After you crush your run of the day, you return home victorious. You open your fridge and look in dismay. You can’t find any proteins to snack on.
Here’s a nice alternative: instead of munching on a recovery meal, why not drink it? An on-the-go smoothie packed with nutritional content can give you the best recovery smoothie for runners.
Luckily, you won’t get bored with these recovery smoothies because you can easily change and cater the recipes to your liking.
Stick around to learn more about recovery smoothies for runners.
Recovery Smoothie For Runners: Ingredients
Before getting into the recipes, let’s look at what goes into these smoothies. Check out below all the nutritional value you need to add to your recovery smoothie for Runners to get the most out of each sip.
Healthy Fats
Most people tend to shy off fats, believing that they’ll increase their weight. Nevertheless, healthy fats are crucial to your body’s post-run recovery. In fact, adding fats to your smoothie ensures better energy distribution.
This is because, after your run, your blood usually contains more fats than normal. This increase in fats helps avoid glucose breakdown.
Consequently, the breakdown mechanism isn’t targeting the glucose and heads for the fats instead. It’ll keep your carbohydrate levels working towards a healthier recovery.
There are several kinds of healthy fats you can choose from to add to your post-run smoothie. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Avocados
- Flax Oil
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Fish Oil
- Unroasted Nuts
Protein
They’re not called protein shakes for nothing. Hence, adding a healthy dose of this essential nutrient can make all the difference in your body’s post-run recovery. Protein itself is composed of amino acids which help construct your body’s cells.
Any type of exercise, running included, breaks down the body’s muscle cells and pushes the muscles to their limits. Adding protein helps compensate for the damage caused by rebuilding these lost cells.
There are lots of protein-rich ingredients you can add to your smoothies, such as:
- Peanut Butter
- Almond Butter
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Milk
- Chia Seeds
- Kefir
- Yogurt
- Sesame Seeds
- Protein Powder
Fruit
Now that you’ve added the proteins and fats, it’s time to think about your daily dose of vitamins. Fruits make an ideal vitamin-enriched addition to your smoothie.
The best part is that each fruit carries various kinds of health benefits. Just add bananas if you want to load up on potassium or vitamin C.
If you’re looking for a tangier taste, consider putting in a handful of berries. These tangy fruits are filled with vitamins A, C, and B2.
Berries also contain fiber, folic acid, and antioxidants. You can get all these benefits from strawberries, goji berries, blackberries, and even avocados. Yes, they’re also berries!
Even though fruits offer several benefits to your smoothie recipe, you might want to be light-handed with them. Fruits tend to be high in fructose or sugar.
Here are some low-sugar fruits that make great additions to your smoothie.
- Lemons
- Kiwi
- Watermelon
- Grapefruit
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Oranges
Vegetables
Before making a post-run smoothie, you could be wondering, ‘Wouldn’t a meal make me feel fuller?’
Luckily, there are a few ingredients you can add to keep you feeling satisfied for longer. They usually contain lots of fiber, which mainly comes from vegetables.
Chances are, you’ve probably seen a few green smoothies. They can look unappetizing at first, but try adding the right kinds of leafy greens before taking a sip. You could just change your mind!
Some fiber-rich vegetables you could add to your smoothies are:
- Zucchini
- Kale
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Parsley
- Arugula
- Ginger
Liquids
After adding the main ingredients to your blender, the mix can be a little too thick. To dilute the solid ingredients, you could think of adding a cocktail of fruit juices.
As refreshing as that sounds, you need to lay off the sugary liquids. Instead, you could add coconut water.
This fruit liquid will immediately hydrate you and replenish your electrolyte needs. On the other hand, if you want to add a rich texture to your smoothie, then milk options would be a better choice.
We recommend pouring dairy-free milk since dairy products can slow down your digestion and make you feel bloated.
Instead, you can opt for almond, cashew, hazelnut, or any other nut milk. Not only will dairy-free milk avoid indigestion, but they also contain fewer calories.
Other Ingredients
Apart from all the ingredients mentioned above, you may perhaps want to add a little extra something to boost health benefits.
For instance, you can add a dash of spirulina. It provides you with several health benefits, such as improved immunity and reduced blood pressure.
You can also add some healthy spices such as cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric. They contain anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants; both are perfect for your recovery.
4 Recipes for Recovery Smoothies for Runners
Now that you know what a recovery smoothie needs, it’s time to get blending. The good news is that most of the recipes are quick and easy.
