Category: Diet

The South Beach diet is quite a popular weight loss diet that was created in the year 2003. This is a diet that was named after a glamorous area in Miami. At times, this is also referred to as a popular low-carbohydrate diet. This diet has a lesser amount of carbohydrate content and a higher amount of protein and healthy fats. This is a typical eating plan, however, this is not a strict low carb diet.

There is also a ketogenic version of this diet. A ketogenic diet includes less amount of carbs. The main function of the ketogenic diet is to force the body to use fats for energy instead of proteins or carbohydrates.

The main purpose of the South Beach diet is to change the overall balance of the foods that you eat. This helps in encouraging weight loss and helps you to follow a healthy lifestyle. The South Beach diet is quite a healthy way of eating irrespective of whether you lose or do not lose weight.

Know about the Details of South Beach Diet

This is a diet that consists of a wonderful balance of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and lean proteins. This makes it quite rich in nutrient content. This diet is rich in fiber and you can follow this diet throughout your life. The sources of food from where you can get carbohydrates include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and beans. The bad carbs include syrup and baked foods that are made from white flour, sugar, etc.

There are also different kinds of dietary fats available. These fats prevent you from consuming unhealthy fats. This diet encourages you to limit the consumption of unhealthy fats while you eat more foods with healthier monosaturated fats. This diet encourages you to limit the consumption of fruits and vegetables along with whole grains. 

Phases of the South Beach Diet

There is a total of three phases of the South Beach diet. If you want to know about these phases in details, you can go through the discussion below:

Phase 1

This phase continues for two weeks. This is designed in a way to eliminate the hunger cravings by eliminating the foods that have high sugar content. This also encourages eliminating carbohydrates from your diet. These include pasta, bread, rice, and fruits. You also need to eliminate fruit juice and also any other alcohol. You focus more on eating lean protein that includes skinless poultry, soy products.

During this phase, you can also have vegetables that are rich in fiber. Apart from this, you can also have foods containing healthy, unsaturated fats, and low-fat dairy. These include nuts, seeds, and avocados.

Phase 2

This is a weight loss phase that is long term. You begin this phase by adding some of the foods that you were prohibited from having during phase 1. These foods include whole-wheat pasta, fruits, vegetables, brown rice, and also whole-grain bread. You stay in this phase till the time you reach your goal weight.

Phase 3

This is a maintenance phase. In this phase, you will have to maintain a healthy diet. You can continue with the lifestyle you were maintaining in the earlier phase. Here, in this phase, you will be able to eat all kinds of foods in moderate amounts.

Menu of a South Beach Diet

You can go through the discussion below, to get an idea of your diet for the entire day.

Breakfast

You can have an omelette with smoked salmon or baked eggs with spinach and ham. You can also drink a cup of coffee or tea.

Lunch

You can include some vegetable salad with scallops or shrimp. You can also take a glass of sparkling water or ice tea.

Dinner

Your dinner may include pork or tuna along with some grilled vegetables and also salad.

Dessert

The diet also encourages you to have a good dessert. These include ricotta cheesecakes or chilled espresso custard. This can be included even in phase 1.

Snacks 

If you want to enjoy some snacks during the day, you can do so as well. You can have some Munster cheese along with turkey roll-up or roasted chickpeas.

Benefits of South Beach Diet

If you want to know about the advantages of the South Beach diet, you can go through the points mentioned below:

1. It is Simple and Convenient

You do not need to count calories or measure anything much on the South Beach diet. You can choose to eat any food.

2. This is Quite Versatile

This also has a keto-friendly version. This is to be a low carb diet. This also contains high fat and high fiber. It also reduces the intake of the carb. This turns on the enzymes that burn the body fat without achieving ketosis. Thus people can achieve the benefits of a keto diet with much fewer restrictions.

