The Most Important Meal for any Athlete at any Age Is the Post Recovery Protein Drink
Written by Dr Michael Lange on February 25, 2020
by Dr Michael Lange
Maximizing your gains from the grueling workout you just finished is everyone’s goal. Proper nutrition is as important as the actual workout and crucial for anyone wanting to get the most benefits from their workout. Whether you are a strength or endurance athlete or just trying to stay in shape, proper nutrition is extremely important. The most important meal to maximize your potential is within 30 minutes of working out. Timing is very important. The latest science is proving that more protein is not necessarily better. For maximum gains 20-30 grams of a “fast acting j” whey protein concentrate or isolate combined with a fast acting high glycemic index carbohydrate is the key. The ratio of protein to carbohydrates is also very important. Protein used alone will not deliver the optimal results following your workout, you musty have carbohydrates.
Current research recommends a 2-1 ratio and up to a 4-1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein. A simple rule to remember is you need about 1/2 your body weight in grams of high glycemic index carbohydrates combined with 20-30 grams of fast acting whey protein isolate or concentrate. I prefer using a non denatured whey protein concentrate or isolate from grass fed cows milk that is pasteurized to only 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds. This keeps the delicate amino acids and proteins intact and bio-available and destroys any potential harmful pathogens in the milk. Most Protein powders purchased today are from cows raised in feed lots fed hormones , antibiotics and GMO omega six grains. Most current protein powders purchased today are also higher in pro inflammatory omega six and lacking the crucial health benefits of omega 3 that comes from grass fed cows. Most of the cows milk utilized for protein powder has been denatured using high heat over 200 degrees for 30 minutes this denatures the protein and reduces the bio-availability.
There are many post recovery protein drinks on the market that you can purchase at your local vitamin store. The majority of these protein powders are filled with ingredients that are potentially harmful to your body. These typical protein powders are also filled with artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners like Sucralose or aspartame, synthetic dyes, soy lecithin and many synthetic nutrients. These recovery drinks are using genetically modified waxy maize. Dextrose or maltodextrin as their carbohydrate source. These are thought to be the industry gold standard especially when combined with other supplements like creatine and glutamine. However I find it difficult to recommend either of these high glycemic index carbohydrates do to the majority of them being made from non organically grown genetically modified sources. Food should be medicine so don’t put foods into your body that can pollute it and cause serious potential health problems later in life.
So what do you do? You must get a good protein powder that is from grass-fed New Zealand or American cows. These proteins should be non denatured. This means they have not been heated to the highest levels that destroys the bio availability of the protein. A non denatured whey protein is the best way to stimulate glutathione the master anti oxidant in the body. Non denatured whey proteins that contain the correct form of a valuable amino acid called cysteine is also a great way to stimulate the immune system and help to detoxify the body. My 2 favorite protein powders are Fortifeye Super Protein or Fortifeye Grass Fed Whey Isolate. These are a non denatured whey proteins from free range grass fed New Zealand and American cows. This protein is free of soy, gluten, wheat, corn, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and free of any artificial flavors.
This comes in a BPA free canister. you can order at Fortifeye Vitamins in Ocala Florida at 866-503-9746. www.fortifeye.com
I recommend mixing one scoop of this non denatured whey protein ( 20 grams of protein, 2 grams of carbohydrate) with 1
1/2 cups of organic chocolate milk (12 grams of protein, 39 grams of High Glycemic index carbohydrates)) and one wedge of watermelon ( 22 grams of High Glycemic index Carbohydrates) and 1 tbs of organic raw local honey ( 0 protein , 17 grams of carbs) honey is a medium-glycemic food for the ultimate post recovery protein drink. Since honey is a medium-glycemic food it is also great in a pre-workout drink. Organic grass fed chocolate milk has a ratio 3.5-1 of Carbohydrates to protein. Milk also has casein protein and whey protein in a ratio of 80/20 casein to whey. Whey and casein have different but complementary effects. Research shows these two proteins combined support lean muscle growth and increased strength. Whey protein is a fast acting protein and casein is a slow acting protein so they are perfect when used together in a post workout recovery drink. When picking the chocolate milk look for milk that comes from Jersey cows or Guernsey cows, these are cows that have not gone thru a genetic mutation altering their beta casein protein. These cows have A2 beta casein protein. The typical chocolate milk you buy at the grocery will come from A1 cows and therefore the type of beta casein protein may have a negative impact on your health . If you cant find chocolate milk from A2 cows then a better option is to use goat milk. Goat milk is all A2 milk and very easy to digest.
A high glycemic index carbohydrate is needed with in a half hour after working out to spike the insulin levels in your blood. After working out glycogen levels are depleted and need to be restored quickly to maximize the workout. When insulin levels are high it slows down the degradation in amino acids and keeps nitrogen levels at a positive level. The combination of whey protein and the right amounts of high glycemic carbohydrates will keep the nitrogen balance in the positive range. This is the goal for a good post recovery drink. I like using a wedge of watermelon blended in since this is a high glycemic index carbohydrate. One wedge of watermelon has 22 grams of the correct carbohydrate with no fat. Watermelon is also very high in L-citraline an amino acid crucial in post recovery. The ultimate post recovery protein drink would be a non denatured whey protein (Fortifeye Super Protein or Fortifeye Grass Fed Whey Isolate), blended quickly with 1 1/2 cups or organic chocolate milk (A2 Milk ) , one wedge of watermelon a tbs of organic raw honey. This will have about 32 grams of fast and slow acting protein and 80 grams of carbohydrates . This would be a perfect protein carbohydrate ratio for a 160 lb athlete. This can be modified based on size and intensity of the athlete. Two other nutrients that are very important for improving muscle recovery and endurance are the triglyceride form omega 3 fish oil and 6mg of astaxanthin. I have developed and researched two supplements that work great when combined with your recovery drink called Fortifeye Super Omega 3 Max and Fortifeye Focus. It is also a good idea to eat another small meal about one hour after post recovery drink to maximize the recuperation process.
In summary this is a post recovery drink that is based on all the latest science and will help to build lean muscle mass and strength. This recovery drink will also help to stimulate the immune system, detoxify the body and help you to live a longer healthier life.
Here’s to your health,
Dr Michael Lange
