Jake, a dedicated fitness enthusiast, always carefully plans his pre-workout nutrition. He learned the hard way that what he consumed before exercising made a big difference. After experimenting with different beverages, he found that coconut water and beetroot juice significantly boosted his performance and recovery. Now, he blends his pre-workout routine with a balanced meal, ensuring he's hydrated and fueled for every session.

Starting your workout well-hydrated is essential for peak performance. Adequate hydration supports blood flow, regulates body temperature, and helps your body recover more efficiently post-exercise. Hydration also plays a crucial role in reducing the risk of injuries and improving recovery.

For optimal hydration, aim to drink 16-20 ounces of water about four hours before exercising. During your workout, it’s recommended to consume 8-12 ounces of water every 15 minutes, and replenish 16-24 ounces for every pound lost during exercise. Maintaining these hydration levels helps prevent fatigue, dehydration, and heat-related issues, which can impact your performance.

Drink to have Before Workout

While water is fundamental, various other beverages can offer additional benefits before your workout. Here’s a closer look at some popular pre-workout drinks:

1. Coconut Water

Coconut water is a natural source of electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and sodium, which are crucial for maintaining fluid balance and muscle function. Studies suggest that coconut water can be as effective as sports drinks for hydration during moderate exercise. It also contains antioxidants that may help combat oxidative stress. However, for intense and prolonged workouts, consider pairing it with a salty snack to boost sodium levels.

2. Sports Drinks

Sports drinks are designed to replenish electrolytes lost through sweat and provide a quick source of carbohydrates. They can be particularly useful during extended or high-intensity workouts. These drinks often contain sugars, which aid in maintaining blood sugar levels and sustaining energy. For optimal performance, choose a sports drink with a balanced electrolyte profile and moderate sugar content.

3. Coffee

Coffee, rich in caffeine, can enhance mental alertness and athletic performance. Caffeine is known to improve reaction time, power output, and aerobic performance. A typical recommendation is to consume 2-4 cups of coffee about one hour before exercise. Be mindful of your sensitivity to caffeine and adjust the amount accordingly to avoid potential negative effects such as increased anxiety.

4. Green Tea

Green tea is packed with antioxidants, particularly polyphenols, which can reduce oxidative stress and improve cardiovascular health. Consuming green tea before a workout may enhance mental focus and support fat oxidation during moderate-intensity exercise. It’s a great option if you prefer a lower caffeine alternative to coffee.

5. Beetroot Juice

Beetroot juice is well-regarded for its ability to increase nitric oxide levels, which enhances blood flow and exercise endurance. It can improve cardio performance and delay fatigue during high-intensity workouts. For the best results, consume beetroot juice 90 minutes before exercise.

6. Pomegranate Juice

Rich in antioxidants, pomegranate juice may help reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress and improve recovery. It has been shown to enhance exercise performance and reduce muscle soreness. While more research is needed, incorporating pomegranate juice into your pre-workout routine could offer additional benefits.

7. Ginger Shots

Ginger shots are gaining popularity for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Consuming ginger before exercise can reduce muscle soreness and inflammation. Studies suggest that 2 grams of dried ginger powder taken pre-workout may improve recovery and reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

Nutritional Strategies for Optimal Performance

In addition to hydration, pre-workout nutrition is crucial. The right balance of macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—can significantly impact your exercise performance and recovery.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for high-intensity workouts. They are stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver. Consuming carbs before exercise helps replenish glycogen stores and sustain energy levels. For optimal performance, focus on carbohydrate-rich foods 2-3 hours before exercise, or opt for simpler carbs if you’re eating closer to workout time.

Protein

Protein intake before exercise aids in muscle protein synthesis, enhancing muscle growth and repair. Consuming protein, either alone or with carbs, can improve muscle recovery and performance. Aim for a pre-workout meal with 20-25 grams of protein, such as whey protein, to maximize muscle benefits.

Fats

While fats are a slower source of energy, including a small amount of healthy fats in your pre-workout meal can provide sustained energy. However, avoid high-fat meals immediately before exercise as they can cause digestive discomfort.

Timing Your Pre-Workout Nutrition

Timing is key to maximizing your workout benefits. A complete meal containing carbs, protein, and fats should be consumed 2-3 hours before exercise. If you have less time, a smaller, easily digestible snack with primarily carbs and some protein can be effective. Eating 45-60 minutes before your workout can still provide the necessary energy without causing discomfort.