3. You Can Also Encourage Experimentation

You can also encourage experimentation in this diet. People can pay attention to the different kinds of food that affect their bodies. You can also swap the morning bagel with eggs and vegetables. This will help you to stay full for a longer period. If you remove certain foods from your diet like carbohydrates, then try to add them back. This helps you to find out exactly what is not working well.

4. It Will Stop the Food Cravings

If you eat more carbohydrates, you will start craving for them all the more. This makes a lot of people gain unnecessary weight. But if you follow the South Beach diet, then it will lower your cravings for carbohydrates. They can do this by eliminating foods that include doughnuts, white bread, and sugary cereals. These tend to get digested easily and you start feeling hungry quickly.

Summary

South Beach diet can be healthy and tasty at the same time. You need to make sure that you exclude carbohydrates from the diet and include more fibers and proteins. This will also help you to lose weight.

There are harmful chemicals present in food and also the environment. Therefore, it is important that the body removes all these toxins and rejuvenates itself. For this, you need to detoxify your body regularly. Detoxification is the process that helps in changing the toxins into lesser harmful substances and then expelling them from the body. The best detoxifying food will help you to clean the body.

Understanding the Process of Detoxification

If you want to detoxify, the best way to do so is through detoxification. You will first have to remove all the foods that might interfere with the process of detoxification. These foods include fructose that is also found in soda and commercial fruit juices. Even simple sugar can become a very important contributor to some of the most chronic diseases. Fructose increases problems related to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. Both of these increasing obesity. So, make sure that you include detoxifying foods in your diet.

Natural cleansing might also mean avoiding certain trans fats and damaged fats. These are included as part of the ingredients of a lot of food even though it is written on the labels that it is low in fats. Scrambled eggs are the perfect example of damaged fats which has become oxidized. You will therefore have to skip them.

Food sensitivities can also result in weight loss and increase the number of toxins in the body. This also makes your gut much more permeable and thereby allows the toxins to enter the bloodstream. The most common sensitive foods are dairy, soy, gluten,corn, etc. If you want to detoxify the body, then eliminate these foods from your diet for at least 3 to 4 weeks.

10 Detoxifying Food that Rejuvenates your Body

To know about the best detoxifying food, you can go through the discussion below:

1. Lemon

There is citric acid present in lemon and this has certain detoxifying capabilities. This is a very important detoxifying food. This helps in protecting the liver functions. According to research, if you have one lemon each day and walk daily, your blood pressure will stay regulated. Lemon also helps in proper digestion and removes the symptoms of heartburn.

It lowers down the cholesterol levels in the body. Lemon also reduces the level of sugar and controls appetite. It also helps in cleansing the liver and the entire body. It is rich in Vitamin C and this helps in strengthening the immune system. This also helps the body to regenerate fast and further helps to rejuvenate and repair the skin.

2. Apples

Most people eat apples regularly but some of them are not aware of the detoxifying effect of apples. Apple contains a large amount of soluble fibre that is known as pectin. This helps in removing toxins like mercury and lead from the body. When you eat apples that are rich in pectin, it removes the harmful toxins from the bloodstream. Pectin also helps in reducing cholesterol.

3. Bananas

Bananas are very good for combating gas and water retention in the body. This is also one of the best detoxifying foods. If you feel uncomfortable and feel bloated, you can simply eat a banana. If you have a belly bloat issue, it will get reduced by 50% if you eat bananas twice daily as a pre-meal snack.

When you eat a banana, it increases bacterium. This helps in fighting against bloating. It will also provide the appropriate dose of potassium to your body. Potassium helps in reducing water retention.

4. Ginger

For centuries ginger has been used as an antioxidant and also as an inflammatory agent. You cannot omit ginger from the list of detoxifying foods. This is because it is one of the few rhizomes that top the detoxification list. Most of the detox cleansers and teas have ginger as the most important ingredient. When you consume ginger, it stimulates sweating, digestion, and circulation. There are three major detoxification avenues.

Ginger contains gingerol and shoga in very high amounts. This has an anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory effect on the gastrointestinal system. All these together help you to get rid of any toxins that are there in the body.

