Athletes sweat a lot more than normal people. Training is part of the daily routine and hydration becomes an important part of performance to keep the body at optimum levels of health. The better hydrated an athlete is, the better their performance will be.
Juicing has gained substantial popularity in recent years and athletes are too waking up to the power of juices to help them stay active and keep their metabolism in balance. The nutrients we consume play a significant role in health. What’s more interesting is the fact that these nutrients are actually responsible for the added advantage that many athletes see by way of performance.
Certain nutrients in the diet help keep energy levels up, allowing you to train for a longer period of time. They help build stamina and endurance. Some nutrients are actually linked to the increased strength of bones and muscles, while other nutrients help with aiding and improving recovery time. These nutrients are integral elements that actually help athletes boost their performance. Even if it is by a second or two, runners and cyclists would tell you, that actually helps a lot.
Many athletes have seen tremendous results from incorporating juices into their training regimen. They have noticed improved performance and better recovery, coupled with increased stamina and strength.
When it comes to juicing fruits, some fruits are simply better for athletes as they help boost performance. At the end of the day, athletes would be looking to consume the best of the best and go with what has been proven to boost performance.
Here is our list of the 15 best juices for athletes; all with various properties that help them boost performance levels.
1. Apple Juice
Apple juice contains some essential nutrients that help boost performance levels. It contains a wholesome amount of vitamin C which helps improve immune function.
There is plenty of soluble fibre in apple juice which helps regulate cholesterol levels. This helps improve cardiovascular function, enabling better delivery of oxygen throughout the body.
The nutrients in apple juice help to control blood sugar levels, which minimise drops in energy caused by blood sugar crashes. It also contains quercetin which has anti-allergy properties and is an antihistamine.
Apple juice is a great means to attain a good level of hydration both pre and post-training. It works to keep you fresh and energised and helps you maintain a good amount of energy during training.
2. Watermelon Juice
Watermelon is loaded with nutrients and has a high water content which makes it perfect for hydration. It also contains healthy natural sugars which help control blood sugar levels. Drinking watermelon before training will work to better regular blood sugar levels in the body, thereby preventing fatigue caused by blood sugar crashes.
The juice allows you to train for a longer period of time without getting tired. It contains some essential nutrients such as vitamins C, A, B1, B5 and B6. Vitamin A plays a significant role in the health of vision. This can be integral to the performance of many athletes such as basketball players.
The vitamins in watermelon juice also work to fight free radicals in the body which cause oxidative stress. They work to reduce the inflammation caused by exercise and even works to improve bone health.
Watermelon helps to cleanse the kidney, which leads to the ability to gain lean muscle mass. This is because better functioning kidneys enables you to minimise nutrients lost through urine.
All in all, watermelon works great as a post-training drink, to enable rehydration and reduce inflammation caused by exercise.
3. Orange Juice
Orange juice is exceptionally rich in vitamin C. Apart from aiding and supporting the immune system, vitamin C also plays an important role in the slowing down of cell damage in the body. This cell damage is often caused by inflammation caused during training.
Hence vitamin C, as found plentiful in orange juice works well as a sports recovery drink and even helps better recovery from injury.
Oranges also contain folate and potassium. Folate works to repair tissues and plays a significant role in red blood cell production. This means it is responsible for increasing and maintaining healthy amounts of red blood cells in the body. The more red blood cells you have, the more effective oxygen delivery will take place in your body.
Potassium is an important part of maintaining energy levels. It works to keep fatigue at bay and prevents you from getting tired too easily. It is a great way to build stamina and endurance, which at the end of the day will help you boost performance.
4. Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranate is rich in nitrates which helps with the circulation of blood in the body. Nitrates help improve muscle efficiency by improving oxygen delivery to muscles. This helps improve endurance and stamina. They also help enhance skeletal muscle contractile function, which helps improve muscle power.
Pomegranates are a reliable source of vitamin C, K and potassium. Vitamin K is best known as the nutrient that helps improve the health of the heart. It works to lower the risk of cancer and helps to improve bone density. The improved bone density means you will have stronger bones, which is very important for athletes looking to prevent injury.
The vitamins and minerals in pomegranate juice work to improve fitness and are responsible for improving various elements of wellness in the body.
5. Cranberry Juice
Cranberries contain flavonoids and antioxidants that work to improve cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular health is very important for athletes. The better cardiovascular health you have, the more effective oxygen delivery will take place. This enables muscles to work at an optimum level not to mention improving stamina.
