If you identify yourself as a gym junkie, you already know that a balanced diet and proper nutrition is equally as important as consistent exercise when it comes to achieving your fitness goals.
You would also already know that regular consumption of fruits is vital to good health.
Well, it turns out that over 90% of Malaysian adults are not eating enough fruits, failing to meet the recommended minimum of 2 servings of fruits per day (IKU).
This is despite the large variety of fruits available in our beautiful country.
A simple way of incorporating fruits into your daily diet is to consume them before and after your workouts.
By doing so, you would have already met the 2 servings of fruits per day requirement, and any more you eat throughout the rest of the day is a bonus to your body!
However, not all fruits are created equal.
Here’s a list of fruits that are most beneficial to a gym junkie.
Best Fruits for Gym Junkies #1: Bananas
Bananas contain natural sugars and simple carbohydrates, which increases blood sugar and glycogen levels.
This supplies the body with fast-acting glucose, which can be used as fuel to get a killer workout in, or to replenish our depleted glycogen level post-workout.
Besides that, bananas also contain potassium and magnesium, which help prevent muscle cramps.
Best Fruits for Gym Junkies #2: Blueberries
Blueberries are low in calories, but high in nutrient content.
Packed full of antioxidants, blueberries have been shown to repair muscle damages caused by exercise, as well as aid in cancer prevention.
One cup of blueberries provides over 20% of our recommended daily vitamin C intake.
Health Tip: Blueberries do not have to be refrigerated, so you can easily pack a box into your gym bag and have them on hand.
Best Fruits for Gym Junkies #3: Apples
Turns out, apples are not only good at keeping the doctor away, they can also give your workout a boost.
Apples contain quercetin, an antioxidant that makes oxygen more available to the lungs, aiding endurance.
Health Tip: Its high fiber content makes it a filling snack, minimizing post-workout hunger and reducing the risk of caving in to junk food cravings.
Best Fruits for Gym Junkies #4: Cherries
Tart cherries – the ones with that unique sweet-sour flavor – have been observed to improve fitness performance and recovery, due to their concentration of anthocyanins, which combats inflammation and muscle soreness.
This low-calorie fruit is also rich in potassium and vitamin C.
Health Tip: A great method of consumption is to process them into juice concentrate and have them before, during, or after your workout.
Best Fruits for Gym Junkies #5: Kiwis
Vitamin C is not just for when you’re catching a cold, it plays an important role in the formation of collagen, which is used for the growth and repair of body tissues.
Interestingly, kiwis pack a higher vitamin C content than oranges.
One serving of kiwi delivers over 130mg of vitamin C, compared to the 69mg of a medium sized orange.
Best Fruits for Gym Junkies #6: Avocados
Avocados are rich in healthy monounsaturated fat – the ‘good’ fat – which is essential in maintaining a healthy heart.
Regular consumption of healthy fats have also been shown to promote growth hormone production.
Avocados can also be a good substitute to bananas due to its high concentration of potassium and other electrolytes.
Health Tip: Best taken in smoothie form, blended with a banana, two table spoons of yogurt and milk!
Best Fruits for Gym Junkies #7: Watermelons
Who doesn’t enjoy a juicy and refreshing slice of watermelon?
Watermelon’s electrolyte-rich, high water content replenishes fluid loss after a workout.
Due to its citrulline content, consistent consumption of watermelon increases the levels of the L-arginine amino acid, which improves joint function and blood vessel health.
Best Fruits for Gym Junkies #8: Grapes
Apart from providing vitamin C, grapes are also a good source of vitamin K and vitamin B, which are important in strengthening bones and metabolism respectively.
Health Tip: If possible, opt for red grapes over its green variant, as the skins of red grapes has higher concentrations of flavonoids such as quercetin (also found in apples) and resveratrol.
Resveratrol have been linked to lower risk for heart diseases, high cholesterol, as well as blood clots.
Best Fruits for Gym Junkies #9: Lemons
No, don’t worry. You don’t have to bite into a lemon and suffer its sour contents.
Health Tip: Incorporating lemon into your diet is as easy as starting your day with a glass of warm lemon water or adding a couple of wedges into your water bottle.
Apart from its vitamin C content, lemons contain citric acid, which can assist in kidney stone prevention by increasing urine volume.
Best Fruits for Gym Junkies #10: Grapefruits
Low in calories and high in antioxidants, grapefruits are ideal for those who are looking to shed some body fat.
Its high fiber content not only keeps you satiated, but also improves nutrient absorption.
However, do note that grapefruits may react adversely with certain medications. If you’re on medications, check with your doctor before incorporating grapefruits into your daily diet.
The importance of getting your FRUITS FRESH!
Source: Pixabay
If you’re already diligently hitting the gym, why not leverage on the benefits of fruits to up your fitness game?
Remember, consuming fruit juices and canned fruits from your local supermarket is not the same as having fresh fruits.
Often times, the difficult part for gym junkies is not consuming more fruits, but to have a steady supply of fruits on hand due to its perishable nature.
Understandably, not everyone has the luxury of time to pick up groceries every week.
But you’re in luck! We have the perfect solution!
The Fruity Bag is a customizable fruit subscription service for the Klang Valley that will be launching in August 2018, aiming to make fruit shopping as easy as accessing music on Spotify, or watching movies on Netflix.
Once a week, the service delivers a weekly supply of fruits of your choice straight to your doorstep. Subscribers can pick from a large variety of fruits and customize every delivery online.
Currently, prelaunch email followers will receive a RM10 The Fruity Bag gift card and stand a chance to win a one-year subscription, completely free. For more information, visit The Fruity Bag. Feel free to stalk their socil media too at the links below. Hope you’re super excited about their launch as we are!
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We hope you benefit greatly from this article of Top 10 Best Fruits for Gym Junkies. If you want ideas on healthy and convenient breakfast recipes you can get or make in KL, here are some 🙂
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Welcome to this journey to better health!