5. Leafy Green Vegetables

The leafy green vegetables including alfalfa leaf, parsley, spinach, kale, etc. also have detoxifying capabilities. These contain various materials like potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, and also vitamins B, C, E, and K. All of these are instrumental in facilitating the detoxification process. It is therefore considered to be one of the best detoxifying foods.

These leafy green vegetables also have anti-inflammatory properties. Apart from this, they also have anti-cancer and antiviral properties that help in boosting liver health. The important fact is that they contain lots of fiber. Therefore the body can digest them quite easily. This is also very good for the stomach. This contains a high amount of fiber in it that helps in regulating bowel movement. Thus, the toxins are expelled out of the body through stool or bile.

6. Turmeric

Turmeric has curcumin in it and this has anti-inflammatory effects on the liver. It also reduces bole blockage. This can also be used for medicinal purposes. This has nephroprotective, cardio-protective, and radio-protective properties. This is also considered to be an antioxidant and has digestive properties. If you eat turmeric alone, it might not benefit you to a great extent, because the body is not able to absorb it. But if you mix it with any other food, then the body will be able to absorb it.

7. Almonds

Almonds help in cleaning the fatty deposits in the liver. You can consider this as a detoxifying food. These are mostly caused by overeating, drinking, etc. that could result in liver cancer. Almonds are rich in vitamins and reduce the bad cholesterol in the body. Oats are rich in fiber content that helps in the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut.

Oats also have avenanthramide that has an anti-inflammatory compound that helps in preventing diabetes, obesity-related issues, and heart diseases.

8. Blackberries

Blackberries are rich in antioxidants and fiber. When you eat blackberries, butyrate is produced and this is a fatty acid that can reduce the fat that causes inflammation in the body. Blackberries also control hunger and help you to shed some extra kilos.

9. Kiwi

This is quite good for people who suffer from chronic constipation. This has a good amount of fiber content in it. It reduces the occurrences of irritable bowel syndrome. You can eat two kiwi fruits each day and continue this for a month. Constipation or IBS will reduce surely.

10. Garlic

Despite the strong odor, this is great for detoxification. This has antibacterial, antiviral, and antibiotic properties. This also contains allicin that helps in the production of white blood cells. It protects the body against all kinds of infections. To get the best results, you need to consume it raw. Adding crushed garlic to the dressing as a salad will certainly be a good idea.

Summary

If you want to stay fit and healthy, detoxification is important. So make sure that you have at least 2 to 3 of the aforementioned food. This will help you to detoxify your body regularly.

The paleo diet is an eating plan that is similar to the eating plan of the human beings of pre-historic times. This includes eating whole food that people could gather or hunt. The supporters of this diet do not support the modern diet. This is because they believe that eating what the hunter-gatherers ate would cause much lesser health issues.

There are several benefits of the paleo diet. But this is not safe for everyone. Doctors are still not sure about its effect on pregnant women, kids, and older adults. People who are suffering from certain chronic conditions should also speak to their doctor before starting this diet.

What is a Paleo Diet?

This is the diet that focuses on eating foods that were common in the Paleolithic age. This is also referred to as the stone age diet or the caveman diet. Before the development of modern agriculture, people only ate those foods that they could hunt together. These included lean meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts.

With the development of modern farming, the entire concept of diet changed. People started including legumes, grains, and dairy products. The proponents of this diet argue that the human body is not ready to process dairy, legumes, grains, etc. Therefore, eating these foods can increase the risks of certain health conditions like heart diseases, obesity, etc.

Benefits of Paleo Diet

If you have real foods in the right quantity, then it will help you to become more satisfied. They keep your blood sugar levels and hunger hormones balanced. The diets of most people across the world today consist of grains, sugars, and vegetable oils. But when you eat paleo, you avoid eating these foods. It is all about eating foods that are available naturally.

