Recovery Fuel
This guide was written by staff writer, Lily Falk. Read about Lily here.
Now that we are nearing the end of fall marathon season, with Chicago, Boston and NYC having just passed, and Philadelphia rapidly approaching, let’s talk about nutrition for distance sports. Carbohydrates are one of the three essential macronutrients, and for distance athletes - be it runner, biker or triathloner, carbohydrates are especially important in the active fueling and recovery processes.
When we think of exercise, we often think of protein. Protein powders and shakes now have a huge market, and while protein is very important to a healthy diet, carbohydrates are actually the most important fuel in the 30 minutes following an hour or more of strenuous exercise/cardio. Activities like running pull from the body’s glycogen stores. Glycogen is the form in which the body stores glucose that is readily accessible and is stored in the liver and skeletal muscle and is part of how the body regulates blood sugar. During exercise, the body pulls from this store, and for a “well-trained athlete” these stores are depleted after 1.5 to 2 hours. For this reason, after a 30-50 minute run, restoring carbs/glycogen is less essential, but once exercise reaches an hour or more, it can make a huge difference in muscle recovery.
The body digests carbohydrates most efficiently and fully in the first 30 minutes after exercise, and consuming carbs in that time is an essential step in an active recovery. Fruit of any kind provides a great source of carbohydrates and essential nutrients that are not found in processed sports drinks like Gatorade, Powerade, etc. Blending fruit makes it extremely easy for the body to digest by breaking down some of the fiber and can be a great post-workout fuel!
On the warmer side of the calendar, there is nothing more satisfying to consume than an ice cold fruit smoothie on a hot day. Even as the temperatures drop and cold things begin to feel less appealing, I still find that immediately after an hour of running and building up my body temperature, I still crave the cold-freshness of a fruit smoothie, and my body still craves the carbohydrates.
Smoothies as a template.
When it comes to smoothies, sometimes less is more, and the sum of many ingredients is not always greater than its parts.
For example, I love blending mango alone, as in the recovery juice recipe below, but adding it in with other neutral fruits like bananas can dilute it’s amazing flavor and feel like a waste.
On the flip side, when it comes to losing flavor in the shuffle, this can be used as an advantage or disadvantage depending on what you like to eat, and your personal food budget. Kale or spinach can be added to any smoothie recipe, often without contributing much flavor. I love eating greens outside of smoothies, so for that reason I do not “waste” my greens in smoothies where I will not taste them, but if you struggle to get enough veggie servings into your diet, smoothies can be a great place to do so!
Dates are another example of an incredible ingredient whose qualities can get lost in busy smoothie recipes. Dates are one of the sweetest whole foods out there, and I love to eat them on their own. While they are delicious, they also tend to be quite expensive. Many smoothie recipes include dates for added sweetness, however if I am indulging in an expensive treat, I would rather eat my dates whole, and add honey or maple syrup to sweeten my smoothie instead.
On top of these kinds of basic ingredients, there are countless, often expensive, “super food” powders that claim to provide all types of health benefits. None of these powders are necessary for a delicious, nutritious smoothie, but if you do choose to give some a try, I would encourage you to research the individual product and verify sources to ensure you know what you are putting in your body.
Understanding your ingredients
Mango
Mango is very high in vitamin C, much like citrus fruits. As we enter cold and flu season (on top of COVID-19) extra vitamin C can help boost your immune system. While studies have shown that vitamin C does not necessarily improve common cold symptoms as is traditionally believed, it did help those engaging in extreme exercise, like marathon runners, and those experiencing cold conditions outdoors (like many of us entering the winter months).
Banana
In addition to being sweet and creamy, bananas provide an excellent source of potassium, one of the essential electrolytes our body relies on to store water. While sodium regulates the water concentration outside of our cells, potassium regulates the levels within our cells. Following heavy exercise, electrolytes are key to rehydrating to ensure our bodies hold on to the fluids we consume.
Nut Butter
While my nut butter of choice is often peanut butter for it’s protein content and low price point, I would definitely encourage everyone to try out the many other nut butters on the market today! Nut butters are great in smoothies to provide extra creaminess due to their high fat content. Some nut butters tend to have strong flavors, like peanut butter, whereas some, like almond butter are more mild, so consider the flavor profile you are hoping for when adding in your nut butter!
Blueberries
Blueberries are a great sweet-tart addition to any smoothie. Blueberries are primarily made up of water by mass, so while they provide low levels of micronutrients, they are great for providing carbohydrates for rehydrating with a smoothie or juice with fiber.
Raw cacao
https://www.livestrong.com/article/450243-what-is-raw-cacao-powder/
Cacao powder or nibs are a tasty alternative to processed chocolate, and while naturally slightly bitter, are great when paired with sweets such as bananas, dates, honey or maple syrup. Cacao contains approximately 12 mg of caffeine per 1 tablespoon serving, compared with approximately 30 mg of caffeine in an eight ounce cup of green tea. Cacao also contains theobromine, a stimulant similar to caffeine, and also the compound that makes chocolate poisonous to dogs. Animals digest theobromine very slowly, which can lead to poisoning, but in humans, it can provide a mild boost in energy.
Recipes:
The Recovery Juice
For this recipe, I usually use blueberries or mango, but you can use any fruit! I find that in the frozen fruit section, blueberries and mangos tend to be the most reliable options for flavor and quality, and are just as delicious frozen as fresh. I don’t personally believe this applies to all fruits however. For instance, I find strawberries to be much better fresh, and raspberries and blackberries tend to have too many seeds for my taste in a mixed berry bag. These seeds can add a “grittiness” to your smoothie and can even create a tannic mouthfeel if there's too many.
Ingredients:
1.5 cup frozen fruit (if using fresh fruit, just be sure to add ice)
Dash of salt (great for electrolytes post workout, leave out if avoiding excess salt and/or if consuming outside of exercise window)
1 cups water or plant based milk
Quarter to half cup ice
1 tablespoon honey
Preparation:
Add all ingredients to a blender. If you have a strong blender (such as a Vitamix), turn it to high until smooth. If your blender is less powerful (such as a Magic Bullet) blend without the ice, then add ice cubes to your glass afterward to cool your mixture. Alternatively, if your blender is struggling with the solids, you can always add more liquid as needed to loosen the mixture while you blend.
The Creamy “Vanilla” Blueberry
Following that 30 minute mark post exercise, the body will need ~30 grams of protein (varies based on body size) for muscle recovery. This smoothie is great with or without vanilla protein powder, and is therefore adaptable for any time of day! I love this with or without protein powder as a light breakfast.
This smoothie has a soft flavor, vanilla-like with or without any vanilla protein additions, the blueberries add bright sweetness, and the banana along with the non-dairy milk add extreme creaminess.
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 ripe banana
1 cup milk of choice
½ cup ice (optional)
1 scoop of your favorite protein powder (optional)
Preparation:
Blend as explained in the recovery juice recipe above
Chocolate Shake
As with the vanilla blueberry smoothie above, this smoothie is great an hour or more post-workout or for breakfast, with or without protein powder added. It is also great if you ever crave a chocolate milkshake, but want a healthy alternative. Feel free to experiment with how much cacao powder you add to perfect the richness that you prefer!
Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
1 cup milk of choice
½ cup ice
3 tablespoons raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons nut butter of choice (Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Sunflower Butter, Tahini)
1 scoop of your favorite protein powder (optional)
Preparation:
Blend as explained in the recovery juice recipe above