When it comes to gaining muscle there is more to the process than simply getting enough high quality protein each day. Of course protein is the foundation but there are vitamins and antioxidants that play integral roles for helping to build muscle and speed up recovery time post exercise. So combining fruits and vegetables that are a great source of these essential vitamins with a protein powder supplement can be a great aid to building muscle. So lets take a look of some of these nutrients in more detail.

Vitamin A
It is surprising that vitamin A is not talked about more in its role in helping to build muscle, especially as there is scientific evidence behind it. A study found that vitamin A supplementation was actually effective at increasing testosterone levels naturally. Researchers separated teenage boys into two groups. One group were given actual testosterone supplements and the other group were given vitamin A supplements. Both groups were given the same workout routines and their progress was followed. Amazingly enough the group given the vitamin A supplements were only marginally behind the other group in terms of muscle gain and their testosterone levels also were only marginally lower than the group actually given testosterone.

Carrots, kale, spinach, goji berries, mango and papaya are all great sources of vitamin A that we can use in out post workout juicing recipes.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that greatly helps to offset the effects of inflammation as the result of an intense workout. The anti-inflammatory effects of this vitamin are so effective that some arthritis suffers take it in high doses to help manage their painful symptoms and reduce inflammation. There has been numerous studies to support the fact that vitamin C really does speed up the recovery of muscles post exercise. For this reason there are bodybuilders and athletes who swear by its helpful effects and include vitamin C as an integral part of their post workout nutrition strategy.

Kale, spinach, oranges, mangoes and papayas are all a great source of vitamin C that we can use for post workout juicing recipes.

So why juice rather than blend?
This is a good question and the answer is both methods are great but juicing has some distinct advantages. You will need to juice more fruits and vegetables to make a juice than it takes to make a smoothie. Juicing strips away the fiber and pours forth the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants into the juice, producing a dense concentration of nutrition. So you will need about 4-5 mangoes to make one juice that is more than you are likely to fit in a smoothie. Another advantage of the fiber being removed is that the nutrients in a juicer recipe are now in an easily digestible form, greatly increasing their bioavailability. You can then transfer the juice to a shaker and add in a protein powder such as whey protein powder to make a great muscle juice. Enjoy!

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