fruits. Just half a banana will make your smoothie creamier and sweeter while adding more potassium and other nutrients to your diet. Moreover, while it tastes super sweet, it is good for the overall health.
Other low-GI fruits include berries, including acai and goji berries, and papayas. You will not need to add a lot of the fruits to taste the difference in your smoothies. In fact, avoid adding too many fruits together as the flavors do not always blend well together. The flavors in low GI fruits can be strong, but they certainly help to avoid the bitterness of the leafy greens!
Think About Some Healthy Fats
You may have heard that fats are bad for you, but that is not the case. Like with carbs, not all fats are made equally. Healthy fats include all types of unsaturated fats. You can get them from olive oil, nut butter, avocados, some seeds, and much more.
Healthy fats can help with the post-workout recovery process. They help to restore the glycogen within the muscle cells, speeding up the recovery time. However, you want to keep the number of healthy fats you eat to a minimum. Remember your digestive system will be sluggish, and fats tend to be harder than other nutrients to digest. Plus, they contain more calories.
Non-dairy milk (and regular milk) are good options for healthy fats. However, you can also get them through raw almond/peanut butter, a quarter of an avocado, a handful of flax seeds, or raw coconut butter.
Healthy fats are not compulsory but tend to be good additions.
5 Post Workout Smoothies that You Need for Muscle Recovery
Now it is time to start your post-workout smoothie recipe list. These five all include a range of the ingredients above to make sure you repair the damage to the muscles, improve the muscle cells, and add other nutrients to support your overall health to make it easier for muscles to recover.
With all the recipes, you just need to put all the ingredients into the blender and process until smooth. If you would like whole seeds, add them in after blending the fruits and vegetables. This is more of personal preference.
You will notice most recipes call for bananas that are frozen. Peel your refrigerated bananas and wrap in foil before putting in the freezer. You can then just pull out and put straight in your blender. The frozen bananas can help to avoid the need for ice and will add a slightly creamier taste to your smoothies.
The No-Hunger Post Workout Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana, frozen
- 2tbsp almond butter
- 3/4cups of Northern beans, drained
- 1tbsp chia seeds
- 2tbsp hemp seeds
- 2tbsp coconut butter
- 2tbsp raw cacao powder
- 1 cup of almond milk/water
Berry and Kale Power Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/3 cup of blueberries
- 1/3 cup of strawberries
- ½ cup of kale leaves stalks removed
- ¼ cup of almond/coconut/soy milk
- 1tbsp flax seeds, ground
- 1tbsp hemp powder
- 1tbsp chia seeds
- 1tbsp acai berry powder
- 1tsp cinnamon
- 2tbsp protein powder of choice
Homemade Thyroid Booster
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped to make it easier to blend
- 1 cup of coconut water/plain water
- 1 cup of almond/soy milk
- 1tsp maca powder
- 1tbsp fermented fish oil
- 1tsp spirulina
- 1tbsp chia seeds
- Dash of cinnamon
The Warrior Protein Green Smoothie
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of grapefruit/orange juice, preferably fresh
- 1 cup of baby spinach/dinosaur kale
- 1 sweet apple, cored and chopped for easier processing
- 1 cup of cucumber, chopped for easier processing
- 1 celery stalk, chopped for easier processing
- 3-4tbsp hemp hearts, or to taste
- 1/3 cup of mango, fresh or frozen
- 2tbsp mint leaves, preferably fresh
- 2tbsp protein powder of choice
- 4 ice cubes
Note: You may need to buy crushed ice if your blender is not powerful enough to blend ice cubes. You can also put the cubes in at the end to drink cold.
This recipe works well by blending bits of the ingredient list at a time to avoid sticking at the bottom. You will likely have extra at the end, which you can store in the fridge for later.
Protein Power Recovery Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of kale
- 1 avocado
- 1 banana, frozen
- 2tbsp almond butter
- 1 lime, peeled
- 2tbsp hemp seeds
- 2tbsp coconut oil, melted to liquid
- 1tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup of coconut water
- Dash of cinnamon
- 2tbsp protein powder of choice
Boost Your Recovery with the Right Smoothies
By getting the right smoothies, you can boost your recovery period after your workout. You do not need a lot of special ingredients. The fruits and vegetables you have in your fridge will likely already do the job you need. The seeds and oils will last for weeks, so are more than worthwhile buying.
A great benefit of smoothies is using up your ripe fruit. The riper, the better for creating delicious and taste smoothies. They are packed with all the nutrients that your body needs to repair the muscles and fully recover after a workout.
