Eating avocado after strenuous exercise supports muscle growth, recovery and athletic performance because it’s packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids that involved in protein synthesis, energy metabolism, and anti-inflammatory processes!
Avocado has protein
Firstly, eating avocado after exercise is beneficial for building muscle mass because it’s the only fruit high in protein.
Actually, all athletes require high amounts of protein after a workout. Not only bodybuilders. Even endurance athletes have increased protein needs.
Eat avocado after exercise for a lean body
Also, avocado helps athletes build a lean body. It regulates total energy intake.
As it’s packed with fiber, avocado promotes the feeling of fullness for many hours. Moreover, avocado has a dozen nutrients that involved in energy metabolism. Thus, it helps people lose weight.
Eating filling, nutrient-dense foods is particularly beneficial for athletes at the cutting phase.
Vitamin E fights muscle inflammations
Furthermore, athletes should eat avocado after demanding exercise because it’s one of the few common foods high in vitamin E. A serving provides about 11% of the Daily Value.
Sunflower seeds and almonds are the other two common foods high in vitamin E that you could include in your post-workout meal.
Vitamin E has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Athletes with low levels of vitamin E have increased risk of developing exercise-induced inflammations in the muscles. This could have detrimental effects on physical performance and muscle recovery.
However, although vitamin E is beneficial for athletes, too much could negatively affect the synthesis of anabolic hormones and impair adaptations to resistance training. Therefore, athletes should get vitamin E only from their diet, not supplements.[1]
Folate protects the heart of athletes!
Intense exercise may acutely increase the homocysteine levels. High homocysteine is dangerous for the health.
However, folate protects the heart, as it reduces elevated homocysteine levels. It may protect athletes against alterations that can lead to cardiovascular events![2]
Avocado is the fruit with the highest folate content. It has 89 mcg of folate per 100g. This dose is 22% of the Daily Value!
Elite and hard-training athletes should follow a diet high in folate.
Athletes require high magnesium intakes
Magnesium plays a key role in physical performance, as it’s involved in glucose metabolism. Also, it delays lactate accumulation in the muscle and have a protective effect on muscle damage. Elite athletes have increased magnesium needs![3]
Avocado has decent amounts of magnesium. It provides 6% of the DV per serving. Actually, avocado is the richest fruit in magnesium. It has even more magnesium than banana.
You can boost your daily magnesium intake by consuming nuts. Almonds and cashews are the richest nuts in magnesium.
The key role of potassium
Potassium is an essential electrolyte involved in muscle contraction as well as nerve functions. It’s needed by all tissues![4]
Intensive exercise can deplete potassium, though. Athletes should replenish it as soon as possible. Eating avocado after an exhaustive workout is beneficial for potassium replenishment. Avocado is the richest fruit in potassium.
Eat avocado after exercise for iron replenishment
More noteworthy, avocado is one of the richest fruits in iron. It contributes to the daily iron intake.
Iron is a key trace mineral for athletic performance, as it’s involved in oxygen transport and energy metabolism. Having a post-workout meal high in iron is vital for muscle recovery.
Female athletes of reproductive age have the highest risk of iron deficiency.
Athletes have high zinc requirements
Athletes also have increased risk of zinc deficiency. It seems that they have much higher needs of zinc than the general population. Among others, zinc is involved in protein synthesis, muscle growth and regeneration, as well as energy metabolism![5]
We have to consume foods high in zinc after demanding workouts. Avocado is particularly rich in zinc as well. It contains about 0.7 mg of zinc per 100g. This amount is 6% of the Daily Value. Other fruits have negligible amounts of zinc.
Meat is the main source of zinc for many athletes. However, we could skyrocket our daily zinc intake by consuming common plant-based foods.
Athletes need Phosphorus
Moreover, avocado is rich in phosphorus. It contains 54 mg per 100g. This dose is almost 8% of the Daily Value.
Hard-training endurance athletes have increased phosphorus requirements.[6]
Carotenoids in avocado enhance muscle recovery!
Additionally, avocado is one of the richest common foods in carotenoids. It’s particularly rich in lutein and zeaxanthin.
A post-workout meal high in carotenoids may speed up muscle recovery and protect from exercise-induced muscle damage. They may support muscle hypertrophy and strength as well.[7]
How to eat avocado after exercise?
Athletes can incorporate avocado in many ways into their post-workout meals. Follow 5 simple tips to prepare the best avocado snack after strenuous exercise for muscle hypertrophy and physical performance.
1. You can eat avocado on white bread after exercise
Actually, athletes need more than protein and carbs. They have to get adequate amounts of fat for muscle growth and better physical performance.
Avocado is high in healthy fats. It’s one of the richest dietary sources of monounsaturated fatty acids. In fact, according to the American Heart Association, reasonable amounts of monounsaturated fats are good for the heart. Especially when they replace saturated fat.[8]
But, right after strenuous exercise, the body has depleted muscle glycogen stores. Above all, we have to eat easily digested carbs like white bread.
Thus, athletes could enjoy a tasteful avocado toast on white bread after exercise.
2. Add 1–2 slices of avocado to your favorite post-workout sandwich
Also, you could add 1–2 slices of avocado to your favorite post-workout turkey, chicken, or tuna sandwich. These sandwiches are much more than protein. They’re packed with minerals that support muscle growth and recovery, as well as weight loss!
Moreover, red meat, poultry, and fish greatly increase iron absorption, which in very common among elite athletes.[9]
3. Drink a glass of water for hydration
Avocado hydrates the body, as it’s approximately 72% water. However, water in avocado isn’t enough. We have to drink at least 64 oz of water a day. Drinking water right after demanding exercise is vital for fast recovery.
Also, avocado supports hydration because it’s packed with electrolytes. Exhaustive exercise and prolonged sweating can cause electrolyte imbalances. Eating fruits and other foods with electrolytes after the gym is essential for a well-hydrated body.
Certainly, athletes of bodybuilding or any other sport in which muscle hypertrophy and strength is necessary could drink a protein shake instead.
4. Add avocado to your favorite post-workout fruit salad
Another great way to incorporate avocado into your post-workout diet routine is by adding it to your favorite fruit salad.
Eating a fruit salad after strenuous exercise is good for muscle recovery and athletic performance.
Fruits are packed with countless vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant compounds that every athlete requires.
For instance, a fruit salad is high in vitamin C. Vitamin C can increase nonheme iron absorption up to 270%.
Also, it’s high in antioxidants that fight exercise-induced free radicals, such as flavonoids and resveratrol.
In fact, the richest dietary sources of resveratrol are berries, grapes, and peanuts. Hence, another great post-workout snack for building muscle mass is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
5. Eat avocado with seeds with omega-3s after exercise
Last, but not least, athletes could eat avocado with foods with omega-3s for building muscle mass and faster recovery.
But, there are only a few common foods high in omega-3s. Only certain seeds and nuts are good dietary sources.
How long after exercise should I eat avocado?
The first snack after the gym should be high in easily digested carbs. Net carbs are needed for faster replenishment of muscle glycogen stores.
Hence, it’s preferred to avoid consuming avocado right after a workout. Actually, the best time to eat avocado for athletes is in the second post-workout snack.
What’s the best time of the day to eat avocado for a lean body?
The best time of the day to eat avocado for a lean body is in the morning or at lunch. Consuming a supper filling food like avocado in the morning stimulates the synthesis of satiety hormones during the day. So, it helps us consume fewer calories without feeling hungry all the time.