Can Paleo Diet Help You Lose Weight?

If you follow this diet, it will help you cut the extra fat. This diet is rich in protein. It has a lesser amount of carbohydrate. It may also reduce appetite. This lessens down the consumption of sugar and processed foods.

What You Can Eat in a Paleo Diet?

The question that might bother us is, “What foods should you eat throughout the day when you are following a paleo diet?”

Here is a list that can be included as a part of the paleo diet:

1. Lean meats

These include venison, beef, lamb, bison, chicken, etc. Try to eat the meats of grass-fed animals.

2. Fish

Fishes like tilapia, bass, salmon, etc, can be included as part of the paleo diet. Here you can also include seafood.

3. Eggs and Vegetables

Eggs and vegetables can also be included as a part of your paleo diet.

4. Fruits

The fruits that you should eat are berries and less sugary fruits.

5. Nuts

You can also have nuts but it should be in moderation. Make sure you do not include peanuts in your diet.

6. Natural Oils

The natural oils including coconut, olive, and avocado can be a part of your paleo diet as well.

Why Opt for Paleo Diet?

The advocates of the paleo diet say that we should not eat what the hunters and the gatherers could not eat 10,000 years ago. So, no more oreo or twinkies or breakfast cereals. There are different paleo foods available and you can select the ones that you want to eat.

Foods That Can Be Included in Your Paleo Diet

There is not one set of rules you have to follow for the paleo diet. This is because it is more of a framework than an actual diet. The more processed the food is, the lesser paleo is the diet. For example, whole milk is better than 2% milk and again this 2% milk is better than skim milk. Lactose intolerance is spreading worldwide. But we continue eating high amounts of dairy products. Like carbohydrates, dairy also comes on a sliding scale.

1. Grass-Fed Butter

This is considered to be paleo. It is a very good source of fat. This also has a solid omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acid ratio. Therefore, you can include this as a part of your diet. 

2. Yogurt

Whether yogurt can be included as a part of your diet is still a question that needs to be answered. Probiotics can indeed improve digestion. Moreover, yogurt also helps in improving the shelf life of the dairies. But the problem is that most modern-day yogurts contain a high amount of sugar.

3. Cheese

This is another safe dairy product. The process of fermentation removes a lot of lactose. These may bother those people suffering from lactose intolerance.

4. Ice cream

Ice cream is a strict no-no for a paleo diet. This contains too much sugar in it. It is for this reason that you cannot include ice cream as a paleo diet.

5. Legumes

The question that finally needs to be answered is whether legumes are paleo or not. 

Legume is a pod fruit. Some of the most popular legumes include beans, lentils, peas, alfalfa, peanuts, carob, soy, lupins, clover, etc. Legumes are not considered to be paleo.

Understanding which is a Paleo Diet and which is Not

Most of the time, you can clearly understand whether a diet is paleo or not. You can find beef naturally in this world. Therefore, it is paleo. On the other hand, ice cream is manufactured by humans. Therefore, it is not paleo. But at times the boundaries between the paleo and the non-paleo foods can be a little fuzzy. You might feel that peanuts are paleo. This is because nuts are paleo. But peanut is a legume. Legume is not paleo.

There are various ways to find out about the list of foods that are paleo. You can refer to different paleo apps. These will help you to find out about the list of foods that are paleo and the ones that are not.

Summary

Paleo Diet can be immensely helpful. It can improve your overall health and boost your energy. If you are, however, suffering from any chronic diseases, talk to your doctor before starting the paleo diet. Before you start the diet, make sure you understand which is a paleo diet and which is not. Diet and exercise together can help you to stay fit.

The Mediterranean diet is based on the eating habits of the people of Crete, Greece, southern Italy in the 1960’s. The diet was rich in the region’s traditional fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seafood, olive oil, and dairy. If you consume alcohol, it should not be more than a glass or two of red wine.  

The Overlooked Emotional Aspect.

