WHAT YOU SHOULD REALLY EAT AFTER GOING TO A FESTIVAL, ACCORDING TO A NUTRITIONIST
Festival season is well and truly upon us, with a whopping 210,000 people spending the weekend partying at Glastonbury, dancing their hearts out to Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and SZA.
But while there, festival-goers probably didn’t take the best care of themselves — drinking a little too much, eating junk food, and not keeping hydrated while out in the sunshine.
This coupled with several bad nights of sleep while camping means many people might not be feeling their best right now.
If this sounds like you, then you’ll want to keep on reading, as a nutritionist has revealed exactly what you should do and eat after your five-day non-stop party, in order to help your body recover.
Kerry Beeson, a qualified nutritional therapist at Prep Kitchen, explained to Metro.co.uk the toll attending a festival can take on the body.
She said: ‘You might come home feeling rubbish after a camping festival due to disruption to your diet. High fat foods take a long time to digest and this can make us feel sluggish. Sugary foods can cause blood sugar peaks and troughs — these dips can make us feel weak and fatigued. Alcohol can make us dehydrated and place a strain on our liver.
‘Your festival diet is likely to be nutrient-poor and give little back to the body. So it’s important to get your diet back on track with plenty of nutrient-rich foods once you’re home.
‘Focus on replenishing the diet with nutrient-rich foods, rehydrating, balancing your blood sugar and supporting gut health.’
In order to do this, Kerry recommends boosting your intake of fibre, healthy protein, and healthy fats with every meal or snack you eat.
For fibre, you’ll want to opt for nuts, whole fruits, and wholegrains, while proteins will include eggs, tofu, beans, lean meats or fish. Olive oil and avocado will also work well.
The expert claims swapping out your complex carbohydrates is another good way to aid recovery. So step away from the white bread, white rice, and pasta, and instead grab some oats, brown rice, whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, beans, or lentils.
‘These will help to balance your blood sugar as it’ll delay carbohydrate metabolism and prevent blood sugar fluctuations,’ Kerry explains.
Other nutrient-dense foods you’ll want to ensure you’re eating enough of include fruits and vegetables, in particular, dark fruits such as red grapes, cherries, and berries and veggies like broccoli, kale, peppers, and mushrooms, as well as spices such as turmeric.
Green tea, coffee, and dark chocolate also have a high antioxidant content.
A rather surprising tip for speeding up recovery:
Lily Keeling, Green Chef’s Registered Nutritionist has a rather rogue suggestion for speeding up recovery after attending a festival, and it certainly won’t be for everyone.
She tells Metro.co.uk that pickle juice can be incredibly beneficial.
‘I’d recommend keeping a jar of pickle juice ready for when you get home. While it might not be to everyone’s taste, there’s some merit in this salty sidekick for those looking to speed up recovery.
‘It can help restore hydration as it has a mixture of sodium and potassium, helping to replace electroyltes lost.
‘This salty beverage also has antioxidants including Vitamin C and E, which are great for your overall health and immune system.’
She added: ‘Some people have also sworn by pickle juice as a hangover cure.’
‘These foods offer a wide variety of health benefits, being nutrient-rich and full of immune-boosting vitamins and minerals, natural fibre, healthy fats, and detoxifying antioxidants,’ Kerry adds.
But while green tea might be beneficial, celebrity personal trainer and nutritionist, Scott Harrison, warns not to drink too much black tea, or other caffeinated beverages.
And of course, you’ll definitely want to steer clear of any more alcohol for a little while.
‘These can further dehydrate you and disrupt your sleep patterns. On that note ensure you get plenty of sleep to help your body recover,’ Scott adds.
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2024-07-01T06:35:35Z dg43tfdfdgfd