Are you having a day in hell the day after your workout? These experts have found a miracle solution for athletes…
Every week it’s the same thing. An hour of running, football or handball training, a wild squash match, a gym, pilates or yoga session and you get up the next morning crippled with aches. Stretching and plenty of water don’t help: you can barely walk to work. However, there is a simple solution.
A recent scientific study suggests that athletes should make sure they swallow between exercise and going to bed. Researchers Nédélec, Halson, and Delecroix examined, in an article published in 2015, the impact of different types of meals on muscle recovery after a night football match. And several conclusions are surprising to say the least.
One recommendation in particular is very unusual: consuming sour cherry juice would be a very effective method and would ensure more restorative sleep for athletes in particular. Sour cherries have been linked to improved muscle recovery because they contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. They can even be consumed just before sleeping. This would greatly limit pain after exercise during the day or evening.
Sour cherry juice can be found in almost all food stores. The bottles sold can display several names such as “sour cherry nectar”, “tart cherry juice” or “griotte juice”, the morello cherry being the fruit of the morello cherry tree, a sour cherry tree or sour cherry tree. Organic juices are quite over-represented in this type of product, sold in bottles and cartons for between 5 and 7 euros per liter.
To optimize muscle recovery, the study also recommends a meal containing carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, such as potatoes, white bread or white rice within an hour after exercise. Proteins, however, should be avoided. But surprisingly, other foods are very beneficial for physical recovery, even eaten just before sleeping.
The consumption of milk proteins or amino acids is in fact recommended. This type of nutrient can be eaten a few minutes before sleep, unlike carbohydrates for example. The study highlights that consuming sodium-rich beverages, such as milk, can help replenish water stores after dehydration, while reducing the feeling of muscle pain. In addition, researchers highlight the role of tryptophan, an essential amino acid, in the regulation of sleep. Foods rich in tryptophan, such as turkey and pumpkin seeds, may be beneficial for improving sleep latency (i.e. falling asleep faster) and sleep quality.