Cranberry juice works to reduce cholesterol levels in the body, which resultantly lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow. The improved blood flow leads to more effective muscle function thus boosting performance.
Cranberry juice contains wholesome amounts of vitamin C, E, K1 and B6. It also provides 15% of the daily recommended value of copper. Copper is important for physical activity. It plays a part in energy metabolism which allows you to maintain healthy levels of energy throughout your training session.
Cranberry juice works great as a post-training drink, however, works equally well when consumed pre-training.
6. Grape Juice
Grape juice is rich in vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. This makes it especially great for those looking to build muscle and increase strength.
It is low in calories and provides the body with a healthy dose of sugar which enables the better regulation of blood sugar levels in the body. Grape juice also works to reduce cholesterol, which helps improve blood flow and oxygen delivery and is high in fibre.
Magnesium found in grape juice works to promote calcium absorption, which is important for the health of your bones. It also helps maintain heart rhythm which is better known as cardiac excitability. It controls blood pressure and improves immune function. All these elements are tied to performance. Magnesium helps improve cardiorespiratory function, which directly enables better oxygen delivery, thereby improving performance.
7. Tart Cherry Juice
Tart cherries are a healthy whole fruit that is high in antioxidants, beta carotene, fibre and potassium. They are also a good source of calcium, iron, manganese, folic acid and vitamins A, C, B6 and E.
Tart cherries are a nutrient-dense fruit, which means the nutrients in tart cherries help boost the function of more than one system in the body. Folic acid for instance enables the metabolising of proteins, while iron is responsible for the production of red blood cells which enables better oxygen delivery.
The vitamins in tart cherries work to help with recovery. They reduce the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage and enables speedy recovery from exercise. It works really well for recovery after a strenuous training session and most certainly should be included in your training arsenal.
8. Mango Juice
Mango juice is one of the healthiest juices available. It contains balanced calories, proteins and carbohydrates.
Mangoes are loaded with vitamins and minerals. The nutrient profile of mangoes includes calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, selenium and sodium. It also includes vitamins A, C, B, E and K.
This nutrient-dense fruit brings with it various benefits including improved cardiovascular health and improved respiratory function. The vitamins in mangoes help improve oxygen delivery in the body, thereby directly improving performance.
Selenium for instance, like that found in mangoes, work to prevent muscle exhaustion. This helps build endurance and allows you to train for a longer period of time without getting tired. Selenium is also known to support and aid immune function.
Mango juice is extremely nutrient-dense and works really well both as a pre-training boost and a post-training recovery drink.
9. Pineapple Juice
Pineapple juice contains healthy sugars which enable the better regulation of blood sugar levels in the body. This prevents fatigue caused by sugar crashes and enables you to train for a longer period of time without getting tired.
Pineapples are rich in manganese and copper and are an excellent source of fibre. Manganese enables your body to use vitamins that you absorb, including vitamin C and E. This enables a host of benefits including better energy production and improved regulation of brain activity.
Pineapples are refreshing and incredibly nutritious. They works to better regulate blood pressure and are loaded with vitamin C.
10. Blueberry Juice
Blueberries are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and calcium. These valuable nutrients work wonders at improving your health and can be a great addition to the lifestyle of an athlete to maintain optimum performance.
Potassium is lost through sweat, hence it is important to ensure that you have a reliable source of potassium to maintain healthy levels. Potassium is responsible for regulating total body water. It is also responsible for stabilising controlled and automatic muscle contractions. Hence, potassium works to ward off fatigue and enables you to maintain healthy energy levels during training.
The nutrients in blueberries will work to propel you further, allowing you to build endurance and stamina through training and will support your physical activity for optimum results.
11. Kiwi Juice
Kiwi is known to be one of the best fat burning natural sources available. This is great for athletes who are looking to build a lean physique and burn fat.
They contain a wholesome amount of vitamin C which helps boost immune function. Vitamin C is also a potent antioxidant that helps remove fat from your body. It is required for the proper oxidation of fatty acids which makes it easier for you to burn off fat.
When it comes to performance, burning fat is just as important as maintaining energy levels and muscle recovery. Kiwi juice provides a great combination of all three elements and allows you to attain peak performance when incorporated during training.
12. Banana Juice
Bananas are super dense in carbohydrates which help restock muscle glycogen levels. This enables the better function of muscles and even aids with muscle recovery after training.
Banana juice works really well as both a pre-training and post-training drink. It contains helpful amounts of potassium, which enables the maintenance of better energy levels, preventing fatigue and tiredness during exercise.
