Our Top 10 Snacks to Help Boost your Workout
It’s good to work out! Our bodies need exercise as it helps get oxygen and the essential nutrients we need to our organs and tissues, and lowers the risk of disease. It can help us lose extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight, and it also triggers the release of chemicals in the brain which cause us to feel more perky and upbeat, as well as improving our cognitive function. Whether you’ve joined a gym or you’ve invested in some home equipment – or if you just like to turn the radio up and jump around every now and then – there are many things you should be eating to ensure your body’s prepared and well-nourished in readiness for whatever exercise regime you choose.
One of the very best things to make sure you’re getting enough of is fruit and vegetables – a study in Northern Ireland found that increased intake of fruit and veggies is associated with an increase in muscle power.[1] There are a whole wealth of natural, beneficial things you can eat to make sure you’re building your body up with strength and vitality in readiness for your next gym session – here are ten of our favourites….
When we exercise, an enzyme called creatine kinase can leak out of our muscles. This leads to muscle soreness, which may not be fully apparent until the following day… ouch!! One of the ways we can combat this soreness is by ensuring we eat plenty of soluble fibre. These delicious, nutritious energy balls are made with dates and mangoes, both of which are excellent sources of this. The protein in the cashews is also brilliant at helping restore damaged muscle tissue to health, and maca powder has been shown to improve stamina and energy levels.[2] You could also do worse than washing a couple of them down with some tart cherry juice, which a 2016 study found significantly reduced post-exercise muscle soreness.[3]
Peanut Protein Ball 35g (Bounce Snack Foods)
Eating one of these marvellously chewy protein balls after a workout will deliver a very healthy dose of protein – 9.7 grams of nutty magic to help repair, maintain and even grow your muscles. Increased protein intake contributes to greater strength and muscle mass when coupled with exercise, and can even limit age-related muscle loss.[4] Bounce Balls are seriously delicious even before you take into account the knockout nutrition they contain – this one’s full of antioxidants too, and contains an impressive amount of niacin, a B-vitamin that can help reduce feelings of tiredness and fatigue – perfect to combat any post-gym slump!
The almonds in this lip-smacking smoothie are one of the very finest dietary sources of alpha-tocopherol, also known as vitamin E. This essential nutrient is a powerful antioxidant which can mitigate the muscle damage that can occur during a heavy workout. The oats are perfect for long, slow energy release, and the freeze-dried strawberry powder and organic cacao nibs provide more powerful, muscle damage-busting antioxidants.
Protein Bar - Organic Food Bar 70g
Here’s another very enjoyable way to top up your protein levels! As well as the dates and nuts they contain, which will provide a hefty blast of fibre and healthy fats (not to mention a wonderful taste and texture), they’re full of rice protein, which is an excellent vegan alternative to whey protein and is full of amino acids, which help build muscle mass, lessen workout fatigue, and decrease soreness after exercise.
The spike in oxidative stress which the body undergoes when we exercise can be combated by consuming foods rich in antioxidants, which reduce this stress on the body. Matcha tea is a splendid source of a special class of antioxidants called catechins, specifically one called epigallocatechin gallate (known as EGCG). This stunning compound can also enhance fat burning, reduce your chances of having cardiovascular disease and improve your body’s insulin metabolism. All of these will improve athletic performance.[5] Matcha is commonly drunk from a cup, but we think it’s also fantastic in ‘chocolate’ form! These dairy and sugar-free treats are sweetened with coconut blossom nectar syrup and also contains a great amount of protein from the cashew nut butter and almond flour.
Organic Vegan Protein Powder, Cacao 750g (Sussex Wholefoods)
This fantastic protein powder combines the rich, chocolatey flavour of South American cacao with a blend of pea and rice protein isolates. It doesn’t really matter whether you drink it before or after your workout – it still works inside your body to repair muscle damage and grow new muscle. It contains amino acids, the building blocks used for muscle growth, and is a wise choice for anyone who feels they may not be getting enough protein from their diet. When it comes to protein, the Department of Health advises adults to consume up to 55.5g for men and 45g for women.[6]
Bananas are one of the very best natural energy boosters, and are brilliant for building up our stores of glycogen, which is a form of glucose our bodies keep on standby and release whenever a quick burst of energy is needed. Bananas are also a great source of magnesium, which helps us synthesise protein, leading to increased lean muscle mass. These awesome muffins are easy to make, and also contain cranberries, which a 2017 trial concluded contributed to a significant strengthening of antioxidant potential in individuals exposed to strenuous physical exercise.[7]
Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter 1kg (Meridian)
Peanuts are full of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These healthy fats can improve our blood cholesterol levels, making the transport of oxygen around our body to the muscles which need it a lot more efficient. Even though they’re calorie-rich, eating a modest amount can actually help you lose weight as they’re a great source of dietary fibre and protein, a doubkle whammy which will make your digestive system more efficient and also leave you feeling fuller for longer, reducing your desire to eat again for a good while.
Whether it’s before the gym or after, a spoonful of peanut butter (either on its own or spread onto some good quality wholegrain bread) is one of the best workout fuels there is. Just watch out not to choose a brand with added palm oil or packed with salt and sugar! Meridian’s organic crunchy peanut butter is a particularly good one. It’s incredibly tasty, and made from roasted organic peanuts, with no other ingredients at all – and they leave the skins on, which doubles the antioxidant capacity.
Here’s a way of getting more lovely protein and fibre to fortify yourself for a workout, in a way that’s incredibly easy to prepare and gives you a silky-smooth, nutritious bowl of tasty goodness which will do wonderful things for your body. Butter beans are an under-appreciated member of the bean family, but they have a wonderfully creamy texture when cooked, so they’re brilliant for whizzing up until smooth and luscious. And as their taste is subtle, it doesn’t overpower whatever you put with them, which allows the other ingredients to sing! This delicious bean and fruit smoothie bowl is like a cross between porridge and a milkshake, and you can make the dish your own, topping it with whatever you like – here we’ve used walnuts which are full of omega-3 fatty acids to promote muscle building, and vitamin E, which mitigates the effect of physical stress after exercising. We’ve also used millet, another under-appreciated but amazingly healthy ingredient – it’s packed with magnesium, which reduces blood pressure, and potassium, which relaxes our blood vessels and enables more blood to be pumped around, getting more oxygen to our organs and muscles.
Organic Guarana Powder 250g (Sussex Wholefoods)
Okay, it’s not really a snack on its own, but we couldn’t fail to give an honourable mention to amazing guarana powder. Guarana is an Amazonian fruit that’s long been used in folk medicine for its energising properties. It reduces fatigue as it’s high in caffeine, and it’s absolutely loaded with healthy antioxidants, and there’s evidence it relieves pain, making it ideal for both before and after an intense gym session. Add to smoothies, sprinkle over porridge or even dip your banana into it!
Whether you’re after specialist sports nutrition, or whether you simply want to ensure you’re eating enough whole grains and pulses – or maybe you’d like to improve your intake of vitamins and minerals and help your muscles along by stocking up on plenty of fruit and vegetables, we have one of the UK’s largest ranges of fantastic products to soothe, fortify and prepare yourself either pre- or post-workout. Ready, get set, go!!
[1]http://www.ismni.org/jmni/pdf/57/15NEVILLE.pdf
[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5039502/
[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4963917/
[4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6566799/
[5]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK299060/
[6]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/618167/government_dietary_recommendations.pdf
[7]https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0165-z