Latest news with #postworkout
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Forget the Protein Shake—Here's What Sports Dietitians Suggest for a Post-Workout Snack
Reviewed by Dietitian Kelly Plowe, M.S., RDProtein shakes are popular for post-workout recovery, but plenty of other snack options exist, too. Dietitians' top post-workout snack features a combo of cottage cheese, almonds and a banana. This trio provides protein, carbs and electrolytes to help replenish stores, fueling it comes to post-workout nutrition, the options can seem endless. Protein shakes often top the list, but they're not the only contender for fueling your recovery. We spoke to sports dietitians, who revealed a top snack pick after a workout, and it's not what you'd expect. 'A protein shake is convenient, but it's not always my first choice after a workout,' shared Johanna Katz, M.S., RDN. Their recommendation? A simple combination of cottage cheese with almonds and a banana. 'It's a satisfying mix of protein, healthy fats and carbs that helps you recover well,' says Katz. Wondering why this specific snack combo should be your go-to? Keep reading to discover why it's a dietitian favorite and how it stands out as the perfect post-workout food. (based on ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ ounce almonds and 1 banana)., , Calories: 298Total fat: 9.5 gramsSaturated fat: 1.4 gramsSodium: 353 mgCarbs: 36 gramsFiber: 3.5 gramsTotal sugars: 25.5 gramsAdded sugars: 0 gramsProtein: 16 grams What makes this trio such a winning combination? From muscle recovery to sustained energy, here are the key reasons why cottage cheese, almonds and a banana deserve a spot in your gym bag. After a workout, your body craves a mix of protein to repair muscles and carbs to replenish glycogen stores. 'This [snack] combo packs protein, carbs and electrolytes to refuel, repair and replenish what was lost during activity,' explains Roxana Ehsani, M.S., RD, CSSD, noting that a half-cup of cottage cheese packs 13 grams of protein. The almonds provide an additional protein boost, while the banana offers natural carbohydrates to refuel your energy. 'Many athletes gravitate towards protein post-workout, but we actually need to refuel with more carbs than protein post-workout, so don't forget the carbs,' Ehsani adds. 'Adding some fresh fruit for carbs helps to replenish your glycogen stores in your muscles so you're ready to push hard at your next workout,' says Marita Radloff, M.S., RDN, LD. One analysis highlighted how consuming carbohydrates with protein after exercise improves muscle glycogen recovery compared to carbohydrates alone. Researchers reviewed 20 studies, and the results showed that adding protein to a post-exercise snack can aid in glycogen recovery, provided it supplies extra calories rather than replacing carbohydrates. Sweating it out at the gym means losing valuable electrolytes like potassium and sodium, which are essential for maintaining proper hydration and muscle function. A banana offers potassium, while the sodium in cottage cheese helps replace what's lost during exercise., A small study found that including electrolytes, like sodium and potassium, in a diet 30 minutes before and after exhaustive exercise helped the body retain more water, improved exercise ability and improved recovery by lowering lactic acid levels (a marker of fatigue). The addition of almonds may offer a surprising benefit after a workout. 'A recent study found that almonds may help promote muscle recovery by reducing post-exercise inflammation,' says Eshani. The study looked at the effects of eating almonds after exercise every day for four weeks among adults who don't regularly do resistance training. Participants performed a 90-minute workout designed to cause muscle damage. Half of the participants ate 57 grams of almonds daily, while the other group ate a calorie-matched cereal bar daily. Results showed that people in the almond group reported feeling less fatigue and tension after the workout compared to the cereal bar group. Almond eaters also had lower levels of a muscle damage marker (creatine kinase) right after the workout and the next day. Almond consumers also experienced increased levels of gut-derived compounds (from digestion) that may play a role in reducing inflammation. Sometimes, the best snacks are the simplest ones. Cottage cheese paired with almonds and a banana is a convenient option that requires no elaborate preparation and is easy to customize according to your taste. Whether you're eating on the go or winding down from a home workout, this combination is quick to assemble and cost-effective. Here's why Ehsani's ideal post-workout snack includes carbs, protein, electrolytes and fluids: Carbs help refuel depleted glycogen stores (energy stores). Protein helps repair and rebuild any muscle damage that has occurred. Fluids replenish and