Choosing the right pre-workout beverage and meal is essential for optimizing your exercise performance and recovery. Whether you prefer water, coconut water, coffee, or specialized sports drinks, understanding your hydration and nutritional needs will help you achieve your fitness goals more effectively. For personalized advice, consult a healthcare provider or a nutritionist to tailor your pre-workout nutrition to your specific needs.

Tiktok fibremaxxing wellness trend: There is no shortage of wellness trends online that claim to transform your health, but a new one has taken over social media with a focus on gut health. It’s called “fibremaxxing,” and its premise is simple: eat more fibre to improve digestion, metabolism, immunity, and lower the risk of disease. On TikTok and Instagram, the trend often appears as colourful lentil bowls, chia puddings, and smoothies loaded with leafy greens and flaxseeds. But how much of this viral trend is actually backed by science?

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The idea of increasing both soluble and insoluble fibre isn’t new, yet fibremaxxing has made it trendy again—and this time, for good reason. Fibre is vital to everyday health, supporting everything from steady blood sugar to regular bowel movements. Here’s what experts say about this growing movement and why fibre truly matters.

What Is Fibremaxxing?

Fibremaxxing is a social media movement that encourages people to boost their fibre intake by adding more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains to every meal. The goal is to improve digestion, promote fullness, and support long-term health. According to Dr. Urvi Shah, a board-certified hematologist-oncologist and physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the concept behind fibremaxxing is largely rooted in scientific evidence. Dr. Shah, who is leading multiple studies on high-fibre plant-based diets, notes that the approach aligns well with established nutrition research.

Is ‘Fibremaxxing’ Good Or Bad For Your Gut?

High-fibre diets are consistently linked to a wide range of health benefits, from lowering the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer to aiding weight control and gut function. That’s why Dr. Shah believes fibremaxxing gets several aspects right.

She explains that including a wide variety of plant-based, high-fibre foods is essential because “different fibre types feed different microbes.” A diverse diet helps nurture a balanced microbiome. She adds that the trend’s emphasis on whole foods rather than processed or fibre-enriched items is a major plus. “Whole plants provide fibre, polyphenols, and micronutrients that work together to support the gut,” she says. Prebiotic-rich foods also help shape a healthier microbiota and increase the production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, which has “anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.”

Simply put, upping your fibre intake through natural, unprocessed foods, rather than supplements, can make a real difference to gut health.

What’s The Daily Recommended Amount of Fibre Intake?

Experts suggest that adults should consume between 25 and 30 grams of fibre each day. Men typically require more (around 38 grams), while women need about 25 grams. These numbers can vary depending on age, sex, and calorie intake, but a general guideline is 14 grams of fibre for every 1,000 calories eaten, according to Harvard Health.

How To Add Fibre To Your Diet?

Plant-based foods are the easiest way to increase your fibre intake, this could mean starting your morning with oats or simply adding more vegetables to your meals. Dietitian Laura Tilt notes that several everyday foods are surprisingly high in fibre:

• Rolled porridge oats – 4.5g per 50g (half cup)
• Canned chickpeas – 7g per half can
• Seeded bread – 5g per two slices
• Canned lentils – 6g per half can
• Frozen peas – 4.5g per 80g (3 tbsp)
• Frozen raspberries – 5.5g per 80g (3 tbsp)
• Wholemeal pasta – 6.5g per 75g serving
• Dried apricots – 3g per 3–4 pieces
• Reduced salt/sugar baked beans – 7.5g per half can
• Mixed milled seeds (flax, pumpkin, chia) – 4.5g per 25g

Is Fibremaxxing Helpful?

There’s no doubt fibre plays an essential role in maintaining good health. But like any nutrient, too much of it can cause problems if not balanced properly. A sudden surge in fibre intake without enough water can lead to bloating, gas, constipation, dehydration, or even trigger IBS symptoms. Over-focusing on fibre might also cause you to overlook other nutrients your body needs. The key is moderation, fibre is beneficial, but it works best as part of a balanced, varied diet.

If you landed here, the reason is that you are also someone who cannot tolerate milk, but loves yogurt, and are probably wondering why is that?

The logic is that if you have lactose intolerance, you won't be able to digest any dairy product, but with yogurt, your life is easy. The answer lies in the components of the two various dairy products that come from the same source.

Why Can't You Digest Milk?

The reason is because you are lactose intolerant. This is a condition that makes it hard to digest the sugar in milk and milk products, called lactose. People with lactose intolerance could have diarrhea, gas and bloating after they consume milk. While this condition is usually harmless, it can cause discomfort.

This happens because the enzymes in the small intestine, called lactase is responsible for lactose intolerance. If someone has too low levels of lactase, the person can become lactose intolerant.

