There are few things more frustrating than being sidelined by a muscle cramp. You’ve built up the strength and mental toughness, but you also need your muscles to perform at their best, and that means keeping them from seizing up.
Muscle strain and overuse are the most common causes of muscle cramps, explains Dana Hunnes, Ph.D., MPH, RD, senior dietitian at Ronald Reagan-UCLA Medical Center and author of Recipe for survival.
But there’s another thing to consider if you’re prone to these discomforts: your electrolyte intake. Your body needs optimal amounts of electrolytes (such as calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium) to perform many tasks properly, including muscle contractions.
Recent research has found that that drinking a solution containing electrolytes reduces susceptibility to cramps compared to water alone. By eating a diet rich in electrolyte foods, you can help prevent imbalances that can lead to muscle cramps.
Here is a list of foods that (might) help with muscle cramps as they provide electrolytes.
1. Avocado
You will find several electrolytes in your serving of guacamole: Avocados offer Calcium, magnesium and potassium. Hunnes says these can help with cramps “if the cause of the cramps is due to low potassium or magnesium.”
2. Banana
While bananas have a slightly exaggerated reputation for helping with muscle cramps due to their potassium content, one large banana provides 487 mg of potassiumwhich qualifies them as “good source” of the mineral, along with some magnesium and calcium.
In a studyResearchers found that women who consumed less dietary potassium were more likely to experience muscle cramps.
3. Beans
You wouldn’t expect beans to be one of the foods that can help with muscle cramps, but white beans are actually one of the top sources of potassium. Hunnes notes that beans can help relieve cramps if they’re caused by low potassium or magnesium levels.
This is because a cup of these legumes contains 1,190 mg potassium and 134 mg of magnesium (an excellent source!), plus that generous amount provides almost 13 grams of filling fiber.
4. Bone broth
The quality of bone broth varies widely, so be sure to buy from a brand you trust or try making your own. If you make it at home, you can increase the magnesium and calcium in bone broth by cooking it for eight hours or more.
5. Coconut water
Coconut water is like a natural sports drink. Depending on the type of coconut, it can… contain calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and magnesium, as well as natural sugars to replenish your glycogen stores.
An 8-ounce cup of coconut water has almost 400 mg of potassiumHunnes also notes that replacing lost fluid, such as with coconut water, can help with muscle cramps.
6. Dark green leafy vegetables
Vegetables are among the most unexpected foods that provide minerals that can help with muscle cramps. They are an excellent source of magnesium and potassium which can help replenish low levels of these minerals. Hunnes adds that they can also help with hydration since they are also full of water.
7. Milk
Low-fat milk can help replenish fluids lost after your workout and provide protein to rebuild muscles. A cup has 390 mg of potassium, 96 mg of sodium and 309 mg of calcium, which plays a vital role in the proper functioning of the muscles.
Like coconut water, milk can also help with cramps by replacing lost fluids, Hunnes explains.
8. Orange juice
Not only will orange juice help you replenish your depleted glycogen stores after a workout, but it will also provide you with several vital electrolytes. A cup of orange juice It includes some magnesium and almost 500 mg of potassium — more than a banana — which is given much of the credit for its muscle-soothing potassium content.
9. Papaya
Tired of bananas? Opt for papaya. This tropical fruit provides 300 mg of potassium. In a cupLike bananas, papaya also provides carbohydrates that will replenish your glycogen stores after a strenuous workout.
Hunnes adds that this fruit also helps digestion “thanks to its natural enzymes, in case you have cramps in the smooth (intestinal) muscle.”
10. Pickle juice
Drinking pickle juice to aid workouts is no longer as strange as it once was, and researchers have studied the practice. One study found that participants’ muscle cramps He went about 49 seconds faster When they drank this salty liquid.
11. Salmon
Wild salmon has many nutritional benefits. It is rich in omega-3, which are beneficial for the heart, proteins that promote muscle recovery, and contains electrolytes magnesium and potassium.
12. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are another food you probably don’t turn to when you’re having muscle cramps. But if you’re looking for an extra boost of potassium, look no further! Just half a cup of mashed potatoes provides 475 mg of potassium, making it a good source.
13. Watermelon
Our muscles need enough water. To function as it should be, and watermelon is rich in it. This melon is also almost 92% water.
