I’ve recently gotten into juicing again and I’ve been browsing the web for yummy juice recipes. I’ve also been doing some research about the real health benefits of juicing and the result was this “Ultimate Juicing Guide.”
During my research, I came across a couple of articles that discussed how spinach can help us build muscle strength. Now, I already knew that beetroot juice can improve endurance, but I hadn’t heard about other foods helping athletic performance.
The article got me intrigued and I dug a little deeper. It turns out there are lots of fruits and veggies that can help our bodies burn fat, increase muscle mass, and speed up muscle recovery!
So today, I give you five of my favorite juice recipes you could try for muscle gains, strength that athletes like you will love!
The Muscle Protector: Strawberry-Tart Cherry Juice
- 1 green apple
- About 1/2 cup of strawberries
- 2 cups tart cherries, pitted
- 2 sticks of celery
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled
- 1/2 lemon, peeled
Clean all fruits and vegetables and cut them to about 2 inches in size, large enough to fit through the chute of your juicer. Juice them up and serve immediately. This recipe makes one serving.
How it Works
Researchers say that drinking tart cherry juice helps prevent muscle damage caused by intense exercise. And in a recent study, cyclists who consumed concentrated Montmorency tart cherry juice before a three-day race experienced less oxidative stress and inflammation compared to others. So, this strawberry-cherry juice will help all athletes, bodybuilders going hard at the gym and cyclists spending hours on their mountain bikes. Drink this juice before your workout for maximum benefits.
The Muscle Repairer: Tomato-Basil Juice
- 2 large ripe tomatoes
- 1/2 handful of basilic
- 1 large handful of spinach
- 1/2 lemon, peeled
- 1/2 lime, peeled
Wash tomatoes and cut them into chunks. Peel lime and lemon and wash the greens. Toss everything in the juicer, stir the extract well, and consume fresh. Makes two serves.
How it Works
Tomato juice is the new sports drink! A 2013 study published in the scientific journal Food and Chemical Toxicology shows that drinking tomato juice after a workout helped athletes speed up muscle recovery and blood sugar stabilization. The compound responsible for this effect as well as many others is called lycopene, which is also found in fruits such as watermelon, grapefruit, and papaya. Spinach, on the other hand, is full of nitrates, which increases muscle strength.
The Cleanser: Apple-Watermelon Juice
- 1 1/2 cup of watermelon (about two 1/2-inch-thick slices)
- 1 apple
- 1/2 lemon, peeled
- 1/4-inch chunk ginger
Wash and cut the apple into smaller chunks. Remove the rind of the watermelon and slice it as well. Peel the lemon and ginger and add them to the juicer first. Then alternate apples and watermelon to push through as much of lemon and ginger juice as possible. Makes one cup.
How it Works
Watermelon is high in lycopene, an antioxidant responsible for protecting our body from toxic damage. It supports thyroid health and is great for cleansing your kidneys. If you cleanse your kidneys, they are much better at producing important hormones like testosterone, which affects both muscle growth as well as fat loss. Can be consumed both before and after workouts.
The Energizer: Swiss Chard-Spinach Juice
- 5-6 Swiss chard leaves
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- 1 bunch basil
- 1 green apple
- 2 stalks celery
- 1/2 fennel bulb
- 1 cucumber
Slice cucumber and celery into smaller pieces. Wash and peel the apple and cut up together with fennel. Wrap basil in chard leaves and feed it into your juicer first, then follow with hard fruits and vegetables. Makes two serves. Drink before your next workout.
How it Works
This juice is very high in magnesium, a mineral which is massively contributing to energy production. As you increase your activity levels, your need for this essential mineral also increases. Magnesium is needed for about 300 different biochemical reactions in the body, including steadying heart rhythm, maintaining healthy bones, and boosting the immune system. On top of that, spinach and chard contain nitrates which, studies show, help increase muscle concentration force and muscle strength. If you are the type to need a lot of energy in the morning, then check out these energizing smoothie recipes.
The Fat Burner: Apple-Grapefruit Juice
- 1 apple (pick a sweet apple like Royal Gala or Red Delicious)
- 1 large grapefruit, peeled
- 6-7 mint leaves
- 2 celery sticks
Wash all ingredients thoroughly, cut into small chunks, and process in a juicer. Enjoy fresh with a couple of ice cubes. Serves one.
How it Works
Grapefruit has long been known as a diet food and fat burner, which is why it’s one of the few allowed foods on most diets. Research has found that grapefruit lowers our body’s insulin levels, which prevents the body from storing carbs as fat. As a result, it also helps to curb appetite. This refreshing apple-grapefruit juice can be consumed throughout the day.
To Wrap it Up
These are just 5 juicing recipes for athletes you can use to improve your workouts as well as muscle gains. There are countless ways to mix and match these ingredients as well as many others to try.
If you don’t have a juicer yet, I advise you to check out our best juicer reviews.
While juicing can certainly give you a boost, don’t forget that proper nutrition is essential for achieving your fitness goals. Ensure you get enough protein, complex carbs, and good fats throughout the day, and you’ll see results soon enough.
