Post-workout recovery plays a vital role in any exercise regime people follow. The rate of recovery should not be neglected and this responsibility is of health professionals. For this good quality, nutrition is important. There is recent evidence, which indicates that following a vegan diet can significantly reduce recovery time between workouts. Plant foods deliver antioxidants namely phytonutrients and quercetin that have beneficial effects that may aid in muscle recovery.
During physical exertion, our body's homeostasis changes to facilitate activity. Consuming vegan foods post-workout supplements has been linked to reducing the body’s inflammation and oxidative stress. Adiet high in nitrates contains beetroot, celery, lettuce, kale, spinach, cabbage, leeks, and parsley may help to delay fatigue during high-intensity exercise and improve endurance performance.
The proper combination of probiotics with GI foods is a great strategy for replenishing muscle glycogen reserves like fruits, quinoa, pasta, and oats. Foods that have a carbohydrate-to-protein ratio of 4:1 – 2:1 are believed to be the most efficient for speeding up the recovery process. To fight fatigue symptoms, supplementing functional foods like turmeric, spirulina, and wheatgrass would replenish electrolytes and energy levels at the same time. Adding vegan protein that has BCAA and leucine post-workout will create magic in terms of recovery. Consuming vegan dietary protein sources like pulses, tofu, nuts and seeds, nutritional yeast, and whole grains in proper proportions avoids catabolic muscle loss in the body.
The most rich food sources for muscle recovery are eggs, dairy, meat, and fish. It becomes quite difficult for vegans to consume recovery-enhancing food items. Hence, it’s important to consume vegan recovery drinks rich in curcumin, ginger, black pepper, zinc, etc. for most vegan fitness professionals to ensure a faster recovery.
The ACSM has emphasized that “vegan diets can even meet the increased nutritional needs of competitive athletes when energy requirements are met, and when they contain high levels of vegetables and fruits, nuts, whole grains, soy products, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals”. Since plant-based diets are low in cholesterol chances of developing heart disease are also reduced in an athlete. Hence, powering up plant nutrition-related strategies will aid in recovering when on a vegan diet.
Nutrition and diet
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