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Vegan or plant-based foods are extremely rich in nutrients. What’s so great about them is that they are low in calories as compared to animal foods. If you’re a vegan fitness freak and like to work out regularly, you must have searched for some good vegan or plant-based foods to serve as a perfect pre-workout partner and the long list of such foods can at times be overwhelming.
It’s simple, infact. Pick up those food groups that can get the right amount of fuel to perk-up your performance at the gym. This article brings to your attention a list of scientifically proven vegan/ plant-based pre-workout foods that can help boost your endurance and enhance your performance. And the bonus is that they taste great!
The best way to enhance your performance is to eat a high-carb meal 1-4 hours prior to your workout. Carbohydrates serve as the source of energy. These are metabolized while you’re involved in rigorous workouts. They fuel you with energy to perform well, where your fast-twitching muscle fibers are build upon. Glycemic Index (GI) is the ranking of carbs in association with the impact they have on the blood sugar levels. Carbs with low-GI are superior to the ones with a high GI when consumed before endurance exercises. Low-Gi carbs help in keeping your blood sugar levels stable while high-GI carbs can cause a sudden spike or drop which can lower the energy levels.
Here are some of the low-GI foods that you can consume:
Beetroot and beetroot powder have recently been recognized as a potent sports nutrition supplements that can work as performance enhancer when it comes to exercising. Beetroot is rich in nitrates, which helps in boosting blood flow to the muscles and thus enhances efficiency during workouts. You can use beetroot powder or beetroot juice as your pre-workout aid by mixing them to your pre-workout drink. Consume it an hour before exercising
Caffeine is popular for being a perfect pre-workout aid. It not only fuels you with energy but also helps in enhancing your focus and mental alertness. It helps in enhancing your exercise performance by enhancing the use of fatty acids and restricting the breakdown of glycogen. Caffeine helps in boosting your metabolism and also aids in weight loss.
Following plant-based drinks and supplements can enrich you with the required dose of caffeine you need to experience the jolt of energy before working out:
You can consume caffeine 20-30 minutes before your workout.
Protein when consumed pre or post-workout, helps in boosting muscle growth and muscle repair and recovery. If you have enough sources to get your carbs from, switch to some fantastic plant-based protein sources that are low in carbs. This will enhance your protein intake without adding extra carbs. Mentioned below are some excellent plant protein sources that have a low-carb profile:
Starch is derived from foods like maize and barley that are rich in carbs. Modified starches are a bit different as they are obtained by chemically altering the starch to reduce their digestion rate. Modified starches like Waxy Maize starch help in improving the body’s ability to utilize fats in place of glucose for energy and also reserving carb stores. This enhances endurance in individuals.
Many researchers believe that if you consume fatty foods before your workouts, it won’t help you much. While the amount of fats in your blood will go up, your body is still going to use carbs as fuel and you won’t be able to improve our performance. So, choose your pre-workout plant food carefully. You can also try plant-based protein powder to boost recovery post-workout. If you wish to have the purest and tastiest plant protein powder, try us.
