Planning your meal before a yoga class is extremely essential. Though it seems like a simple task as everyone knows that you need to eat something before some physical exercise but its a very crucial decision as to what foods you choose before a session. One must remember to take in foods that provide you the right amount of energy and at the same time does not make you feel to full or heavy..
Though traditionally yoga has always been practiced empty stomach but its advisable to do so if you are practice first thing in the morning. However, if you suffer from blood sugar imbalances it might not be a very safe thing to do.
Lets have a look at some foods which make for an ideal pre-yoga snack
- Bananas: Bananas are a fruit suggested as a snack before a lot of workouts. Bananas contains soluble fiber, which digests slowly and won’t spike your blood sugar. Bananas are also friendly to the stomach, and their natural sugars will help sustain you through your workout practice. Also, this sweet fruit is potassium-rich, which makes it a great pre-workout snack. Potassium interacts with sodium and keeps your body properly hydrated. The magnesium prevents cramps and bloating
- Dried Fruit or Nut bar: Dried fruit and nut bars that contain no added sugars are a great pre-workout option. The dried fruit will provide you with energy and the raw nuts in the bar will help the sugars in the fruit digest more slowly. Almonds are a great option as these nuts which are rich in potassium, magnesium, and vitamin E, help you to stay hydrated and give your muscles staying power
- Smoothies: Create a light-yet-mighty elixirwith fruits and dry-fruits such as bananas, almonds, avocado, cacao and coconut water. Or go green….a juice made from freshly pressed greens, and perhaps a little green apple or orange will not only leave you feeling light and ready to bend and twist, it will also give you a hit of energy because it will be oxygenating your cells
- Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate is great for keeping your blood sugar levels in check and increasing the blood flow to your brain. Eating a little bit before class will boost your concentration and the ability to focus. It also contains phenyl ethylamine (the same chemical your brain creates to release endorphins) and caffeine, which stimulates and enhances alertness, without getting the jitters
- Sprouted Toast and Avacados: If you are looking for something heavier to help you avoid hunger pangs during class that won’t digest like a brick, then this snack is for you. The complex carbohydrate content of the sprouted grain bread, paired with the fats in the avocado, will digest more slowly than any of the above-mentioned snacks.
