Cover Photo By Kike Vega

By Mia Johnson

Yoga is as much of a sport as it is a relaxing exercise. It’s a demanding discipline which leaves your body taxed. While relaxing your body and ridding you of excess stress, it also gives you quite a workout. Yoga enthusiasts often need a nutritional boost to go with their workout sessions. However, is there such a thing as “yoga food”?

The answer is yes. In fact, there are quite a few different groups of food you could classify as great for yoga. They all have their own benefits that help yogis prepare or recover from an intense workout. Some of them even do both at the same time. Here are some of the best yoga superfoods you can add to your diet.

1. Raw cacao

They say that chocolate is a bit healthier than other sweets. It’s almost every day that a new article comes out with some new benefits that chocolate provides. How is it that chocolate is such a miracle food while other sweets aren’t? Well, it’s certainly not the sugar or emollient content of the chocolate that does this. Instead, it’s all about the cocoa.

Cocoa is a great little plant which is surprisingly nutritious. Raw cocoa is known for having lots of antioxidants. If you've ever heard of antioxidants, you'll know that they'll usually be mentioned as being a very useful defence mechanism for our bodies. They help fight off various diseases and prevent mutations. Raw cocoa has more than enough of them in a tiny bit of cocoa, which makes it an ideal food for your body and immune system.

It doesn't stop with antioxidants, though. Cocoa also has tons of flavonoids in it. They help strengthen the heart and prevent cardiovascular diseases. It's part of the reason that eating some chocolate every day is good for you. This is why so many yoga and health enthusiasts adore eating raw cocoa. Some people opt to mix it with some milk products and create a tasty and chocolatey snack.

2. Quinoa mixes

It’s no secret that yogis love quinoa. It’s a wonderful seed that just about every yoga enthusiast has tried to cook at least once. Countless health and fitness blogs have talked about the health benefits of quinoa. However, what is it that makes this little seed so special and interesting?

Unlike most other vegetables, quinoa contains all nine of the essential amino acids. This makes it one of the more attractive nutritional options of people that prefer to avoid meat. Vegetarians and vegans adore quinoa and they often have to know a recipe or two to make use of this amazing seed. It’s practically unavoidable in the yoga world, as there is a lot of overlap between them.

Quinoa also contains lots of iron and B vitamins, which means it’s great for blood health and the health of many of our organs. What’s best about quinoa is there are lots of ways to eat it. You can use it as a substitute for cereal or oatmeal in the morning and it goes really well. It can also be used in place of rice in many meals. The seed has been used for quite a while, but it’s still being called the superfood of the future.

3. Various berries

Everyone likes eating berries from time to time. They tend to be expensive, but even a small number of berries can drastically improve your meal or smoothie. We all know that berries are a very healthy food, but is it that what makes them so healthy? There are more than a couple of answers.

For starters, these are fruits we’re talking about, so it’s no wonder that they’ll have tons of vitamins inside of them. Their bright colours also indicate that they are pretty high in antioxidants. This helps them fight off diseases, much like the way cacao does. The jury is still out on whether berries or cocoa are better at supplying the body with antioxidants, but berries have a few more things up their sleeves.

You can also find lots of fibre in these tiny berries. This healthy source of fibre is very good for your digestive system and it keeps you sated for longer. They might not be big, but they pack quite a punch in terms of fibre. Let’s not forget about their sugar content. They might have calories and sugar, but this sugar is stored in large chains, which means it’s not released all at once. You can eat a bunch of berries at once and they won’t affect you like a bunch of snacks would. If you have a few berries before exercising, you’ll have more than enough energy to do the whole routine. It’s the perfect energetic pick-me-up.

It doesn't stop with antioxidants, though. Cocoa also has tons of flavonoids in it. They help strengthen the heart and prevent cardiovascular diseases. It's part of the reason that eating some chocolate every day is good for you. This is why so many yoga and health enthusiasts adore eating raw cocoa. Some people opt to mix it with some milk products and create a tasty and chocolatey snack.

3. Lentils & other legumes

No list of miracle yoga foods is complete without a healthy bit about lentils. They aren’t just a delicious legume which packs a punch, they’re also a bastion of healthy vitamins and nutrients. So, what makes legumes so good for yoga enthusiasts?

It’s not without reason that lentils are called the fountain of youth. They contain lots of substances that are believed to have anti-aging properties. They’re without a doubt the food that is richest in folates, which makes them very good for nervous system protection. Lentils aren’t just long-term health food either. They are packed with energy and protein, which makes them ideal for eating before and after a workout. You can load up on energy with a small dose beforehand and then get the muscle nutrients that you need to recuperate after.

If you're short on recipes, try some Indian Dhal dishes. They are full of interesting spices that really bring out the taste in lentils. Plus, it's not all that difficult to make, just find a solid recipe and go for it.

