Have you ever wondered why we get cuts while chopping something or get cramps in our legs while stretching or running? An electrolyte imbalance is responsible for such conditions. Electrolytes are nothing but minerals that spark electrical impulses in your body when combined with water. These impulses act as fuel to your cells. The primary electrolytes are sodium, magnesium, chloride, calcium, and potassium. Maintaining a good balance of all these minerals boosts the brain’s functioning, supports healthy muscles, and keeps your body hydrated.
As you get dehydrated while exercising, you sweat out and lose water making the blood thicker, which raises your body temperature. Additionally, there isn’t enough fluid left in your body to produce sweat that cools you, your heart rate increases, and you begin to breathe heavily to catch up some breath. Consuming fluids after workouts will get your muscles moving and increase your performance. But, what kind of drinks are the best after-workout options? Check some out below.
Contents
Coconut Water
Drinking water in an adequate amount is proven beneficial for health. But have you ever thought of switching things up for good health? Try coconut water. According to dietitians and nutrition consultants, it’s a rich source of electrolytes such as sodium, magnesium, and potassium. Hence, it makes coconut water a great option to help you restore consumed minerals after intense training. In addition, it includes natural sugars, which can help rejuvenate the energy levels after a tiring gym.
Herbal Tea
Herbal tea is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, which are incredibly good for fighting infections and diseases. The best immune-boosting herbal teas are ginger, echinacea, and licorice root tea. Herbal is also considered good for weight loss.
Chocolate Milk
A glass of refreshing chocolate milk is a great way to recoup from a robust workout. Refueling after exercise is essential for the body, as many calories get burned out in intense exercises. Chocolate milk acts as a nutrition powerhouse, refuels the body, and brings along all the beneficial components of after-work fuel, like protein, fluids, electrolytes, and carbohydrates. These nutrients help the body reclaim the lost energy and provide the body with the minerals required to rebuild and destress muscles after the intensive and exhausting workout.
Vegetable Juice
One of the essential nutrient sources is vegetable juice to keep your body healthy and energetic. It’s best to have fresh vegetable juice after an intense workout and rejuvenate the body. Leafy greens, carrots, beets, and many such vegetables serve the minerals and vitamins along with electrolytes and antioxidants required to help muscle recovery quickly and rehydrate after exercise.
Green Tea
Green tea is infused with antioxidants and boosts your metabolism. It is available in a plethora of flavors like lemon, basil, ginger, peach, etc., and it’d be conducive to weight loss as it controls your appetite. In addition, drinking green tea post-workout will leave you feeling fresher and rejuvenated.
Smoothies
You can’t always drink vegetables. However, fresh fruits you can use to make flavourful and nutritious smoothies. Blending your favorite vegetables and fruits with your protein and liquid source of options is a beautiful idea. For example, coconut water, Greek yogurt, almond milk, or protein powder make an exciting and delicious smoothie. It’s an incredible way to lose weight, too, if you are looking for ways to reduce fat as you lose your appetite post-exercise. Plant-based smoothies contain many nutrients to refurbish the exhausted body without the requirement of making a full meal. An added advantage is that it is delicious and high on nutrients.
Cherry Juice
Cherry juice contains high amounts of antioxidants, and this magical drink does wonders with inflammation, muscle injuries, and soreness. In addition, since cherries are of high-water content, they are suitable for making up for the water loss in the body.
Beetroot Juice
Beetroot juice can provide a range of health benefits as it contains a unique combination of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Antioxidants reduce oxidative stress, which research has indicated to various diseases.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks restore the energy lost after a long workout. These drinks are a good substitute for electrolytes and water. Sipping sports drinks can replenish your body and help maintain blood sugar levels.
Unsweetened Decaf Tea
Fruit flavored tea, mint, chamomile, green tea or ginger tea, etc., are caffeine and sugar-free teas and are loaded with antioxidants. A cup of unsweetened decaf tea can not just hydrate you well but also support muscle recovery.
Final Words
While muscles are built in the gym, strength is gained outside of it. Drinking healthy fluids like green tea, water, coconut water, herbal tea, unsweetened decaf tea, sports drink, beetroot juice, cherry juice, orange juice, vegetable juice, chocolate milk, and a protein shake helps maintain the electrolyte balance in your body post-workout. Undoubtedly these are magical drinks for regaining muscle strength and curing any kind of inflammation or soreness.
