The Performance Package
B.Fresh Performance Package
So you have started a new training programme, but things are not going quite to plan. You feel tired during your workouts and incredibly sore afterwards. Perhaps you are missing a key piece of the performance puzzle?
If you were to search for ways to boost your performance online you would find some simple solutions such as staying hydrated, eating enough carbohydrate and protein, and perhaps adding caffeine prior to training. BUT, it’s unlikely that you would find anyone talking about nitrates or polyphenols! That’s because the research on the benefits of both nitrates and polyphenols has evolved rapidly in the last few years. So much so that the world’s leading athletes are now onboard and utilize them in their nutrition and training strategies. It is important to realize that you can benefit too!
Natural endurance boost
Dietary nitrates are found naturally in various vegetables and some fruits, particularly beetroot, spinach, rocket, lettuces and rhubarb. When you consume dietary nitrates, bacteria in the mouth begins to convert the nitrate to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide functions in a similar way to nitrous oxide in Gran Tourismo, it provides an almost instantaneous boost of speed, endurance and power. Nitric oxide vasodilates blood vessels, making them wider so that blood pressure drops, and allowing blood to flow more freely around the body to the muscle and brain.
Research has shown that, when timed correctly just before your workout, performance in high intensity sessions or longer workouts can improve dramatically! Think about it, if blood flow to the muscle and brain is increased, then your body can deliver more oxygen and remove more waste products, so more energy is created. Ultimately, allowing you to work harder, for longer, burn more calories, do more reps with heavier weights. Perform better!
As with everything in nutrition science however, the devil is in the detail and a dose of 300 - 400 mg of nitrates is required between 30 - 60-minutes prior to an exercise bout in order to maximize the benefits.
Therefore, we developed Perform in collaboration with a Premier League nutritionist to ensure that the players within the squad were able to achieve the optimal dosage of nitrates prior to games from a drink that was fresh, natural and tasted great.
Accelerate recovery
After an intense workout, the stresses and strains of repetitive contractions can take their toll on muscle fibers. With microtears resulting in muscle damage, inflammation and oxidative stress, which in turn increases soreness, which can be extremely uncomfortable and extend for days if not treated correctly.
Consuming protein after a workout is obviously very important. Protein is the building block that your body needs to repair the damaged tissue, but we can generally get sufficient protein from foods, by simply eating a normal mixed meal after our workout. Polyphenols on the other hand are a little more challenging to consume.
Polyphenols are natural, plant-derived compounds commonly found in various fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee and spices among other foods and fluids. Polyphenols are known for their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, while also improving vascular function. Think of them like natural fire fighters that extinguish the fire, inflammation and damage after an intense workout!
Research has confirmed the potential benefits of polyphenol intake on athletic performance and recovery. Doses of around 1000mg are known to support recovery through reductions in exercise induced muscle damage. Now unlike protein, it can be incredibly challenging to consume the optimal amount of polyphenols to maximize recovery from foods alone, hence we developed Recover.
With the same Premier League nutritionist we got to work, pulling together a number of different polyphenol-rich ingredients such as tart cherry, blueberry, cacao and pomegranate, pairing them with some sweeter fruits to improve the taste and increase the vitamin C content. Recover was born!
The players used Recover to excellent effect, to accelerate their recovery in the short periods between intense European games and weekend Premier League matches. Now you can do the same, by simply drinking a bottle of Recover with your post-workout meal, you too can reduce muscle damage, inflammation and muscle soreness so you are fresh and ready to workout again the following day!
Health benefits
Beyond the benefits to performance and recovery, both dietary nitrates and polyphenols can improve health too. Making the Performance Package even more beneficial for the weekend warrior!
Research has shown that regular consumption of nitrate rich vegetables can benefit heart and cardiovascular health, but reduces blood pressure and enhances blood flow. The same research has confirmed those with a higher nitrate intake, from vegetables and fruits, are at reduced risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Similarly, research has confirmed that a diet rich in polyphenols can improve lipid profiles, reducing triglycerides and cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and improve blood flow, particularly to the brain, improve insulin resistance and reduce inflammation. Polyphenols are known for their ability to reduce things, including inflammation and oxidative stress as we discussed earlier, but also protecting against cancers and other chronic diseases.
So not only will your workout benefit from the Performance Bundle, but your health too. Click here to shop now!