Apart from the dietary aspect of making fresh and wholesome food choices, sharing meals with others is another important emotional aspect of the Mediterranean diet that should not be overlooked. The combination of eating proportionally higher amounts of olive oil, legumes, fruits, vegetables, seafood, along with moderate consumption of dairy products, a glass or two of red wine plus the emotional aspect of sharing meals has a profound positive physical and mental health benefit. 

Why is this Diet Recommended?

One of the key aspects of a Mediterranean diet is good fats. Studies have shown that olive oil is among the best choices for reducing all-cause mortality and the risk of chronic diseases. The Mediterranean diet includes fewer red meats and more plant-based foods and monounsaturated fats. Studies have shown that this diet stabilizes blood sugar, lowers cholesterol and triglycerides. This results in a lower risk of heart disease and other health problems.

Foods Included in this Diet

The vegetarian side of the Mediterranean diet must include large servings of fresh produce like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. The non-vegetarian side of the Mediterranean diet has to be dominated by fish and seafood.

The primary rule of this diet is that it should consist of a wide variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grain. Healthy fats such as nuts, seeds etc. should be consumed. You should choose olive oil for cooking. The choice of diet that will go well with a Mediterranean diet is a glass or two of red wine.Eggs can also be a good addition to this diet.

USP of this Diet

The word diet usually brings up an image of deprivation and hunger pangs in our minds. 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories and a gram of protein or carbohydrate has only 4 calories. However, the consumption of healthy fats keep the blood sugar level stable and does make the dieter feel hungry. Therefore, the Mediterranean diet can be used for a longer duration as the dieter does not have to deal with the hunger pangs of a low carbohydrate diet. The problem with most diets is not the diet itself but the cheat meals dieters indulge in due to a feeling of deprivation.

Promotes Mental and Physical Health 

Additionally, the consumption of healthy fats is beneficial for the human heart. Research has shown that extremely low carbohydrate diets have often resulted in causing low emotional health, irritability, hair loss, etc. The inclusion of good fats in the Mediterranean diet stabilizes your blood sugar and also keeps you away from mood swings, hair loss, etc. which are the characteristics of following a low carbohydrate, low-fat diet.

Foods to Avoid in this Diet

The focus of the Mediterranean diet is on natural, unprocessed foods. Therefore, the dieter should stay away from refined grains such as white bread, white pasta, pizza dough containing white flour, etc. Refined sugar is said to be more addictive than cocaine. It is a strict no-no for the Mediterranean diet. Refined oils such as canola oil, refined soybean oil, refined sunflower oil, etc. should be avoided. Additionally, foods with added refined sugars such as pastries, sodas, candies, etc. should be strictly avoided. 

Red Meat and Hard liquor

Red meat consumption is not a big part of the Mediterranean diet. More importantly, processed red meats such as hot dogs, deli meats, and other processed and packaged meats should be avoided. Hard liquor should also be avoided when following a Mediterranean diet. The focus should be on fish and seafood. Satisfy your emotional needs to let go by sharing a meal with your friends and family. You can indulge in a glass or two of red wine rather than hard liquor.

How to get into a MediterraneanDiet ?

Replacing butter with olive oil does not mean that you put olive oil on your bread instead of butter. It simply means that you can use oil instead of butter for most of your recipes. You can also use good quality cheese in moderation. Be creative and you will thank us later. 

Think Vegan with Non-Vegetarian Food as a Side Dish

The Mediterranean diet is a predominantly vegetarian diet that uses mostly protein from seafood sources as a side dish or a compliment. You can limit your meat consumption to once per week. The idea is to get your protein from legumes, fish, few eggs, and once per week from meat. Choose brown rice over white rice and stay away from hard liquor. 

 Feel Happy that your Food Choices are Broad

The Mediterranean diet allows a lot more food choices than Atkins Diet or a keto diet. Human beings are emotional beings. New research points to the fact that the more you deprive a person, the more he will overindulge. There is a popular Hollywood story. During the filming of Rocky 3 fight scenes, both Sylvester Stallone and Mr T had to follow severe diets to stay in the same shape over the two months of the filming of bare-bodied fighting scenes.