4. Tofu

Yoga enthusiasts love their vegetarian options. It's vegetables all year round. However, there’s always the pressing matter of how much protein you’re getting out of your vegetarian diet. If you’re sick of lentils and quinoa, there’s always tofu to come to the rescue.

Tofu has always been known as a kind of miracle food. It packs a protein-filled punch and gives you some extra taste to go with any meal. It’s a pretty good addition to your meal plan, whether you’re a vegetarian or not. Tofu contains all essential amino acids, which is precisely why it was always so popular as a substitute for meat. It can give you complete proteins alongside some great vitamins and minerals.

What makes it truly special is just how much protein tofu contains. A serving of a hundred grams gives you a whopping seventeen grams of protein. Very few foods can boast such numbers. You can get the essential nutrients you need to build muscles and stay lean, while still having a tasty meal full of energy.

5. Nut butter

You might be familiar with the various health benefits of nuts. They're small, but they pack quite a punch. Nuts contain tons of healthy minerals, while also providing you with the healthiest possible fats you can get. They’re considered a great brain food and they don’t have a lot of sugar in them. Let’s not forget, it’s also arguably one of the tastiest food groups. You can put them in just about anything and they will add taste and texture.

If nuts themselves weren’t great enough, there’s always the butter you make from them. The most famous among them is peanut butter. A batch of peanut butter might seem like a tasty treat, but make no mistake, it’s also a very healthy addition to your meals. A spoonful of peanut butter contains tons of readily available calories that are easy to digest. It’s like an energy bar but without all the unnecessary additives.

All kinds of nut butter are absolutely packed with protein and energy. They contain healthy fats that release it slowly and some carbs to give you an instant boost. It's like having a well-balanced meal and a protein supplement all in one jar.

Plus, you can enjoy nut butter in a ton of different ways. Some people prefer to create a spread on a piece of toast and eat it at breakfast. However, you're not limited in how or when you can eat nut butter. You might want to eat some before and after your workout, as this can give your body the nutrients you need to finish and recuperate from it. Fruit goes really well with nut butter and they're often used as a dip for bananas and apple slices.

6. Whey protein

Yoga has a reputation for being chill and relaxing, but it can be pretty taxing. Yoga sessions are often very intense and leave muscles sore and painful. This means these muscles are breaking down and the body needs to rebuild them. To be able to rebuild these muscles, you need lots of protein. The average yoga enthusiast will have a much greater need for additional protein than most people. Getting all of this protein isn't always feasible with a regular diet. Sometimes, you need an extra boost. This is where whey protein comes in.

Whey protein provides your body with a wide variety of benefits. It's not just a protein supplement for workouts, either. It can actually help your muscles recover from exercise. This is because whey protein contains lots of free amino acids, which counter the effects of inflammation. They stop the c-reactive protein from doing its job, which then prevents your muscles from getting too inflamed.

When it comes to workouts, it’s not without reason that whey protein is one of the most popular supplements on the planet. It is absorbed quicker than any other source of protein you can eat. The only quicker way would be to push it through an IV. You can consume a whey protein shake before and after a workout and you wouldn’t even notice it.

Let’s not forget about the main benefit – muscle growth. Having such a large amount of readily available protein lets your body form muscle fibres with ease. The amino acids help make the process faster because the body doesn't have to break down much of the whey to get to them.

7. Ordinary fruit

When you’re caught up in all the different diets you can try, it’s easy to forget about the most important kind of food there is. Fruit should already be an integral part of your diet. That should be obvious though. Is there anyone that doesn’t eat fruit? However, you have to know how much fruit you’re going to eat and which fruit to aim for. Eating a bunch of bananas every day isn’t going to be nearly as nutritious as adding a bit of variety.

It’s crucial that you pick out fresh fruit. Obviously, you’re not going to be able to find pineapples and certain berries all year round, but that doesn’t mean you should resort to canned or frozen fruit. They tend to have lower nutritional value and their taste is often replaced by additives.

One of the main reasons fruit is so great is because it’s low in calories and very high in fibre. You could eat a ton of fruit and not gain much weight. It's great for leaving you sated after a meal and it keeps you away from unhealthy snacks. Fruit is mostly made up of sugar, but this sugar is a lot harder to break down. This means you’re never going to have a sugar crash from eating a bunch of apples, for example. It’s a great source of energy when you’re exhausted from working out. You get that energy back slowly throughout the day, which makes it ideal for stimulating additional sessions.

Conclusion

Every yoga enthusiast will want to get that extra push from their session. This can be achieved with a couple of additions to your diet. As long as you aim for some extra protein and energy-rich foods, you’re going to find that your yoga classes go smoother and with fewer sore days. Any of these examples will do, but you should strive to add all of them to your diet from time to time. It’s going to be extremely beneficial for your health and body.