Banana juice will help you train for a longer period of time and will work to build your stamina and endurance. This is why we see many long-distance runners and cyclists eating bananas during the event. The nutrients in banana juice also help with recovery after training and exercise.
13. Avocado Juice
Avocado is a delicious fruit that is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Many athletes and bodybuilders love avocados for their nutrient value and usually do incorporate them into their diet.
Avocados work amazingly well in juice form. It is high in dietary fibre which is known to enable better fat burning. Avocados are loaded with vitamins C, E, K and B6 and contains beneficial amounts of riboflavin, niacin, folate, magnesium and potassium.
Riboflavin is responsible for the production of energy and works in the effective metabolising of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. As a result of this avocado juice is an excellent source of energy and provides a boost of steady energy which will help you fight fatigue.
This fatigue-fighting fruit will help you keep your energy levels up and will help you take your performance levels to new heights.
14. Gooseberry Juice
Many health conscious people swear by gooseberry juice for the various health benefits it provides. It is a great way to burn unnecessary fat and will provide the means to better control your blood sugar levels.
Gooseberries contain vitamins C, B5, B6 and a good amount of fibre. The vitamins enable the promotion of cardiovascular health. B vitamins are especially important for athletes for they play a role in various metabolic processes including energy production, red blood cell formation and muscle repair. This makes gooseberry a valuable fruit for any athlete.
Making gooseberry juice isn’t difficult. Simply slice the gooseberry open and remove the seed and use a blender or juicer to process the gooseberries. Gooseberry juice can be an incredibly nutritious drink and can be a great addition to your training regimen.
15. Lemon Juice
Lemon is such a refreshing fruit. The juice is loaded with nutrients and works as a great thirst quencher.
Lemon juice is great for hydration and works really well post-training to attain the electrolytes and nutrients that you lost during exercise.
Lemon juice contains folate, potassium, flavonoids and limonins. These nutrients work to improve cardiovascular health and helps promote the recovery of muscles after training. This is why lemon juice works amazingly well as a post-training drink.
Lemon juice also contains wholesome amounts of vitamins C and B6 which help boost performance and health.
Which Fruit Juice is Best for Muscle-Building?
Banana juice is considered the best fruit to juice for muscle building. They play a significant role in fat burning and has helpful amounts of vitamin C which enables better muscle recovery.
It is the duration of time it takes for your muscles to recover that decides how fast you can grow muscles. The faster they can recover, the more you would be able to work out that muscle group, leading to better results.
Banana juice also contains wholesome amounts of potassium and helps restock muscle glycogen levels. This enables the more effective functioning of muscles allowing you to train harder and improve results.
Which Fruit Juice is Best for Stamina?
Watermelon is refreshing and is by far one of the most hydrating fruits. It is the levels of hydration that allows you to maximise stamina. They contain essential nutrients that help build endurance and enables you to train for a longer period of time without getting tired.
The potassium in watermelon enables the better maintenance of energy levels. While vitamins C and A help promote cardiovascular and respiratory health. When considering stamina, cardiovascular health is very important.
Magnesium in watermelon juice enables proper muscle function and blood pressure regulation. All these factors enable you to keep fatigue at bay, thereby increasing your stamina and endurance.
Which Fruit Juice is Best for Strength?
Pomegranate juice contains nitrates which help support muscle function. This is because the nitrates turn into nitric acid in the body which is a compound known to support the effective function of muscles. This helps you build strength and endurance.
Pomegranate juice also contains helpful amounts of potassium which enables better maintenance of energy levels. Not only will the juice provide more strength, but it will also help you maximise energy output enabling you to attain peak performance.
To Conclude
Fruit juices are exceptionally healthy and are loaded with nutrients. Some of these nutrients play significant roles in better managing health which resultantly allows athletes to improve performance.
Incorporating fruit juices into the training regimen could actually provide you with the competitive edge that you seek to beat your opponents. It could enable you to maximise stamina and strength and will even help aid recovery times, enabling you to train harder on a more frequent basis.
Fruit juices are a great way to stay hydrated and will provide you with the energy that you require to train hard and long. It will work to keep fatigue at bay and will help you build endurance, allowing you to outperform your opponents.
We hope after reading this word to word you have a better idea of what fruit juices to include in your diet for a performance boost. Each juice is unique and provides a varied set of results, hence find the juice which meets your specific needs and incorporate it into your training regimen. You may be surprised by the results you see.
Happy Training!