They only allowed themselves to cheat on their diets on rare occasions. The story is that Sylvester Stallone and Mr. T would run like kids to cheat foods due to the feeling of severe deprivation caused by their diets and a lot of these other diets.  

Not Feeling Deprived by your Diet is Important

The Hollywood story is relevant as Sylvester Stallone made over 3 and half-million US Dollars from Rocky 3 in the late ’80s. The amount is close to 8 million US Dollars in today’s terms. The point is that the psychological effect of a harsh diet is hard on a human being even if it leads to making him a top action star in the world. Therefore, the wide choice of food allowed in adds to the benefits of following a Mediterranean diet. 

Keep the Water or Sparkling Water Handy

A study by a major corporate found that employees reached for the drink nearest to them during breaks in the refreshment bar. When they placed the healthy drinks more conveniently, healthy drinks started getting chosen by the employees. So keep your water or sparkling water container handy which will make further additions to the benefit of your Mediterranean diet.

Summary

Remain consistent with your Mediterranean diet and your body will thank you for the enhanced health and wealth. The add-on-benefit of the Mediterranean diet is the happiness of not feeling deprived.

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According to research, the human brain is over 70 per cent water, while the human skin is over 60 per cent water. Additionally, the human lungs are comprised of over 80 per cent water, the human muscles and kidneys are over 75 per cent water. Even the human bone has more than 30 per cent water. The body needs plenty of water to carry out many important functions. Today, we are going to learn about the same and how you can aid to that with the help of various workout drinks.

Why do we Need to Hydrate our Bodies?   

The human body needs water to balance the internal temperature, producing saliva, lubricating joints, keeping cells alive, flushing out waste and toxins, etc. An average human being cannot survive more than 3 days without water. Water is of major importance to all living beings. After all, the human body consists of more than 60 per cent water.

Why do we Need to Hydrate our Bodies?   

Every day, an average human being must consume a certain amount of water to survive. As aforesaid, an average human being can only survive 72 hours without water. However, this minimum level of water consumption varies according to age, gender, climate, activity levels, season, temperature, etc.

An adult male needs about 3 liters of water per day while an adult female needs about 2.5 liters per day. All of the water that a person need does not have to come from health drinks and plain water as some of this water is contained in the food we eat. However, people who workout need much more water than sedentary individuals.

Best Workout Drinks for Your Body 

Here is a list of the best workout drinks for health, wellbeing, and fitness. Reach out for these 7 drinks after your workout and your fit and healthy body will thank you for it.  

1. Case for Chocolate Carbs

Hard workouts use glycogen stores in our bodies. According to nutritional research, chocolate milk has double the carbohydrates compared to its plain counterpart and is a great choice for replenishing the body’s glycogen stores. It is the perfect choice for a post-workout recovery drink.

Consuming carbs after exercise not only replenishes the muscles by replacing the glycogen stores but it also has a protein-sparing effect. This protein-sparing effect is mentioned in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. It is best to pair carbs with protein for the best post-workout drink. Chocolate milk is a smart choice for its high water content minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Chocolate milk is particularly helpful for endurance athletes. Research conducted in the year 2010 demonstrated clearly that chocolate milk improved recovery and performance in cyclists more than isocaloric carbohydrate drinks. Another 2011 study showed that chocolate milk consumers combated exercise-induced dehydration more effectively than those who drank water.

2. GreenTea for Antioxidants

Research has shown that drinking green tea enhances fat oxidation. It has also been observed that green tea has a calming effect on the nerves which are excited after a workout. Green tea is also rich in antioxidants.

Antioxidants help scavenge the free radicals which are produced by the human body. The relaxing cup of tea has more benefits than you may have perceived. The high levels of antioxidants in green tea also help reduce muscle soreness.

