Stick With Your Healthy Yoga Diet, Try These Great After-Yoga Snacks
Yoga practitioners need to pay attention to their diet to stay healthy and fit. Depending on the type of yoga exercised, the choice of snacks varies. While Iyengar requires less activity, more flowing types, such as Ashtanga or Bikram, demand quick replenishment. Therefore, taking adequate nutrition post an hour of yoga practice is essential. Drinking water and staying hydrated isn’t a suggestion, but a necessity. Here are some delicious and nutritious snacks to satisfy post-workout hunger pangs, irrespective of your yoga practice.
5. Avocado Whole Grain Sandwich
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For health-conscious yogis, an avocado sandwich is a satisfying, nutritious and well-balanced meal. It’s a perfect choice since its healthy fats, alkaline veggies, and whole grains aid in muscle and joint recovery. Avocado is also rich in fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin B, potassium and magnesium, all of which help to re-energize and restore muscles. This meal facilitates detox as well, as it exits the stomach within 3 hours, unlike a chicken or beef sandwich which could linger for up to 8 hours. Savor it without feeling weighed down; feel satisfied.
4. Green Smoothie
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Green smoothies are one of the great after yoga snacks as they provide a quick delivery of nutrients to the muscle cells and are easy to digest. The leafy green vegetables provide iron which aids in energy production. They also contain magnesium which helps with muscle recovery. Carbs should be included in the smoothie to replenish the muscle’s glycogen stores that become depleted. It’s also important to make sure that the liquid base to your green smoothie does not include added sugar to stay within healthy yoga diet standards.
You need a liquid base: unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, coconut water, or water
Fruit: bananas, berries, oranges, grapefruits
Green and leafy: spinach, kale, romaine, beet greens
Protein (optional): beans, almond butter, greek yogurt
Healthy fat (optional): avocado, cashews, coconut oil
Superfood (optional): chia, flaxseeds, goji berries, acai
A delicious green smoothie recipe (via nutritionstripped.com):
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup of coconut water (or double the water)
- 1 large bunch (5 heaping handfuls) of organic lacinato kale/regular kale
- 5-7 large stalks of organic celery, chopped
- 1 large head of organic romaine
- 1 organic apple, cored and chopped
- 1-2 bananas, chopped
- 1/2 cup organic cucumber, chopped
- 1/2 cup of cilantro
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup of parsley
- 4 brazil nuts
For a simple green smoothie: Simply blend 1/2 a banana, a handful or more of a berry or fruit of choice, a handful or more of greens of choice (I particularly enjoy spinach, kale and lettuce), some almond milk and stevia to sweeten. This makes for an excellent cleansing smoothie that is easy to digest, tasty, and hearty. Add superfoods of your choice for added nutrition and a plant-based protein powder for those with additional protein requirements.
3. Fruit
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Fruit are an excellent addition to one’s diet in general, and if consumed on an empty stomach after exercise, including yoga, they are particularly cleansing and nutrifying. I would suggest fruit as after yoga snacks or if you are on a detox program or simply trying to cleanse a bit. Fruit are filled with healthy, easily digestible carbohydrates and enzymes that help to break down nutrients and deliver them to tired muscles. Experiment with fruits! Try berries, bananas, apples, oranges, passionfruit, pineapple, papaya, grapefruit, cherries, or whatever is in season in your region!
Pineapple: contains bromelain, a natural anti-inflammatory to help muscles recover
Bananas: natural sources of energy to help re-energise the body
Oranges: loaded with Vitamin C, antioxidants and micronutrients that replenish lost energy and nutrients
Watermelon: mostly made up of water to help with dehydration
2. Coconut Water
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Imagine quenching your thirst with a refreshing drink that’s also packed with electrolytes – enter coconut water! It’s the perfect post-yoga pick-me-up, especially after an intense Ashtanga or Bikram session.
For yoga enthusiasts, fresh coconut water should be a dietary staple. Slice open a young Thai coconut and enjoy the hydrating benefits. And don’t forget – the meat can be used in a variety of recipes like smoothies, raw pudding, and raw cheesecake!
If you’re short on time, opt for a pre-packaged option, just ensure it’s not made from concentrate. Add some tropical vibes to your yoga routine with this delicious and nourishing beverage.
1. Fresh, Raw Juice
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Post-yoga, reward yourself with a fresh, tasty juice, packed with liquid energy that nourishes the body! After bending and stretching, the muscles are primed and ready to soak up all the good stuff.
So why not blend up some juicy goodness, rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytonutrients, and plant water for a healthy, oh-so-yummy treat?! Don’t feel like juicing? No worries! Local juiceries can deliver straight to your doorstep.
Ready, set, add this recipe to your list of healthy post-yoga diets! Your body will thank you! 🧘♀️🍹
For raw fruit and veg juice, try this blueberry-pomegranate (via active.com)
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 1/2 cups red grapes
- 3 stalk celery
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
Keeping a yoga practice consistent and active is optimal of course, and we do need to work with our body’s changing needs. These after yoga snacks will be perfect after your yoga session. Bringing together yoga and healthy eating could really make a difference in your overall health. If you are not very hungry even after an intense practice, go with the juice, coconut water or fruit. If you’re ravenous after a slow and easy class, then have an avocado sandwich or even have a look at our other post-workout meals. These are all detox-friendly with varying degrees of heartiness, so feel free to choose the one that feels best to you.
