Very Cherry Recovery Smoothie

If you’re a runner, a triathlete, a cross-fitter or just a gym-goer, you know there’s no shortage of new supplements and other products that claim to promote faster recovery.
Most of us have learned to ignore them, we just don’t believe it.
Speed of recovery is subjective and hard to measure. On top of that, the evidence is often pretty weak and even when it’s there, I tend to be skeptical.
Plus, supplements have weird/funny names. Few have catchy ones, but some are…well questionable at best.
Have you ever heard of “Green Bulge”? It’s a supplement for enhancing strength and performance. I’m dead serious, it exists.
Now, don’t get me wrong, it could very well be a good product, but the first time I saw it, I thought it was an arousal supplement for the Hulk.
What about those Boost-Punch-Burn-KaBoom-XXXL supplements? If we were to judge a book by its cover/name, I would say that those are the kind of product with side effects that would include growing a few limbs, glowing skin or turning you into a mutant.
Supplements are expensive too. 50 bucks for a tub of chemical stuff? No thanks.



But cherries are different, they’re the real deal.
For starters they’re 100% natural.
There’s a growing body of evidence saying that they actually promote recovery, and the fact that the craze in the fitness world stuck around a while – since at least 2009 – also bodes well.
What’s most intriguing to me about cherries is that there’s much more to them than recovery properties.
Studies have shown that cherries reduce inflammation thanks to compounds called anthocyanins.
This makes them extremely well-suited for endurance athletes, where pain more than anything else eventually becomes the limiting factor.
In a nutshell “Active people of the world: EAT.MORE.CHERRIES!”

Moving onto this very cherry recovery smoothie I concocted.
It helps muscles bounce back after a grueling workout or an intense training session thanks to the cherries and the protein powder. It also replenishes the body of lost fluids and minerals.It tastes delicious too. Sweet, dark cherries compliment the orange juice and almond milk. A touch of sweetness from the honey. I love how the flavors balance each other.
Talking about a super smoothie.

Very Cherry Recovery Smoothie                                                                     Print this recipe! 
Ingredients Serves 2 

1 cup / 250 ml milk of your choice (I used almond milk)
¼ cup / 60 ml fresh orange juice
1 cup / 4.7 oz / 135 gr frozen sweet cherries
1 tablespoon raw organic honey (or maple syrup)
2 scoops protein powder (I used Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Natural)
Crushed ice to taste

Directions 

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
Serve immediately!

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 114 calories, 2 grams of fat, 29 grams of carbs and 23 grams of protein.