Research conducted on male athletes discovered deeper benefits of drinking tea after intense sprints. Their bloodwork done on the athletes showed that they had higher antioxidant levels and lower cortisol levels after consuming tea rich in the antioxidant. The cortisol hormone is associated with muscle breakdown and reducing cortisol levels is an important aspect of recovery from workouts. 

3. Sports Drinks to Replace Body Electrolytes

It is well known that electrolytes are important for making the body function optimally. The electrolytes in the sports drinks go a long way in keeping the body functioning optimally. The sports drinks are tasty and can be used for intra workout nutrition.

Bodybuilder Milos Sarcev is a strong proponent of intra workout replenishment. He is still in great shape despite being over fifty and he knows what he is talking about when it comes to training and nutrition. However, it is advisable that you take a look at the sugar, carb, and calorie content of your sports drink before making your choice. 

4. Fresh Fruit Juice and Mocktails

If you are a person who has a special fondness for natural products, then fruit juice is the best option for you. Fruit juice contains more than 80 per cent water and that makes it a great hydrating option after a workout. If you use fruit juices for Intra workout replenishment, make sure that you add water as fruit juices like guava are thicker than sports drinks and might cause a feeling of heaviness when used as an intra-workout drink. However, you have to ensure that you are choosing 100 per cent fruit juice.

Keep in mind that juices may be packed with added sugar which not only adds calories but also inhibits hydration. You can also use your own kitchen’s freshly squeezed juices. Be mindful of the fact that freshly squeezed juices from your kitchen will spoil very quickly at room temperature. If you fancy yourself as a gourmet chef of sorts, you can also make a mocktail with your favorite juices.

5. Cherry Juice Solution for Your Tired Muscles

Research has shown that cherry juice is not only rich in antioxidants but is also great for reducing inflammation. It is a great choice for countering your DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). A study on athletes concluded that using cherry juice as a pre-workout and a post-workout drink enabled faster muscle recovery compared to a placebo.

The study also found that cherry juice not only increased antioxidants but also enhanced lipid peroxidation. Make sure that you reach out for the unsweetened version of cherry juice to get all the benefits without the additional calories. 

6. Coconut Water as One of Your Best Workout Drinks

We all know the many benefits of coconut water, including its high level of antioxidants and nutrients. So, of course, it’s no shocker that it isone of the best post-workout beverage too. Like most popular workout drinks, coconut water contains high levels of electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium.

There are a lot of benefits that are not known about coconut water. A study found that coconut water was more beneficial than sports drinks for preventing muscle cramps due to its rich natural potassium and magnesium content. Coconut water also contains less sodium than regular sports drinks. Endurance athletes might consider adding a pinch of good high-quality salt to make up for the lack of sodium in coconut water.

The main reason for coconut water’s benefit in preventing muscle cramps is the naturally occurring potassium and magnesium. The potassium and magnesium content ratio has to be balanced to prevent cramps. In the case of coconut water, the potassium and magnesium ratio is balanced by mother nature.

It is common knowledge that there is no better nutritionist than mother nature herself. Natural drinks like fruit juices and coconut water tend to make the user a little heavy and bloated when used as an intro workout drink when compared to sports drinks. It is advisable to dilute it if you are using it for the first time as an intra workout drink.

7. Whey Protein Mixed with Fruit Juice and Water

You can also consider a whey protein drink mixed with fruit juice and water. However, you should note that protein has a slightly dehydrating effect. To counter it, you can add fruit juice and water. This will give you a great mix of fast-acting proteins, fast carbs, vitamins, and minerals. This intra workout drink will not only readily replenish your glycogen stores but will also prevent muscle breakdown. This is a fantastic choice for an intro workout drink.

Summary

No matter what drink you choose for a pre-workout, Intra workout or post-workout drinks, keep in mind that your body is over 60 per cent water. Ensure that you always stay hydrated. Make your choice of hydration a healthy one.