It’s worth noting that you should make and drink your smoothie within the first 30 minutes after your run for maximum recovery benefits.
So, without further ado, here are some recipes for recovery smoothies for runners.
Recipe #1: Green Recovery Smoothie for Runners
If you’ve always wanted to try a green smoothie, give this recipe a go. Although it might not be the tastiest on our list, it’s definitely Instagram-worthy!
Ingredients
- A bunch of kale leaves
- 1 cup of coconut water
- A slice of ginger
- Half a cucumber
- 2 frozen bananas
- 1 oz of cacao nibs
- 1 teaspoon of spirulina powder
Benefits
If it’s naturally green, then it’s got to be packed with nutritional benefits, but will it taste good? Yes, it can!
The addition of cacao nibs will add a dark chocolatey flavor to the smoothie. These treats are also great mood-boosters because they raise serotonin and dopamine hormone levels.
The kale in the smoothie provides a healthy dose of fiber, omega fatty acids, and vitamins.
After your run, you need all the hydration you can get. Thus, this green smoothie supplies your water intake from the cucumber and coconut water addition.
If these ingredients aren’t suited to your taste, you can always substitute them with your favorite alternatives.
For instance, instead of kale, try adding a different leafy green like spinach or mint. Also, if you’re not a fan of dark chocolate, you can switch the cacao nibs for some protein chocolate powder.
You can even add chocolate milk to make it more kid-friendly.
Recipe #2: Berry Recovery Smoothie for Runners
If you’re looking for a more refreshing drink, then a berry smoothie could be your cup of tea, or in this case, a recovery drink.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of cashew milk
- 2 teaspoons of chia seeds
- 2 teaspoons of hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon of protein powder
- Half a cup of frozen berries
- A bunch of spinach
- 6 ice cubes
- 1/4- cup kefir
Benefits
The primary health advantage you’ll be getting from this berry smoothie is a load of antioxidants. These compounds are critical to inhibiting the production of free radicals in your body.
Free radicals can cause cell damage and could lead to severe illnesses such as heart disease and cancer.
Berries aren’t the only antioxidant-rich ingredient on this list. Hemp and chia seeds also fight off free radicals.
Having said that, the seeds and cashew milk provide a much-needed healthy fat intake for your post-run smoothie.
When it comes to your protein intake, you can rely on kefir and the protein powder from the list to provide your daily dose.
In addition, the spinach added will supply your body with essential vitamins like A, C, K1, as well as folic acid.
Recipe #3: Peanut Butter and Banana Recovery Smoothie for Runners
The peanut butter and banana smoothie is usually a crowd-pleaser. It suits a large portion of taste preferences because of its rich taste and texture.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of almond milk
- 7 oz. of avocado
- A bunch of spinach
- 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
- Half a frozen banana
Benefits
This is probably one of the easiest smoothies to make since it doesn’t have as many ingredients as the others. Although, just because it’s not as plentiful in ingredients doesn’t mean it’s not as nutritious.
Remember that anytime you complete a run, your muscles will probably feel tense. The almond milk in the smoothie recipe is an excellent source of magnesium, which helps ease the tension in your muscles.
To build your fat and protein intake, avocado and peanut butter can be your go-to, respectively. Meanwhile, spinach is anti-inflammatory and can facilitate your body’s muscle recovery.
Recipe #4: Date Recovery Smoothie for Runners
If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth after a run, why not blend a date smoothie? Although the fruit is high in sugar, you can enjoy a cup now and then. Think of it as a treat for your hard work.
Ingredients
- 1/4-cup dates
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon of chocolate protein powder
- 1 dash of cinnamon
- 6 ice cubes
Benefits
Not only are dates a sweet addition to your smoothie, but a highly nutritious one as well. This fruit is high in potassium and fiber, which are needed for recovery.
Dates also help speed up your body’s recovery mechanism. That being said, coconut oil and cinnamon contain a sufficient amount of anti-inflammatory properties, which help in muscle recovery.
For your protein fix, try adding a scoop of your favorite chocolate protein powder to the mix.
To Conclude
Whether you don’t feel like having a meal or want a fast fix, smoothies are one of the best methods of muscle recovery post-run.
They can give you all the health benefits of a post-workout meal, sometimes even more, all in a single cup.
Whenever you make your smoothie, you just need to make sure to add fats, proteins, fruits, vegetables, and liquids. This guarantees a quick and healthy recovery smoothie for runners.