New research puts the 30-second fruit snack in the post-workout spotlight

THE 30-SECOND SNACK TRAINERS RECOMMEND

How Anthocyanins Can Help Exercise Recovery

When it comes to fuelling exercise and supporting recovery, protein from eggs, and bananas are probably among some of the first foods that come to mind. But new research suggests there could be a simple addition to the post-workout routine.

The plant compounds that give red, purple, black and blue fruit and vegetables their vibrant colour - anthocyanins - could help the body to recover after exercise, making them an easy and convenient snack to enjoy after training.

Personal Trainer and triathlete, Craig Dyce, says: "Recovery is an essential part of training and exercise. And recovery is about more than just downtime; it's also about nutrition and what you put into your body to help it repair and get ready for the next session.

"Anthocyanins have an important role to play here. They are naturally occurring plant compounds found in dark-coloured fruit and vegetables.

"Adding anthocyanin-rich foods, especially dark colour fruits, to your post-workout regime is a simple way to help support recovery. As a result, dark coloured fruits are an easy go-to snack, requiring no preparation and go well with a protein source such as yoghurt to make a bigger snack or meal. The potential effects of anthocyanins may be due to their action of helping to improve blood flow, metabolic pathways, slowing muscle fatigue, or a combination of all three."

Anthocyanins And Exercise Recovery: The Science

"Research data from a gold-standard meta-analysis pooling evidence across 39 studies suggests that anthocyanins may help aid recovery after exercise, most likely due to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of anthocyanins," notes Craig Dyce.

Craig Dyce continues: "Regarding potential underpinning mechanisms in this study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of anthocyanins appear to neutralise harmful free radicals created during exercise and lower inflammation markers - including C-reactive protein and tumour necrosis factor alpha. Both of these factors are linked to muscle soreness and slower recovery as well as better strength and power in the hours and days after exercise, and less delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) - which is the pain and soreness that often kicks in a day or two after a tough workout."

Craig Dyce, adds: "It is an exciting time, seeing how the emerging science around anthocyanins can help support our fitness health, and I very much welcome the wealth of evolving data around the benefits of dark colour fruits, particularly new red berry grapes, more on them in a minute, which are an exciting new provider of anthocyanins and as a result, important antioxidants.

The 30-Second Snack Trainers Recommend: BOOMBITES™ Red Berry Grapes

The new red berry grapes BOOMBITES combines the delicious taste that you would expect from the world's best table grapes with a deep red pulp on the inside. The unique skin-to-centre colour of BOOMBITES red berry grapes is down to their naturally developed abundance of the antioxidant - anthocyanins.

Analysis at the University of Murcia found that, when tested, the new red berry grapes have six times more anthocyanins than a traditional black-skinned table grape. Plus, like other fruits which are well known for their superfruit status, BOOMBITES red berry grapes contain resveratrol and antioxidants.

FACT: Research from the technology centre AINIA in Valencia, Spain, which has been published in the journal Foods, found that despite having similar amounts of fructose to pineapple (which has a low glycaemic load, despite its high glycaemic index) and other table grapes, the new red berry grape varieties showed significantly lower glucose uptakes than standard varieties. It's thought this is due the unique food matrix of red berry grapes, which include polyphenols such as anthocyanins, as well as fibre. Their distinctive combination of polyphenols, fibre and other nutrients seem to work together to slow glucose absorption compared to other fruits.

In addition, BOOMBITES red berry grapes also contain fibre, vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamine, vitamin B6, folate, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron and zinc.

Craig Dyce, in summery notes: "If you are looking for a fast, healthy, pre or post work out fruit snack, BOOMBITES red berry grapes ticks all the boxes. They are full of anthocyanins and as a result, they are a great snack to pop into your sports bag and enjoy after a run, a walk in the park or a bike ride."

For shoppers to get a taste of the developing health science behind colourful fruit and as part of the daily rainbow food which we should all eat more of, look out for BOOMBITES red berry grapes at Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Ocado for a limited period only. www.boombites.com

ENDS