rehydrate the body's fluids lost through sweat. You can get fluids from drinks, as well as from foods like many fruits. Electrolytes are lost through sweat and must be replenished to restore healthy muscle function and support hydration. Many whole foods naturally contain electrolytes, like cottage cheese (sodium, calcium) and bananas (potassium, magnesium), so you don't always need to grab an electrolyte-rich beverage or supplement. The next time you wrap up a workout, don't feel like it's a protein shake or bust! There are other recovery snacks that are as simple as they are effective, like a simple combination of cottage cheese, almonds and a banana. This dietitian-approved trio isn't just delicious, it's a nutritional powerhouse designed to fuel muscle repair, replenish energy and even support hydration. Packed with high-quality protein, quick-digesting carbs and healthy fats, it's the perfect balance your body craves after exercise. Plus, it's budget-friendly and satisfying enough to make post-workout recovery something you'll actually look forward to. Because who wants to eat a snack that isn't delish? Read the original article on EATINGWELL
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
The missing ingredient you should be adding to your protein shakes to build more muscle
For any gym-lover or weight-lifter, they're never too far from their beloved protein shake. Chock full of nutrients that fuel the body after a sweat session and feed muscles to recover and build strength. However, those simply watering down their post-workout protein powder are missing out on major potentials of the shake. Experts recommend swapping the water for milk, which, aside from adding even more protein, gives the shake an added boost. Water may be calorie-free but the extra calories in milk - about 120 per cup of two percent milk - are worth it to reap the benefits of muscle building and recovery. That is because it also contains 8g of protein. Roughly 80 percent of the protein in cow's milk is called casein, which is a gold standard when it comes to essential amino acids that the body needs for muscle building, but doesn't produce on its own. Casein is digested slowly, which means it keeps delivering those muscle-building amino acids over a longer period of time. So, the body is being fed proteins for longer than it would be with watered-down shakes. And a 2020 review in Physical Activity and Nutrition found consuming 40g of casein 30 minutes before bed can boost muscle repair, reduce muscle breakdown, and relieve soreness and inflammation. To gain those well toned abs, or sleeve ripping biceps the body must gain lean muscle. To put on muscle the body undergoes protein synthesis, the process by which cells build protein. The goal is to increase synthesis while decreasing protein breakdown -or keeping protein in the body as much as possible. Casein is a muscle-sparing protein that is released in the bloodstream at a slow rate, and has a powerful effect on reducing protein breakdown, which makes it a highly potent muscle building supplement when taken at the right times. For night-owl exercisers, protein shakes with casein can prove even more potent. A slow releasing protein is much more beneficial to muscle repair and re-growth during your sleeping hours. Casein is a slow-digesting protein that takes three to four hours to reach peak levels in blood amino acids and protein synthesis. It also takes seven hours to become fully absorbed. So by working out in the evenings and following exercise with a milk protein shake, you're setting your muscles up for their best potential. A Baylor University study found that men who drank a casein protein shake (mixed with whey protein) during a 10-week span gained considerably greater muscle mass than those who consumed a whey protein shake without casein. For athletes focusing on stamina, adding milk into the protein keeps muscles from getting sore and keeps the body from feeling depleted after a long run or workout. An added plus is that casein may help to protect against colon cancer, a second leading cause of cancer-related deaths and the third most diagnosed cancer in the United States, according to the CDC. Researchers in South Dakota found colon cancer cells could be targeted using derivatives of casein, and it could be used as a promising anticancer drug with minimal side effects. According to the Cleveland Clinic, casein may also be an answer to weight loss because of its slow releasing effects. This keeps you feeling fuller for longer, leading to less calorie intake thanks to the leucine found in casein - another essential amino acid. Milk also provides about 15 percent of your daily vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium and supports your immune system. It is also a good source of B vitamins, which support metabolism and help keep skin, muscles, and the brain healthy.
