MUST READ;THE 5 FOODS YOU SHOULD EAT AFTER EVERY EXERCISE.

The right nutrition after exercise helps prepare your body for the next bout of activity.

Strenuous physical activity drains your body of important nutrients and energy. Adequate nutrition enhances recovery from exercise and helps prepare you for the next bout of activity. Eat the right things after exercise to replace nutrients lost through sweat and exertion and to ensure optimal health and physical performance.

Bananas

Consume carbohydrate-rich foods, such as bananas, at least 30 minutes after a workout to replace your muscle stores, suggest the authors of a 2009 article published in the “Journal of the American Dietetic Association.” Bananas are an excellent source of carbohydrate and provide electrolytes, such as potassium, that may be lost through sweat. A medium banana contains 27 grams of carbohydrate and 422 milligrams of potassium. Between 45 and 65 percent of your total daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrate, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Yogurt

Include protein-containing yogurt in your post-exercise snack to help build and repair muscle tissue. An 8-ounce serving of strained, or Greek, yogurt provides 12 grams of protein in addition to 16 grams of carbohydrate and 530 milligrams potassium. The recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, but some endurance and strength athletes may require more, suggests the 2009 JADA article.

Pretzels

Salty snacks, such as pretzels, help replace some of the sodium lost in sweat during exercise and are a good source of carbohydrate. Eat sodium-containing foods after activity to stimulate thirst and help retain the fluid you drink, advises the American College of Sports Medicine. Use sports drinks to replace fluid and sodium losses more quickly.

Nut Butter

Consume 20 to 35 percent of total daily calories from fat, advises the USDA. Nut butters, such as peanut butter, are an excellent source of unsaturated fat and the antioxidant, vitamin E. Spread peanut butter on crackers, apples or celery to obtain important post-exercise nutrients, such as fat, sodium, vitamin E and magnesium.

Spinach

Spinach is a good source of potassium, vitamin C and iron. Iron is important for energy production and oxygenation of your blood and is commonly deficient among athletes, state the authors of the 2009 JADA article. Shoot for 18 milligrams of iron daily if you are an adult female and 8 milligrams a day if you are male, says the USDA. Two cups of raw spinach provide almost 2 milligrams of iron. Add an additional source of vitamin C, such as tomatoes, to improve the absorption of iron from non-meat sources, recommends the Office of Dietary Supplements.