Post-Workout Shakes for Young Athletes
Working out is essential to live a healthy life. So, the sooner your children start doing exercise, the better. And, if we want to help them improve their physical performance, we should also provide them with healthy food before, during and after they exercise. Today, we’ll show you some healthy post-workout shakes for young athletes.
Essential nutrients in post-workout shakes
Before showing you the different shakes, we’d first like you to know which essential nutrients they should contain. This will relate to the energy expenditure during exercise.
The more they exercise, the more energy they’ll need. You’ll also have to take their perspiration level into account. This is because, when they sweat, there’s loss of fluids and electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium and magnesium. That’s why they’ll need to rehydrate after working out.
In addition, mineral, carbohydrates and proteins will reduce their fatigue, promoting good rest and maintaining their muscle mass. Furthermore, they’ll recover faster from injuries.
Other important nutrients are antioxidants, such as vitamin C, E and selenium. And, in the case of girls, it’s important to give them foods rich in iron, such as canned fish, mollusks, meat and legumes.
Homemade post-workout shakes
Chocolate, banana and peanut butter shake
Ingredients:
- 6.7 ounces of low-fat milk or soy milk
- 1 medium-sized banana
- One spoon of peanut butter
- One teaspoon of cocoa powder
Preparation:
First, peel the banana and cut it into slices. Then, place it in the mixing bowl. Finally, add the rest of the ingredients and mix them until they’re integrated.
Berries shake
Ingredients:
- 3.38 ounces of low-fat milk
- 1 natural yogurt (no sugar added)
- 3/4 cup of berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
- 1 spoon of chia seeds
Preparation:
First, wash the berries. Then, place all the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Next, mix all the ingredients until they’re integrated. Finally, you can add chia seeds on top of it.
Pineapple, nuts and cream cheese shake
Ingredients:
- 6.7 ounces of coconut water
- 1/3 cup of cream cheese
- 3/4 cup of pineapple
- Cinnamon
Preparation:
First, peel and cut the pineapple in slices. Next, add all the ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix them. Finally, you can sprinkle some cinnamon to the glass where you’ll serve the preparation.
In conclusion, we encourage you to give your children these post-workout shakes, in order to recover the different nutrients they lose while exercising, especially carbohydrates and proteins. What’s more, they’re easy to prepare, and you can take them everywhere in a bottle or thermo.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Alghannam AF, Gonzalez JT, Betts JA (2018). Restoration of Muscle Glycogen and Functional Capacity: Role of Post-Exercise Carbohydrate and Protein Co-Ingestion. Nutrients, 10 (2).
- Burke LM, Castell LM, Casa DJ, Close GL, Costa RJS, Desbrow B. (2019). International Association of Athletics Federations Consensus Statement 2019: Nutrition for Athletics. Int J Soc Sports Nutr, 29 (2): 73-84.
- Gavin M. L. Cómo alimentar a su joven deportista. Nemours Children’s Health. Enero 2021.
- Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, Stout JR, Campbell B, Wilborn CD et al (2017). International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 14:33.
- Sánchez Valverde F, Moráis L. A, et al. Recomendaciones nutricionales para el niño deportista. Anales de Pediatría. Agosto 2014. 81 (2): 125.e1- 125.e6.
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. J Acad Nutr Diet, 116 (3): 501-28.
