Spring is here! For many of you that means that it is time to come out of hibernation mode and lose that winter skin! Time to go outside and breathe that fresh air, stretch your legs and shed those pounds! Make sure that you have the energy and stamina to enjoy the spring-time goodness and all your activities, not only by fueling up properly, but eating just as well with plant-based nutrition for muscle recovery.
Depending on your fitness goals, the proper amount of macronutrients that your body needs for optimal recovery will vary. When refueling post-workout, keep in mind the ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fats that you intake and make sure that the source is the cleanest (most green) that you can find. Research has found that the most effective carbohydrate to protein ratio will range 3:1 to 4:1. This ratio supports the muscle glycogen replenishment, stored in your liver and muscle tissues. Muscle glycogen replenishment is important in muscle recovery because it impacts your rate of protein synthesis, which is key in the development of new muscle. And reaching for a plant-based meal with a little protein is one of the greenest, cleanest ways to meet those ratios.
When choosing your carbohydrate sources, select those that are high glycemic and/or considered simple carbohydrates since they are quicker to digest and will lead to faster recovery. The cleanest and most healthy sources of simple carbohydrates are found in plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables. While candy, soda, and sugary processed foods also contain simple carbohydrates, you will want to avoid such choices because they provide WAY too much sugar and other undesirable chemicals, preservatives, and additives. Milk products can be another good source of simple carbohydrates but because dairy can be hard to digest for many people, they aren’t always as ideal. You cannot go wrong with plant-based foods for muscle recovery, such as fruits like bananas, dates, and coconuts, and vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and pumpkin.
Remember that your post-workout meal cannot be limited to simple carbohydrates though, since protein also plays a key role in muscle glycogen replenishment and protein synthesis for building new muscle tissue. Eating a plant-based protein (versus one that is animal-based) is usually the healthiest choice since plants sources tend to be much lower in fat and cholesterol. They are also higher in fiber, which your body needs for digesting and delivering the macronutrients into your system. Contrary to some popular belief, you can select plant-based foods for muscle recovery that meet the adequate amount of complete proteins for achieving that ideal carbohydrate to protein ratio. Often though, a plant-based protein supplement like Ground-Based Superfood Protein makes for the most convenient post-workout option. They have taken nutrients from the best sources and combined them in a way that reaps the benefits that various plant-based foods have to offer. Plant-based sources can include but are not limited to those such as green peas, spirulina and high protein seeds like hemp, cranberry, sacha inchi, chia, pumpkin, and sesame seeds. Or, if you can limit yourself to just one serving of nuts or nut butter, almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, and hazelnuts pair deliciously with almost any fruit!
Ground-Based Nutrition never uses artificial sweeteners, colors, dye, additives, or other synthetic chemicals. Superfood Protein is vegan friendly, gluten free, soy free, whey free and dairy free.
Charles Weller
Author