Drink This Before And After Your Run
What are you drinking after your run? How about before your run? Studies show that there are certain drinks that will not only help fuel your body, but also help repair your muscles too. The list below shows us not only what you should consider drinking, but why these work. My favorite of course is chocolate milk. (low fat of course!)
Iced Green Tea
When: Pre- or postrun and on easy runs less than an hour
Why: Green tea is a stellar source of catechins, antioxidants that fight heart disease and cancer. According to research, catechins can reduce muscle damage caused by exercise, and also speed recovery. A recent study found that people who had the equivalent of five cups of green tea daily for three months and exercised lost more belly fat than those who only exercised. Iced green tea is a tasty alternative to water on easy, short runs, says Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the Pittsburgh Medical Center. Plus, tea contains caffeine, which boosts speed and endurance. If you drink iced green tea often, go with unsweetened, says Kimball, to avoid taking in excess calories.
Coconut Water
When: Pre- or postrun or on runs of about 60 minutes
Why: Coconut water, the clear liquid found inside the fruit, contains none of the fat found in coconut milk and has a tangy, light almond flavor. Eleven ounces contain 14 grams of sugar and 670 milligrams of potassium-way more than sports drinks. “Potassium works closely with sodium to maintain water balance and helps trigger muscles to contract and relax optimally,” says Suzanne Girard Eberle, R.D., author of Endurance Sports Nutrition. Coconut water has enough carbohydrates for an hour-long run but not enough sodium for longer efforts
Chocolate Milk
When: Postrun
Why: The drink you loved as a kid has the ideal amount of carbohydrates and protein that tired muscles need for recovery, says Joel Stager, Ph.D., director of the department of kinesiology at Indiana University. According to a study Stager led, drinking chocolate milk postexercise speeds up recovery and increases the time it takes to reach exhaustion during a subsequent exercise session better than sports drinks. And a 2007 British study found that regular milk is better than water or a sports drink at restoring fluid levels following a bout of exercise in the heat. Plus, milk contains bone-strengthening vitamin D and calcium.
Cherry Juice
When: After a hard run
Why: A study done in 2008 by British researchers found that runners who drank 16 ounces of tart cherry juice in the days before, the day of, and two days after a marathon decreased inflammation, oxidative stress, and muscle damage.
“Cherry juice is very useful for postexercise recovery,” says Declan Connolly, Ph.D., professor of physical education and exercise science at the University of Vermont.
Cherries are higher in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties than many other types of fruit. Try drinking a cup of tart cherry juice after exercise-particularly during heavy training. But don’t guzzle it like it’s tap water: One cup has about 30 grams of natural sugar and 130 calories.
Here are some tips on drinking while you run…
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