Best Workout Recovery Drinks

Best Things to Drink After a Workout for Recovery

• 1

  Water

  That’s right, water. It’s usually plentiful at the gym or in the home, making it the first source of rehydration as soon as you’ve finished your workout. Weigh yourself before and after workouts. For every pound of water weight lost in a workout, replace it with 16-20 ounces of water. While water has no calories, it also has no proteins or carbohydrates. For that reason, when you opt for water as your workout recovery drink, accompany it with a snack that replenishes lost proteins and carbohydrates.

• 2

  Chocolate milk

  It’s not just for kids! Chocolate milk has a carbohydrates-to-protein ratio in the neighborhood of 4:1, making it an ideal source of replenishment and restoration of muscle glycogen. Studies have shown that chocolate milk speeds up recovery and increases the time to reach exhaustion in the subsequent exercise session.

• 3

  Fruit juices

  Like electrolyte-rich sports drinks, drinking 100% fruit juices helps replenish electrolytes lost through sweating, as well as carbohydrates and glucose. Tart cherry juice is growing in popularity because it contains anti-inflammatory chemicals that help prevent muscle damage and reduce muscle soreness. Cherry juice is also very high in heart-friendly antioxidants.

• 4

  Fruit smoothies

  Made with yogurt and frozen berries, fruit smoothies provide simple sugars from fruit that help replenish glycogen stores fast. They also deliver protein sources to repair muscles, as well as vitamins and antioxidants.

• 5

  Sports drinks

  Drinks like Powerade and Gatorade offer quick replenishment of electrolytes lost in sweat. Many of them also contain helpful levels of calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. Read the label on these drinks, however, because many of them are high in calories, which may be counterproductive following shorter workouts.

• 6

  Coconut water

  We’re talking about coconut water, not coconut milk. An 11-ounce glass of coconut water contains 14 grams of sugar and 670 milligrams of potassium, which far surpasses what sports drinks deliver. Potassium works with sodium to maintain water balance and trigger muscles to optimally contract and relax.

• 7

  Vegetable juices

  Vegetable juices have lots of helpful nutrients. Tomato-based juices are particularly helpful because they contain lycopene, which is an antioxidant that protects muscles from the stress caused by exercise. Many vegetable juices also have a much higher level of potassium than sports drinks.

• 8

  Green tea

  The iced version is probably more ideal immediately after workouts, when you’re trying to cool down, but hot green tea works just as well. Green tea is a great source of catechins, which are the antioxidants that fight heart disease and cancer. A recent study showed that drinking five cups of green tea every day for three months may help reduce belly fat.

• 9

  Coffee

  Hot coffee doesn’t sound like an enticing muscle-recovery drink but it (along with the iced coffee) does offer benefits. Caffeine in coffee helps accelerate the absorption of carbohydrates, which the body needs after workouts in order to refuel glycogen stores. Keep in mind that most bodies only contain enough glycogen for one intense workout, so quick replenishment is key, especially on double-workout days.