New Delhi: Effective recovery of muscle is as important as the workout routine you follow. What you consume has a direct impact on the same. Therefore, you should ensure a proper and balanced nutritional intake in order to boost muscle recovery, also resulting in optimal muscle growth. Here are some nutrients to add to your recovery diet:
1. Protein
Protein is a type of macronutrient that provides your body with the energy it requires on a daily basis. It also plays an important role as one of the building blocks of your muscles and helps prevent inflammation. A diet rich in protein can help you get the required amounts of nutrients and support muscle recovery and growth.
You can consume foods like eggs, meat, poultry, fish, tofu, beans, peas, etc., to fulfil your body’s protein requirement. You can also rely on protein powders for the same. If you are on a low-calorie diet, you can opt for BCAA pre-workout powder (consisting of three amino acids: valine, leucine, and isoleucine) to boost muscle recovery.
2. Omega 3 Fatty Acids
The first phase of recovery involves inflammation, which is also beneficial for the proper healing of your muscles. However, you must note that high inflammation for longer durations may have some negative effects on your recovery process. Consumption of omega-3 is one way of avoiding excess inflammation.
Foods like walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, oysters, fish (like salmon, sardines, mackerel, etc.), and so on can help you get enough amounts of omega 3 to reduce inflammation and in turn, speed up recovery.
3. Vitamin B Complex
In addition to essential amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids, what if we told you that B vitamins can also aid muscle recovery? B vitamins support the processing of protein in the body, boosting the production of new cells as well as repair of soreness-causing microtears.
Bananas, peas, broccoli, leafy greens, dairy products, liver meat, eggs, etc., can be excellent sources of B vitamins.
4. Zinc
Zinc is considered to be helpful for muscle and tissue repair, growth, and wound healing. A deficiency of the nutrient can result in your body struggling to heal tears induced by workouts as well as injuries caused to the body in general.
To get enough amounts of zinc through your diet, focus on the intake of meat, fish, pulses, seeds (especially pumpkin seeds), grains, and so on.
5. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a type of micronutrient that boosts the production of collagen in the body. Collagen is important because it helps maintain healthy bones, tendons, muscles and skin in the body. Additionally, it possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, further supporting athletic performance.
Consume citrus fruits, yellow and red bell peppers, leafy green vegetables, mangoes, berries, tomatoes, etc., to get the required amounts of vitamin C through your diet.
6. CoQ10
CoQ10, or Coenzyme Q10, is an antioxidant produced by the body and is stored in the mitochondria of a cell. It has the ability to reduce muscle fatigue and pain by reducing excess inflammation as well as damage caused by physical stressors.
Spinach, fish (such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, etc.), and nuts are some dietary sources of CoQ10.
Conclusion
We have discussed some nutrients that can help boost recovery as well as the growth of muscles after a strenuous workout routine. Deficiency in these may hinder or slow down your recovery process, and excess amounts may result in certain negative effects. Therefore, it is important to consume these in the right amounts. You can also consider consulting a healthcare professional in order to determine the same.
This article is generated and published by FPJ focus team. You can get in touch with them on fpjfocus@fpj.co.in.