The small intestine and colon are parts of the digestive tract, which processes the foods you eat. The intestine pull out nutrients from the food and whatever is not absorbed by the intestines continues along the digestive tract and is expelled as stool during a bowel movement.

But Why Can You Digest Yogurt, If You Cannot Digest Milk?

The answer to this lies in the fermentation process that turns milk into curd and breaks down much of the lactose, which is the sugar, that is often difficult to digest. The probiotic bacteria used to make curd contain their own lactase, which helps in the breakdown of lactose, and this can further help with digestion even for those who do not produce enough lactase on their own.

Furthermore, during fermentation, the bacteria in curd, called the Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus convert lactose into lactic acid, which is easier for the body to process. This helps your body to digest curd easily over milk. Since the bacteria contains lactase, which the milk lacks, some people may find it easier to digest curd or yogurt over milk.

The bacterial cells also physically protect their lactase, and it can work to break down the lactose from the curd as it passes through the digestive system.

Why Is Curd Gut-Friendly?

The key to a healthy gut health is lactobacillus, a kind of probiotic, which helps in digestion, suppression of disease-causing bacteria and treats constipation. It also is beneficial in treating irritable bowel syndrome. It breaks down sugar into lactic acid.

A study by a Bhubaneswar-based professor Balamurugan Ramdas also revealed that Bengal or Odisha's popular breakfast Panta Bhaat, which includes fermented cooked rice, also releases the same bacteria, that fermented milk releases and so it contains short-chain fatty acids, which are responsible for improving gut health and boosting immunity.

Furthermore, curd is known to balance the gut flora, probiotics improve digestion, and the absorption of nutrition. They also help in the breakdown of food, reducing issues like bloating, gas, and constipation. The probiotics in curd can help restore the natural balance in your gut, which can soothe an upset stomach and alleviate discomfort from indigestion. A healthy gut is closely linked to a strong immune system, and the probiotics in curd help to boost gut health, which in turn can enhance immunity.

Bread is a staple across most diets, but not all loaves are made the same. In recent years, sourdough has gained a reputation for being the “healthier” bread—praised for its tangy flavour, natural fermentation, and supposed benefits for digestion. But how much of this is true? Here’s what experts and studies reveal about how sourdough compares to regular bread in terms of health and nutrition.

What Makes Sourdough Different

Unlike most commercial breads that rely on baker’s yeast for quick rising, sourdough is made using a natural starter—a mixture of flour and water that ferments over several days. This starter contains wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, which break down carbohydrates and gluten during fermentation.

According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, this slow fermentation process increases the bioavailability of nutrients like folate and magnesium while producing organic acids that give sourdough its characteristic tang. In contrast, regular white or whole wheat bread undergoes a much faster process, often with added yeast, sugar, and preservatives to speed up production.

Easier on Digestion

One of sourdough’s biggest advantages lies in how it affects the gut. The fermentation process partially breaks down gluten, making it easier for some people to digest compared to conventional bread.

A 2021 review published in the journal Food Microbiology found that lactic acid bacteria in sourdough can help reduce compounds called FODMAPs—a group of carbohydrates known to trigger bloating and discomfort in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This makes sourdough a potentially gentler option for sensitive stomachs, though it’s not suitable for those with celiac disease.

Better Blood Sugar Control

Another reason nutritionists often recommend sourdough is its effect on blood sugar levels. The acids produced during fermentation slow down the rate at which glucose is released into the bloodstream.

Research published in the Journal of Cereal Science noted that sourdough bread has a lower glycemic index (GI) than regular white or whole wheat bread. This means it causes a slower, more stable rise in blood sugar, something especially beneficial for people with diabetes or insulin resistance.

Nutrient Profile and Shelf Life

While both sourdough and regular bread contain similar calories and macronutrients, sourdough tends to have slightly higher levels of antioxidants and minerals because of the fermentation process. It also naturally resists mould growth, allowing it to stay fresh longer without artificial preservatives.

As per Cleveland Clinic dietitians, choosing whole-grain sourdough offers the best nutritional value, combining the fibre of whole wheat with the gut-friendly benefits of fermentation. On the other hand, refined white breads offer little fibre and are often fortified artificially.

The Bottom Line

Sourdough is not a miracle food, but it does stand out as a healthier and more digestible alternative to most commercial breads. Its fermentation process not only enhances flavour and texture but also supports gut health and stable blood sugar levels.

If you enjoy bread and want to make a more wholesome choice, opt for an artisanal or homemade sourdough made with whole grains and minimal additives. As nutrition experts often say, the real key is balance, pair your bread with fibre, protein, and healthy fats for a meal your gut (and taste buds) will thank you for.