Originally written by Nanci S. Guest MSc, RD, CSCS for Oxygen Magazine June 2010, and posted with permission to
FarParker.com, September 2010.
We all know that amino acids (protein) are essential for muscle recovery and repair, so we diligently down our post-workout protein shake thinking we’ve done our body good – but is that all we can do? Bottom line – muscles need more than protein. And the harder you work the more you need to perfect your recovery regime. If you want to really benefit from the “fruits of your labor”, don’t miss out on other essential nutrients (such as antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins) that will maximize your recovery from intense workouts. Include some of these sweet, juicy antioxidant packed recovery powerhouses – tropical fruits. Antioxidants are known to aid in the prevention of cancer and heart disease, but are also beneficial to exercising individuals by helping to reduce muscle damage and promote post-exercise recovery. These often have anti-inflammatory properties as well – less inflammation also means quicker recovery. Less muscle damage and efficient recovery means you can take it to the next level sooner, i.e. the fast lane to achieving that lean physique or better performance in sports.
Exercise is associated with a 10- to 20-fold increase in whole body oxygen uptake, and oxygen flux may increase by as much as 100- to 200-fold in active skeletal muscle fibres during intense exercise. This results in an elevated flow of oxygen through the mitochondria in cells, which in turn produces free radicals as a by-product of respiration. This has been termed “exercise-induced oxidative stress.” The free radicals produced during exercise may damage muscle tissue and/or prolong muscle recovery. So what’s a girl to do? Get rid of those free radicals by adding fruit to your post-recovery meal and throughout the day to support your muscles during the whole recovery phase. Remember recovery doesn’t happen in minutes or hours – recovery happens over days and boosting your daily intake of fruit means you’ve got it covered for the whole process – if you’re training consistently then your muscles are constantly recovering. If you slack off on recovery, it means you’ve impeded your progress.
Try to incorporate these ten tropical fruits to get that sizzling tropical body!
1. Cherries – not the ones decorating your chi chi, but fresh. Research presented at the 2009 American College of Sports Medicine Annual Conference suggest cherries’ post-exercise benefits to reduce muscle soreness are due to the fruit’s natural anti-inflammation power – attributed to antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins, which also give cherries their bright red color. Kuehl KS, Chestnutt J, Elliot DL, Lilley C. Efficacy of tart cherry juice in reducing muscle pain after strenuous exercise. 851. May, 2009.
Use it: As a pre-workout snack have a cup of cherries with a side of low fat yogurt or cottage cheese
2. Blood Oranges - the distinctive dark red flesh color is due to the presence of anthocyanins – our bright red friend that can also help to stimulate the body’s own recovery defense system. A recent study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism indicate that an increased intake of anthocyanins limits the exercise-induced oxidative damage to red blood cells, most probably by enhancing the endogenous (the body’s own) antioxidant defense system. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. Volume: 15; Issue: 1; February, 2005
Use it: Blend 1-2 oranges with vanilla flavoured yogurt and a scoop of plain of vaniila flavored whey protein powder for a yummy orange creamsicle shake that’s actually doing your body good!
3. Bananas – known for their potassium that is an electrolyte necessary for muscle contraction, one banana also contains ~25% of your daily vitamin B-6 needs. B6 plays an important role in amino acid metabolism. A study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism reported that more protein breakdown (muscle damage from training) may increase the need for vitamin B-6, and strenuous physical exercise seems to increase excretion. Woolf, K. and Manore, M.M. B-Vitamins and Exercise: Does Exercise Alter Requirements? Int. J. Sport Nutr. Exerc. Metab. 16:453-484, 2006.
Use it: A banana is the perfect smoothie fruit, giving it a creamy texture without the cream! Blend low fat milk (or soy), yogurt, a banana and a tbsp of peanut butter for a tasty post-workout shake that includes protein, good fats and a dose of vitamins and minerals.
4. Pineapples – contain bromelain is a digestive enzyme that is extracted from the stem and the fruit of the pineapple plant. Bromelain is believed to assist in the digestion of proteins. When taken on an empty stomach, it is believed to act medicinally as an anti-inflammatory agent. (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-bromelain.html
Use it: Munch on a few chunks of pineapple 10-15 mins before your protein shake to get the anti-inflammatory benefits while also aiding in getting that protein to your muscles quicker.
5. Papayas - Are rich sources of antioxidant nutrients such as carotenes, vitamin C and flavonoids, B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid; and the minerals, potassium and magnesium; Papaya contains several unique protein-digesting enzymes including papain and chymopapain that may help lower inflammation, but more studies are needed to confirm this potential. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant, protecting the cells of the body from damage caused by free radicals. It is also one of the carotenoids believed to enhance the function of the immune system, which also indirectly helps your body recover more easily.
Use it: cut a papaya in half and fill it with low fat yogurt or cottage cheese for a delicious post-workout snack that will soothe those aching muscles
6. Kumquats – these “mini” oranges are a good source of vitamin C, a known antioxidant whose actions are superior in food form to protect muscle tissue from free radical damage.
