10 Foods You Shouldn't Eat After A Workout

Had a great workout this morning? Felt like the extra kilos are finally shaking off? Good! But the rigorous exercise must have made you super-hungry!

So, what did you do? Feasted, huh? Well, you may just have chosen the wrong food to do so. Here is a list of foods you must definitely avoid after that workout:

1. Raw Veggies

Whilst raw vegetables are amongst the healthiest and most nutritious of foods for the human body, they aren’t exactly the right foods to consume post-workout. Shocked? Here’s why: they simply aren’t substantial enough to help the body recover energy and restore metabolism.

2. Fast Food

French fries, hamburgers and hot dogs may be the dreamy thoughts in your head after that hard routine in the gym. True, you may be starving after those hours straining the muscles of your body. But the oily, calorie-heavy junk only lowers the rate of digestion and adds more fat to be stored in your body.

3. Salty Snacks

Chips, pretzels or other salty snacks are quite harmful if consumed straight after the workout. They shake the salt-water balance of the body and reduce the potassium levels in the body.

4. Sweetened Beverages

Fruit juices that are tinned or canned, aerated drinks and other sweetened beverages are a complete no-no post-workout. In fact, all your exercise goes in vain if you consume a glass or can of such a drink. If you are thirsty, go for plain drinking water instead.

5. Sweets and Desserts

Just as harmful sweetened drinks are, so are desserts, right after your workout. The body releases energy from the fat reserves right after the strenuous exercise. If you supply it with sweets soon after, this advantage will be lost.

6. Pizzas

Considered part of junk food, pizzas must definitely be avoided post-exercise. These are greasy, fatty foods, and a single slice can cause more harm than you could ever imagine.

7. Chocolates

While a great source of energy otherwise, chocolates straight after a workout would be a terrible thing to indulge in.

8. Energy Bars High on Sugar

A great source of energy on other counts; these must certainly be avoided after you have sweated out in the gym.

9. Cheese

All that the workout helps you shed is capable of being restored in the body with high saturated fat that processed cheese is likely to offer. So, it is best avoided after workout.

10. Bread

Bread is not a healthy post-workout food, since it converts starch into sugar very rapidly. White bread, especially, must completely be avoided.

If you desire serious and positive results from your workout, be careful about what you do and do not eat straight afterwards. A lot of water and some fruits to snack on can be the best bet to help maintain the effects of a rigorous workout! Stay healthy!

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10 Foods That Are Healthier Than You Think

Knowing the right kind of food to eat for better health can be a confusing affair. This is especially so because the market is flooded with products and food items

That are being sold as calorie-free or super-foods. However, are you well-educated on what exactly is healthy and what’s not? Read on about 10 foods that are healthier than you thought, and be surprised!

1. Bananas

Bananas are popularly known as rich in sugar and carb content. However, what they actually provide is an excellent amount of Vitamin C and B6 to the body and they are also packed with potassium, which is great for the heart.

2. Pinenuts

Rich in protein, this nut has a benefit greater than what other nuts provide, that is, it helps curb the appetite. Added to your pesto sauce or mixed with other vegetables, pinenuts make for an excellent and healthy snack or dish.

3. Pickles

You have always heard of pickles being fattening, haven’t you? Well, contrary to that popular belief, if consumed in moderation, pickles can actually do more good than harm. This is because they contain vinegar, an excellent source of cutting down the digestion of starch in the body.

4. Peanut Butter

Never thought this would make it to this list, did you? However, peanut butter is rich in protein, vitamin E as well as fibre. Moreover, it is capable of providing the requisite amounts of calorie to the body. Therefore, shy not from the tasty spread!

5. Coffee

Whilst you would likely hear all about the negative impacts of drinking too much coffee, you should also know that coffee is brimming with antioxidants, which are essential to build immunity and strengthen the body against diseases. Moreover, it is known to reduce the risk of Type-II Diabetes.

6. Eggs

Eggs are packed with components that are highly beneficial to the human body - vitamins A and D, protein, as well as antioxidants. So, an egg a day must form part of your diet.

7. Potatoes

Another food that people shrug off due to its high levels of starch, potatoes are actually quite a healthy part of one’s diet. They are necessary for your daily dose of protein, fiber, iron as well as vitamins.

8. Chicken Thighs

Chicken breasts are known to be rich in unsaturated fats, but chicken wings are a healthier as well as more economical option for those who crave non-vegetarian items in their daily dinner menu. So, include the item in your meal at least a couple of times a week.

9. Red Meat

Red meat has always been known as harmful due to its saturated fat content. However, more recent studies reveal that red meat provides the body with proteins, and enhances the metabolism! The consumption, nevertheless, must be moderate.

10. Pasta

Now whosoever thought pasta could make it to a list of healthy foods! Not you! Now, you can indulge knowing that pasta has a low fat content and its healthier options can be consumed using less creamy sauces and recipes with tons of veggies!

When it comes to healthy eating, avoiding some of your favorite foods may not be necessary. Know the right foods to eat and stay fit!

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Olive Oil Protects from Depression

It is common knowledge that olive oil and the Mediterranean diet confer a multitude of health benefits. But what about emotional health benefits? According to Spanish researchers from the University of Navarra and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a diet rich in olive oil can protect from mental illness. The study included 12,059 volunteers who were part of the SUN Project, a prospective study among Spanish university alumni, aimed to identify the dietary determinants of stroke, coronary disease and other disorders. The researchers followed these volunteers for over 6 years and gathered data on lifestyle factors such as diet as well as medical history. At the beginning of the study none of the volunteers

suffered from depression, and by the end of the study, 657 new cases were

detected.

The data that was gathered, revealed that volunteers that had a high intake of trans fats, a hydrogenated fat found mainly in processed foods, had up to 48 percent increased risk of depression compared to volunteers who did not consume these fats according to Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, Associate Professor of Preventive  Medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and first author of the article. In addition, the researchers discovered that a higher intake of olive oil and polyunsaturated fats found in fatty fish and vegetable oils was associated with a lower risk of depression. According to the researchers these findings suggest that cardiovascular disease and depression may share some common mechanisms related to diet.

This is not the first time that olive oil and the Mediterranean diet are associated with lower rates of depression. In 2009, Spanish researchers once again discovered that individuals who followed a Mediterranean style diet rich in olive oil, vegetables, beans and fruit were 30 percent less likely to suffer from depression.

While the researchers point out certain limitations of the study, such as analyzing the diet only once (at the beginning of the study) they point out to several strengths such as a large sample size as well as multiple adjustments for potential confounders. They add that the findings need to be confirmed by further prospective studies and by trials.

By Elena Paravantes

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