After a tough workout, your body needs a quick delivery of nutrients to speed recovery and muscle building. Smoothies are a quick and easy way to get the nutrients you need. If you're looking for some new post-workout smoothie ideas, check out these delicious suggestions.
1. Chocolate Berry
What's better than healthy dessert for breakfast? This recipe tastes fresh and delicious while providing for your post-workout needs.
First, place one frozen banana and 1 cup of mixed frozen berries in the blender. Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of chia seeds. Chia seeds are rich in protein and healthy fats, but if you want additional protein, you can add half a scoop of plain vegan or whey-based protein powder.
Add 1 cup of spinach leaves and 1 cup of almond, soy, or regular milk. Blend until smooth. The chocolate makes the smoothie indulgent, but the chia seeds aid digestion, the bananas restore potassium (which is depleted during a workout), the berries provide anti-oxidants, and the spinach provides protein and vitamins. Calorie for calorie, spinach has more protein than beef!
2. Peanut Butter and Banana
This famous flavor combination can be the perfect complement to your morning or workout. To make it healthier, this smoothie recipe takes advantage of greek yogurt, which is a great source of lean protein.
To make a great smoothie, combine one frozen banana with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter in your blender. Then add a 1/3 cup of greek yogurt. This yogurt is quite tart, so 1/3 cup is a good amount to begin with so you don't feel overwhelmed by the tart flavor. Add 1/2 cup of milk for liquid and some ice cubes if you want it to be very frosty. Blend until smooth.
This smoothie aids recovery because of the protein content. Greek yogurt helps repair your muscles, and it provides useful probiotics to strengthen your digestive system. Bananas, again, provide potassium. If you're feeling adventurous, you might add a second fruit, like pineapple, for more sweetness and extra vitamins.
2. Orange and Yam
If your oranges aren't orange enough for you, you can take your orange smoothie to the next level with sweet potatoes (yams).
To make this delicious smoothie, you'll need a pre-roasted sweet potato. Have some already prepped and ready in your fridge so the potato is available as soon as your workout is finished.
Add one medium-sized potato and a peeled orange to your blender. Add a frozen banana for sweetness, and then spice it up with some ginger or cinnamon. Boost the smoothie with a tablespoon of flax seeds. Add a 1/2 cup of orange juice, a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and a 1/2 cup of almond or regular milk. If you like frosty smoothies, also toss in some ice. Blend until smooth.
This smoothie is jam packed with nutrients. The sweet potato is one of the best sources for vitamin A, which will help your heart and lungs recover from your run. It also keeps your eyes healthy and supports normal kidney function. Bananas, as ever, are still one of the best foods for recovery.
Ginger will stimulate your digestion, and the protein powder provides the extra nutrients you need to repair muscle tissue. Flax seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which helps to support healthy nerve development. As your muscles and nerves learn your workouts, your brain will form new pathways for your increased activity level. Omega-3s support this learning.
For days when you need easy smoothies, you can also purchase smoothie mix for sale to eliminate prep work. With just your blender and simple ingredients, you're on your way to being more fit.
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