Post-Workout Smoothie

Benefits of Post-Workout Smoothies

As someone who works out daily, I never feel like my workout is full until I finish it with a glass of a refreshing protein smoothie. The majority of nutritionists agree that a workout isn't complete until one feeds. Smoothies are quick to make (only 5 to 10 minutes) and easy to digest. Furthermore, they provide an easy way to obtain the protein required for muscle mass development as well as the carbohydrates required to substitute for glycogen lost throughout the exercise. An ideal post-workout smoothie should contain 15 to 20 grams of protein for an average-weight male. The rest of the ingredients should mainly be carbohydrates and some healthy fats. The drink should be taken in about 30-60 min after the workout to help restore the energy and repair the muscles in a most effective way.

Steps to Make a Post-Workout Smoothie

The post-work out smoothie is made in few easy steps:

1. Gather all of the ingredients. I typically use one cup of spinach, two leaves or collard greens; one small or medium lime (can be replaced with lemon, though I prefer lime); 1/4-inch piece of fresh ginger (or 1/6 tablespoon of dried ginger if fresh is not available); 1 tablespoon of turmeric; 1 medium-sized ripe banana, 1 cup of raspberries (either fresh or frozen, depending on the season); 1,5 tablespoon of hemp seeds; 3 tablespoons of chia seeds; 2 tablespoons of acai powder; and 1/2 cup of a plain Greek Yogurt. Vegans should replace Greek yogurt with soy yogurt or unsweetened almond milk. It is acceptable to use yogurt or milk enhanced with vanilla as long as the ingredients are 100% natural.

2. Soak the hemp seeds 5 hours before making the smoothie. Soak the chia seeds overnight. Rinse them before adding to the smoothie. This step is optional, and it is fine to use dry seeds. However, pre-soaking helps to release more nutrients.

3. If spinach, collard greens, raspberries, ginger and lime are fresh, it is important to thoroughly rinse it with filtered water to remove. Spinach is a product that often contains pesticides, so cleaning it is especially important. If fruit and greens used are frozen, they should be left in the bowl for some time to unfreeze.

4. If you have a juicer, add spinach, collard greens, lime, turmeric and ginger into it and make juice before putting it into the blender. This will improve the consistency of the juice by making it homogeneous.

5. Peel the banana and cut it in round pieces to avoid disrupting the work of a blender.

6. Add the ingredients into the blender and blend them slowly. If you juiced the first five ingredients, add the juice and blend all ingredients. However, if you did not make the juice, add everything but turmeric, ginger and lime at first.

7. Add turmeric, ginger and lime and blend until smooth.

8. If the consistency is too thick or you aim for a liquid consistency, add some filtered water or coconut water and blend again.

9. Turn off the juicing machine and blender and put the post-workout smoothie into a cup or a mason jar. Top it with 1/8 tablespoon of extra chia seeds. The smoothie is ready.

Conclusion

It is recommended to always include a smoothie into a post-workout routine. A post-workout smoothie is packed with vitamins and minerals from greens, berries, spices and superfoods. The receipt could be altered, but a post-workout smoothie should always contain greens, fruit, vegetables, protein sources and superfoods.