A fruit rich in protein.
People who play sports need to have enough protein to maintain their muscles but also vitamins and minerals essential to the body to get maximum benefits from physical efforts. You must eat well outside of sports sessions by limiting sugar and fat but also after the session to help the body recover well. At this time, there is a dried fruit to favor.
It is part of the oilseeds, these nuts known as excellent snacks, healthy and balanced for your health, provided they are salt-free. Rich in fiber, good fats, potassium, magnesium and vitamin E, there is nothing to complain about. And it is not Raphaël Gruman, nutritionist in Paris, who will tell us the opposite: “This is not the first study to highlight the benefits of this oilseed for athletes, but this one has managed to demonstrate the post-exercise benefits with physical tests carried out on volunteers.”
The study in question is a randomized control group study, conducted under the direction of Dr. Mark Kern, professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at San Diego State University, whose results were published in Current Developments in Nutrition. In total, 26 adults at a healthy weight or slightly overweight and practicing physical or sporting exercise lasting one to four hours per week were recruited. One group had to consume unsalted pretzels (control group) and the other, a portion of whole raw almonds (almond group). After eight weeks, the volunteers ran for 30 minutes on a downhill treadmill in an attempt to induce muscle damage. Right after the session, participants received their daily portion (pretzels or almonds). For the next three days, they continued to eat their portion.
The researchers measured the participants’ muscle pain, their muscle performance (assessed by a muscle contraction test and a vertical jump), blood markers of muscle damage and inflammation (creatinine kinase and C-reactive protein or CRP). During the recovery period (up to 72 hours after physical exercise), the results demonstrated that the almond group had lower levels of creatine kinase compared to the control group as well as a more rapid decrease in these levels: these data suggest faster muscle recovery. Muscle performance was also better in the almond group, and pain perception reduced.
If the nutritional recommendations are around 30 grams per day, the quantities given in the study are almost twice as much. The benefits mentioned are valid for 57 grams of almonds, or two handfuls per day. “If you consume a handful, it is already beneficial for your health” says Raphaël Gruman. We choose unsalted almonds with the skin, which contains fiber and proteins. “If the skin is allergenic in certain people, I recommend consuming white almonds, without skin, as well as in those with digestive problems such as bloating. Otherwise, they are eaten raw or dry roasted.” More than a snack to recover after sport, almonds are also ideal for breakfast: “They are a healthy alternative for athletes who do not like animal or salty proteins for breakfast, such as ham , eggs or cheese” concludes our nutrition specialist.
Thanks to Raphaël Gruman, nutritionist in Paris.