7 best recovery foods for endurance athletes
The best recovery foods for endurance athletes do two jobs: refill glycogen and give you the protein to repair what you've just broken. Anything else is a bonus.
These 7 are ranked by how much evidence sits behind them and how easy they are to eat after a hard session, when appetite is usually the problem. Doses are included where the research supports one.
1. White rice or potatoes
Boring, and top of the list for good reason. Refilling glycogen is the biggest recovery factor after long or repeated sessions, and high-glycaemic starches do it fastest.
Aim for roughly 1.0-1.2g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight in the first hours after a hard session if you're training again within 24 hours (Thomas, Erdman & Burke, ACSM/AND/DC joint position stand, 2016). For a 70kg athlete that's around 75g, or about 300g of cooked rice.
If your next session is 48 hours away, you've got far more slack. Normal meals will get you there.
2. Greek yoghurt
About 20g of protein per 200g serving, roughly half of it casein, which digests slowly. That makes it useful straight after training and before bed.
Muscle protein synthesis peaks with per-meal doses of 0.3-0.4g/kg, so 20-30g for most athletes. A large pot of Greek yoghurt lands neatly in that range, and you can leave the shaker in the cupboard.
3. Eggs
Eggs are a complete protein with plenty of leucine, and whole eggs beat egg whites for post-exercise muscle protein synthesis even when the protein is matched (van Vliet et al., Am J Clin Nutr 2017). Eat the yolk.
Three eggs give you about 18g of protein. Add toast and you've covered carbs and protein on one plate in under 10 minutes.
4. Tart cherry juice
It's one of the few recovery supplements with good support. Montmorency cherry concentrate reduces markers of muscle damage and speeds up strength recovery after hard exercise (Howatson et al., Scand J Med Sci Sports 2010).
The usual protocol is 30ml of concentrate twice a day, starting 4-5 days before a hard event and carrying on for 2-3 days after. Keep it for races and heavy training weeks.
One caveat: the antioxidant load may blunt some training adaptations if you take it all the way through a build. Save it for times when recovering fast matters more than adapting.
5. Oily fish
Salmon, mackerel, sardines. The omega-3s support your body's inflammatory response to training, and two portions a week is the standard public health advice that most athletes ignore.
A 150g salmon fillet gives you around 30g of protein plus 2-3g of combined EPA and DHA. If you don't eat fish, this is one of the few places where a supplement is a sensible stand-in.
6. Milk (including chocolate milk)
The chocolate version has roughly a 4:1 carb to protein ratio, plus fluid and electrolytes in one bottle. Studies comparing it with purpose-built recovery drinks generally find it holds its own (Karp et al., Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2006).
500ml gives you around 17g of protein and 50g of carbohydrate. It's cheap, sold everywhere and easy to get down when solid food feels impossible after a race.
7. Bananas with salt
An odd-looking pairing that solves a real problem. Each banana gives you fast carbohydrate and around 400mg of potassium. The salt covers sodium, which is the electrolyte you lose in real quantities through sweat.
Sweat sodium losses range from roughly 200-2000mg per litre depending on the person, so there's no single right dose. If you finish long sessions with a headache or salt showing on your kit, you're probably under-replacing.
For sessions where you'd rather measure it, our Electrolyte+ has 1500mg of electrolytes per stick, with 500mg lion's mane and 500mg maca, at £19.99 for 20 sticks. The full label is on the product page.
What didn't make the list
BCAAs, if you already eat enough total protein. Ice baths, which have a growing body of evidence showing they blunt adaptation. And most branded recovery powders, which are usually milk and maltodextrin with a markup.
For supplements, our guide to recovery supplements for Hyrox athletes covers what's worth the money.
FAQ
How soon after training should I eat?
Within about two hours is fine for most athletes. The tight 30-minute window mostly applies if you trained fasted or you're training again the same day. Your total daily intake matters more than the clock.
How much carbohydrate do I actually need after a session?
Around 1.0-1.2g/kg of body weight in the first hours if you're training again within 24 hours. There's less urgency if your next session is two days away.
Is chocolate milk really as good as a recovery shake?
For most athletes, yes. It has a sensible carb to protein ratio, replaces fluid and costs a fraction of the price. Purpose-built products mainly win on convenience and precise dosing.
Should I take tart cherry juice every day?
Probably not. Use it in the 4-5 days around races or heavy blocks. Taking high-dose antioxidants all the time may reduce some training adaptations.
Do I need protein and carbohydrate in the same meal?
It's convenient, and optional. Eating them together helps glycogen refill slightly when your carb intake is on the low side, but if you're hitting your carb target, you can time protein separately.
What if I can't eat after a hard race?
Drink your calories. Milk, a smoothie or a recovery drink will do the job while your appetite comes back. Something you'll actually drink beats a perfect meal you leave on the plate.