Blueberries for a Quicker Workout Recovery?
I am a huge proponent of using natural products to help in all areas of life, so why not in recovering from a workout too? I have never been a huge fan of blueberries by themselves, but I love them in oatmeal, muffins, smoothies…you name it!
So, when I came across this study that was performed by McLeay and his colleagues, I had to share their findings. In the study that they conducted, they took healthy females who participated in in at least 2 days a week of aerobic and resistance based exercise and split them into two groups. One group consumed blueberries 5+ hours pre -workout and then again immediately after working out and the second group was the control group. Overall, they came to the conclusion that the ingestion of a blueberry smoothie prior to and immediately after a workout accelerated the recovery process of muscle strength (McLeay et al., 2012).
The reasoning behind why blueberries help an individual recover from a workout quicker is because blueberries contain a high amount of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. So, to help you recover from your workout quicker and get you back on your feet, try consuming blueberries before and after your workout. If you are an afternoon exerciser, add blueberries into your breakfast and then consume them as part of your post workout refuel.
You can always eat a handful of blueberries, but here are some helpful recipes that may interest you as well.
Blueberry Oatmeal from Holly at My Plant -Based Family
Blueberry Oatmeal Smoothie from Jennifer at Veggie Inspired Journey