Use it – three kumquats provide 40% of your DV for Vitamin C and taste great topped on mixed greens and sliced chicken breast for a light yet nutrient packed meal anytime.
7. Watermelon – this refreshing melon is synonymous with summer, and packs a good dose of lycopene and beta-carotene, and vitamin c – 3 sources of antioxidants to minimize free-radical muscle damage.
Use it: Try chunky watermelon salsa (see recipe) topped on white fish – a combo of lean protein and a summer fresh salsa that will leave your muscles singing after power yoga or bootcamp on the beach.
Chunky watermelon salsa
1 Lime
2 c Watermelon - diced
1 c Peeled cucumber - diced
1/4 c Sliced green onions
2 tb Fresh cilantro - minced
2 ts Jalapeno chili - minced and seeded
1 ts Sugar
8. Mango – This fruit is one of few that contains the ultimate free-radical fighting cocktail of Vitamins A (as beta-carotene), C and E. Numerous studies (Tauler 2002) have shown that consuming antioxidant cocktails (instead of alone) have higher antioxidant activity and better immune cell function – both implicated in muscle repair after exercise-induced damage. Antioxidants function in a network and seem to elicit a synergistic effect, in contrast to their lesser effectiveness when consumed in isolation. (Vitala 2004)
• Viitala PE, Newhouse IJ, LaVoie N, Gottardo C. (2004). The effects of antioxidant vitamin supplementation on resistance exercise induced lipid peroxidation in trained and untrained participants. Lipids Health Dis. 3(1): 14.
• Tauler P. Aguilo A. Fuentespina E. Tur JA. Pons A. (2002). Diet supplementation with vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene cocktail enhances basal neutrophil antioxidant enzymes in athletes. Pflugers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology. 443(5-6):791-7.
Use it: Mango is delicious on top of cereal with low fat milk, as part of a smoothie or as a chutney – an antioxidant side-kick to your favourite protein rich fish
J. Agric. Food Chem., 2008, 56 (21), pp 9905–9910
9. Kiwi – This sweet little green treasure is another antioxidant cocktail including Vitamins A, C and E that compliment each other to fight tissue-damaging free radicals caused by resistance or endurance exercise. Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that has been proven to protect our body from free radicals, dramatically improving a speedy repair after a hard session at the gym.
Use it: Slice it up and top it on high protein frozen yogurt for a treat for both you and your muscles – yum!
10. Gooseberries – these precious little gems contain the phytochemical querecetin, and a 2010 study in the Int J Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found performance benefits resulting from a combination quercetin’s biological properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, as well as the ability to increase mitochondrial biogenesis (i.e more powerhouses in your muscle cells). International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2009, 20, 1-13. J. Agric. Food Chem., 2000, 48 (7), pp 2675–2680
Use it: Include gooseberries in mixed fruit salad with a side of yogurt, or toss in the blender with your favorite protein powder as a nutrient rich recovery snack.
Side-Bar
Worried about too much sugar in fruit? Worried fruit will make you fat? There is nothing “fattening” about fruit and there is no scientific evidence that fruit in itself will cause weight gain. Why the perpetuating myth? A few reasons – we know that excess sugar in the diet can cause weight gain because sweets tend to be very calorie dense – think 1 jujube 20 calories (who eats one???) and 1 Twizzler licorice 40 calories, and when we consume a lot of sweets that takes above our calorie needs for the day, as sweets are generally consumed in addition to our regular meals. But fruit is not candy, it is a part of a meal or snack – and it contains mostly water and some fiber along with natural sugars -- so 2 jujubes (pure sugar)at a cost of 40 calories is the same as ½ cup of blueberries (which is packed with nutrients, along with natural sugars).
Second, just ½ a cup of fruit juice counts as a fruit serving and many people frequently choose juice as a beverage and these calories can really add up. Many juices are well above 100 calories per cup (POM is 160 kcal/cup), and our brain doesn’t register liquid calories to provide a sense of “fullness”, so 2 cups of juice can go down easily without a subsequent reduction in eating.
Third, dried fruits are almost like candy – very dense in calories due to the absence of water – raisins are 120 calories in ¼ cup while you can have 2 cups of grapes for the same. Lastly, some fruits are very high on the glycemic index which can trigger hunger 20-30 min after consumption due to the blood sugar spike, closely followed by a low due to insulin action. This may result in overeating due to unstable blood sugar levels, and triggering sweet cravings. Adding some protein or a small amount of fat (snack on fruit with low fat yogurt or a small handful of nuts) to your fruits will prevent this as it slows the fruit sugar absorption into the bloodstream.
Bottom line fruit is a great source of “clean” energy, and the carbohydrates in fruit not only fuel your workouts but offer an array of muscle repairing antioxidants, anti-inflammatory substances, vitamins, minerals and a good dose of fiber. For the same calories in a cup of rice (200 kcal) you can enjoy a colorful, juicy alternative as 1 cup of watermelon (50 kcal), a medium-sized banana (100 kcal), and ½ a medium papaya (50 kcal). Aim for three servings of fruit a day spread throughout the day to energize your muscles before a workout and post-workout as a sweet recovery for your tired muscles.
