Top Sports Foods- Foods You Must Add to Your Sports Diet for Recovery

Top Sports Recovery Foods

Foods You Must Consider Adding to Your Sports Diet

If you're either a professional athlete or you simply workout regularly you'll need to plan your diet and take care of what you eat.
Planning your diet and consuming the right foods will not only keep you strong for your workouts but will take your overall performance to the next level.

This article will give you tips on all the kinds of foods you need and their timing. If you provide yourself with these foods you probably won't need "chemical" supplementation.

If you play a sport that involves 2-3 training sessions a day then make sure you get adequate sleep between workouts and follow the below nutrition plan. Also check out our other article on sports recovery and overtraining if you're a professional athlete here.


Here is the list of foods you must consider adding to your sports diet:

1- Eggs 

Photo By pietroizzo

Egg whites contain the purest form of proteins. 

According to an AskMen.com article, eggs contain :

Vitamins

A: good for the skin and growth.
D: strengthens bones by raising calcium absorption. 
E: protects cells from oxidation. 
B1: helps properly release energy from carbohydrates. 
B2: helps release energy from protein and fat. 
B6: promotes the metabolism of protein. 

B12: an essential vitamin in the formation of nerve fibers and blood cells.

Minerals

Iron: essential in the creation of red blood cells. 
Zinc: good for enzyme stability and essential in sexual maturation. 
Calcium: most important mineral in the strengthening of bones and teeth. 
Iodine: controls thyroid hormones. 
Selenium: like vitamin E, it protects cells from oxidation.

2- Milk

Photo By cliff1066™

Milk is a great recovery drink; it has carbohydrates to help refuel the body, protein to stimulate growth and muscle repair + fluid and electrolytes to aid rehydration. Not only is milk a sports drink but an essential everyday drink as it has great growth and health benefits.

Photo By markhillary

3- Yoghurt

Photo By haley. s

Yogurt is a great sports recovery food; it comes in different forms like plain, greek, regular, low fat, nonfat, kefir and much more. Greek yogurt is known for the highest protein supply, nonetheless, all are great sources of calcium, protein, vitamin D and potassium. If you add fruit and milk to your yogurt you'll have a great sports smoothie! 

Ever noticed the thin layer of liquid that sits on top of the yogurt? don't pour it off! Thats the whey.

4- Tuna

Photo By JD_UWpics

Seafoods are generally considered as natures best sources of high quality protein and are essential for muscle repair, strength and maintenance, and boost energy levels.
Canned tuna is also perfect for an athlete on the go, you should substitute it with supplements and protein bars.
Tuna is generally a great food for sports recovery and general well being. You should consider adding it to your daily diet.

5- Fresh Fruit & Vegetables

Photo By MJorge

Bananas, Apples, Oranges, Strawberry, Guava, Watermelon, Grapefruit, Cantaloupe, Spinach, Peas, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Cucumber, Onions, Carrots and many other fruits are a must for every athlete!
Low fruit and vegetable consumption has been linked to muscle break down and fatigue so it's always important to make sure you get adequate fruit and vegetables.
Heres a table By the Australian Sports Commission on the Importance of fruits and vegetables:

Table 1: Nutrients and their sources

Nutrient	Performance related function	Fruit and vegetable sources
Vitamin A	Immune function Antioxidant properties	Carrots Pumpkin Mango Apricots Spinach Broccoli
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)	Energy production and supply Nerve function Muscle contraction	Legumes Bamboo Shoots Cauliflower Sweet Corn Plums
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	Energy production and supply Nerve function Muscle contraction	Peach Nectarines Broad Beans Mushroom
Pantothenic acid	Energy metabolism	Broad beans Broccoli Mushrooms
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	Energy production and supply Nerve function Muscle contraction	Brussel sprouts Green peas Beans Split peas Fruit
Folate	Nervous function Muscle contraction Haemoglobin synthesis	Spinach Broccoli Cabbage Lettuce Beans Beetroot Avocado Banana Orange
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)	Antioxidant properties Immune function	Blackcurrants Orange Grapefruit Guava Kiwi fruit Raspberries Capsicum Broccoli Sprouts
Vitamin E (Tocopherol)	Antioxidant properties Immune function	Spinach
Iron	Energy production and supply Haemoglobin synthesis Antioxidant function	Broccoli Silverbeet Spinach Chinese green vegetables Dried fruit Sweet corn
Magnesium	Energy production and supply Nerve function Muscle contraction	Green vegetables Legumes Peas Beans

6- Nuts

Nuts, Almonds, Peanuts, Hazelnuts, Cashews are great sources of essential amino acids (Proteins), vitamins and fiber. GO buy yourself all kinds of nuts before your training camp, it might be a little expensive but they're worth it! 
Here's A GREAT picture I found in an article on the sportsnutritionmarket website (Don't forget to check it)!

Photo By sportsnutritionmarket

7- Meat, Beef, Fish, Chicken

Meat, In Edgebaston, Birmingham, 1992
Photo By Bollops

8- Rice, Pasta, Bread

Yummy!
Photo By Max & Mason

Switch between rice, pasta and bread daily and try to go for whole foods (whole grains).

This will ensure you have adequate carbohydrate levels for your workouts.

Here's an example of how you could plan one of your workout days: 

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Post Workout Morning Session

If your morning workout includes weight lifting, running, circuit training, stair running or any other intense activity then you'll need to fuel up and replenish your glycogen stores directly after your workouts. Taking carbs within 30 minutes after a workout works best.
Studies have shown that chocolate milk is your best choice as a post-workout drink; it provides you with optimal carbs and makes up for the fluids you lost during workout. Chocolate Milk is said to be even better than sports drinks and water. If you don't like Chocolate Milk you could go for Strawberry Milk or Cow Milk alone.
After showering you should go for a breakfast that has

2-3 Eggs (Egg whites important)
Cow Milk
Yogurt
Cheese or other Dairy products
Banana
Water

Also Make Sure you drink enough water and then go to bed for your body to fully recover if you have other sessions later that day.

In between Snack

Nuts

3 Dates
1 Honey Spoon
Water

Post workout Afternoon Session Nutrition

If you play any sport that involves intense cardio, running, or anything else then make sure you have a snack before training (between breakfast and afternoon training) that involves carbs.

After your afternoon training session you should include

Steamed Rice/Pasta
Meat,Beef,Fish,Chicken
Vegetables
Fruit
Salad (Tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce & onions)

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You could always be creative while planning your diet, but make sure you choose the right foods ;)