How Drinking Herbal Tea Post-Workout Boosts Muscle Recovery
You may already set aside time after a training session to refuel and replenish depleted nutrients with a high-protein snack, as well as water and electrolytes for hydration. You likely spend a few minutes on stretching and soothing your tired, sore muscles post-workout as well.
But in addition to massaging and foam rolling to release tension in tight areas and prevent strain and overuse, you might also benefit from adding a cup of herbal tea to your nutrition regimen, too. Drinking herbal tea might not be part of your workout recovery routine, but it should be. Herbal tea, like Spartan Organic Herbal Tea, is touted by Spartan athletes for its healing abilities when used as a recovery tool and its immune system-boosting qualities, which help keep the body strong and well.
Related: The Health Benefits of Tea: Beat Stress and Boost Performance
Recovery is an active process for endurance athletes. This means that they must be intentional with post-workout hydration and fuel to best support their bodies and replenish depleted, damaged muscles. This helps endurance athletes maintain a consistent, challenging training schedule and consistently achieve their performance goals.
What you put into your body makes a huge difference in how well you’re able to stay race-ready and not miss out on training days due to excessive fatigue, injury, or sickness. Herbal tea hits all of the marks, for both its health benefits and its delicious flavor.
The Spartan Organic Herbal Tea Formula
The ancient elixir’s name in Greek means “he who is made of iron." This same tea, which ancient Spartan warriors would drink to enhance training and restore their bodies, is available to modern-day Spartans. It’s a refreshing herbal tea that promotes greater energy levels, healing, muscle repair, and stress reduction.
The ingredients are sourced from the mountains of Sparta, Greece, using the same plant, Sideritis (ironwort), and incorporating its dried flowers, stems, and leaves to create the recovery remedy.
Plus, this herbal tea is organic and pure, free of sugar and other junk, and isn’t heavily processed.
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“It brings great peace of mind that my recovery really is grown organically from the earth with almost no processing,” Spartan racer Josh Honore, NASM CPT and XPRO for Xponential Plus, says.
Honore incorporates the sugar-free, potent tea into his training and recovery routine. Sugars and additives impair training and workout performance, and they also increase inflammation and weaken the immune system, he says. When compromised, it’s a lot harder to repair and strengthen muscles and maintain progress with workouts.
What’s more, this herbal tea also has high antioxidant content, also known as polyphenols, according to Trista Best, MPH, LDN, RD, a dietitian who has worked with Spartans and whose husband is an avid racer who also drinks Spartan Organic Herbal Tea for its performance benefits and relaxation effects.
“The polyphenols, which are plant compounds, make this tea the powerhouse that it is in terms of health and wellness,” Best says.
The Benefits of Drinking Herbal Tea When Training
The high antioxidant power in this herbal tea offers anti-inflammation and antimicrobial benefits that fight damage to muscle tissue, which is inevitable and happens as you exercise and put your muscles to work.
“The phytonutrients in this tea help it to reduce oxidative stress in the body that can form as a result of high-intensity exercise,” Best says.
A cup or two of this soothing tea right after a training session reduces damage and shortens recovery time, where your body becomes less sore and grows stronger, enabling you to tackle that next challenge soon after.
Related: 3 Foolproof Ways to Recover Quickly During Multi-Race Weekends
“Combating this stress allows the athlete to recover quickly and reduces the risk of chronic and acute illnesses due to inflammation, which may disrupt the immune response,” Best says.
A faster post-training recovery lowers inflammation in the body, which then reduces the risk of disease. This is why, according to Best, “this makes this tea great for combating colds and other illnesses that may impede an athlete's ability to perform or train.”
What’s more, herbal tea is also antimicrobial, which promotes healing, prevention against disease and illness, and a happier, healthier gut.
“A healthy and well-functioning gut plays a major role in an athlete's ability to absorb and use the nutrients it is provided, and this tea's anti-microbial nature keeps the gut in great shape,” Best says.
How Best to Enjoy Herbal Tea When Training
You can drink a cup of tea at any point when training for a race, as timing isn't as important as consistency, here. It’s simple to prepare: Boil for a few minutes and enjoy once done as is, or add a little drizzle of honey (which happens to also be antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory). Its natural flavor is a light, sweet sage, and it complements honey perfectly.
Whether hot or cold, this herbal tea is an easy, healthy beverage to sip and enjoy.
“Add a hint of lemon for a zestier taste, or stick with honey if you crave something sweeter,” Best suggests.
A cup of tea after a particularly intense training session is essential too, as well as for times when you’re sick or feel a cold coming on, and are in need of an immunity helper.
“Spartan Tea is naturally anti-inflammatory and is also antioxidant and anti-microbial rich," Best says. "These characteristics make this tea best used after a hard workout or race, after a large meal, at times when you're feeling under the weather, or when you simply want to relax."
Related: 8 Ways to Avoid Getting Sick This Winter
Additionally, incorporating the tea into your nighttime routine not only induces drowsiness before bed (when served hot) but also offers recovery benefits, as your body repairs damaged muscles and strengthens them as you sleep.
And don’t worry about stimulation and sleep interference.
“Because it is naturally caffeine-free, Spartan Tea can be consumed as close to bedtime as you'd like,” Honore, who drinks his tea an hour or two before bed to unwind, says. “The tea itself is incredibly relaxing and begs us to take small moments to exhale to further enhance the experience and relaxation benefits."
In fact, it might even be especially beneficial for people with respiratory issues.
“The flavonoids, phytonutrients, and phenols not only help reduce inflammation, but they also combat my respiratory and digestive issues," Honore says. "I know that by drinking it, I’ll be ready to go in the morning and be less likely to end up getting hit with a cold."
