By Mindy Antimie MS, RDN
There are many reasons why you may be experiencing painful muscle cramps. Medications, dehydration, exercise, and nutrient deficiencies can all contribute to painful cramps. You may feel a tightening sensation in your muscle that lasts longer than usual, this is because your muscle is involuntarily contracting.
There are specific nutrients that your muscles need to contract and relax properly, luckily you can include these 5 foods into your diet to help alleviate muscle cramps.
Avocado
Avocados are a nutrient dense food. Not only are they high in fiber and healthy fats, they are rich in magnesium. Magnesium is crucial for proper muscle contraction. It is estimated that 68% of Americans don’t get enough magnesium. One avocado provides 58mg of magnesium, which is about 19% of the RDA. Including more of these rich fruits in your diet can help prevent muscle cramps.
Sweet Potatoes
This root vegetable is rich in vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Particularly, sweet potatoes are high in potassium. One medium sized sweet potato will provide you with about 25% of the amount of daily potassium you need to maintain overall health. Potassium is an electrically charged molecule within your cells. It’s necessary for muscular function and for your nerves to transmit impulses.
This is why potassium is often a key component in sports drinks and electrolyte powders. Getting enough potassium can help with recovery during and after exercise, and prevent muscle cramping as a result.
Greek Yogurt
This is one food you’ll often see recommended by nutrition experts. It is incredibly high in protein and calcium. Getting enough protein is necessary to repair muscle. If you exercise or are doing physical therapy, including protein with every meal and snack will repair your muscles and guard against painful muscle contractions. You can read more about how much protein you need here.
There is plenty of calcium in Greek yogurt. Calcium is another electrolyte that your muscles need for proper contraction. If you don’t eat dairy, and if you don’t supplement with calcium, then it’s likely you are not getting enough in your diet. It’s recommended to consume 1,000mg of calcium daily, this number increases as you age.
Salmon
There is evidence that vitamin D can help with muscle repair. There are cases that show vitamin D deficiency hinders muscle recovery. Getting vitamin D from sun exposure is the simplest way to get your daily dose. However, the modern way of life means that we’re often stuck inside and not getting sunlight on our skin. Apart from supplementation, salmon is one of the rare food sources that provides vitamin D. 3 oz of salmon contains 465 IU of vitamin D.
Conclusion
There are a multitude of foods that include magnesium, potassium, and calcium. These crucial electrolytes help govern the functions in your body, including muscle contraction. Many fruits and vegetables contain potassium and magnesium. The highest sources of calcium will come from dairy. Vitamin D has been studied recently in regard to muscle recovery. Including salmon in your diet is one food source of vitamin D. Eating a wide variety of whole-foods will support your health and guard against muscle cramps.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used without the advice of your doctor and/or medical team. It does not claim to treat or cure health conditions.
