Making the right choice of post-workout foods helps you recover more quickly, build muscle, and get ready for your next workout. When you work out, your muscles use their glycogen energy stores for fuel. As a result, some of the proteins in your muscles get broken down and damaged, especially during strength workouts. 

To properly understand how the right foods can help you after workouts, it is vital to know how physical activity affects your body. Nutritionists have determined that diet contributes 70% and exercise 30% to achieve the desired workout results. However, 70% diet doesn’t mean you have to eat less. It means the right meal, at the right time, and in the right proportion. The recommended timing for consuming a post-workout snack is 45 minutes, although this timing doesn’t need to be exact. 

You probably already give more attention to your pre-workout meal than your post-workout meal. But the nutrients you consume after your exercise is just as important as what you eat before. Thus, it’s safe to say now that it is more necessary than just good to look into both your pre and post-workout meals, right? 

Carbohydrate: Perfect for Workouts 

The type of food you consume after a workout should be a function of exercise duration and intensity. The type of exercise is also a critical factor. 

Generally, carbohydrates are great meal choices before a workout; they keep you energetic throughout the exercise regime and post-workout. They also replenish the depleted stores and help to hasten the recovery process. 

Nutrition experts say that high carbohydrate meals are most beneficial after endurance activities (such as running or cycling) lasting over an hour. They also emphasize how important it is to consume protein in combination with moderate carbohydrates.

Why eating Sweet Potato Post-workout is your best bet. 

Sweet potato is one of the best carbohydrate choices. There are many different potato types, but sweet potato is a recommended post-workout meal due to its high nutritional value to your body. Taking sweet potatoes after exercise helps to replenish the glycogen stores which are lost during the workout. There are also lots of water-soluble nutrients and electrolytes which are lost during your workouts. To replenish them, a healthy recipe incorporating sweet potato will do. 

Conclusion

Sweet potato is a treasure trove of nutrients – vitamins and minerals being the major components. When deciding what to take in after your workout sessions, you must keep in mind how the whole meal fits your exercise and health goals.