The 7 Best Postworkout Fruit for Recovery, Hydration, and Energy

A good workout can leave you sweaty, tired, and hungry. And what you eat afterward matters. Fruit can be an excellent postworkout snack. It’s refreshing, convenient, and packed with nutrients that help your body recover and prepare for your next workout. 

But what’s the best postworkout fruit? Different fruits offer different benefits. Let’s look at some of the top options.

What makes a good postworkout fruit?

The best postworkout fruits contain some combination of: 

• Water to replace fluids lost through sweat

• Carbohydrates to restore your energy, refill muscles’ fuel stores, and stabilize blood sugar

• Electrolytes to support hydration and muscle function

• Antioxidants to help lower exercise-related inflammation and oxidative stress after strenuous exercise  

There are several fruits that check these boxes. Below are some of the best postworkout fruits you can eat. 

1. Bananas

All fruits contain carbohydrates, but bananas provide more per serving than many other fruits. This makes them especially helpful for restoring energy after exercise.

During a workout, your muscles use glycogen — the body’s stored form of carbohydrates — as fuel. Bananas’ natural sugars, including glucose and fructose, help replenish the carbohydrates your muscles use during exercise.

Replenishing these carbohydrates after exercise can help:

• Restore energy levels 

• Support muscle recovery

• Support performance during your next workout

• Help prevent low blood sugar after exercise in people who use insulin for diabetes

Bananas also provide potassium, an electrolyte that gets depleted when you sweat. Potassium plays an important role in muscle function, fluid balance, and hydration.

And nothing beats bananas’ convenience. They’re portable, ready to eat, and easy to toss into a gym bag. This makes them a practical postworkout snack. 

2. Dates

Dates are one of the most carbohydrate-dense fruits, especially when dried. This makes them an excellent choice for replenishing energy, especially after longer or more intense workouts. But they contain less hydration than fresh fruits.

Dates also provide the potassium and magnesium you need for muscle and nerve function.

3. Tart cherries

Tart cherries are rich in polyphenols, plant compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. 

These compounds may make tart cherries especially helpful after exercise. Studies suggest that tart cherries are associated with improved recovery. And they may help lower some of the inflammation and muscle damage that can occur after intense exercise.

But most studies used concentrated tart cherry products, such as juice concentrates or powders — not whole fruit. Participants typically consumed amounts equivalent to about 50 to 270 cherries a day. So it’s unclear whether a typical serving of fresh tart cherries would provide the same benefits. 

Beyond exercise recovery, tart cherries may also support heart health, blood sugar, and sleep quality.

Fresh tart cherries can be difficult to find, so many people choose tart cherry juice or concentrate instead.

4. Pomegranates

Pomegranates contain polyphenols that may support exercise recovery by increasing nitric oxide production. This can help improve blood flow to muscles, and may help decrease muscle fatigue after exercise.

And a review of studies found that pomegranate supplementation may improve exercise performance and recovery. This may be because pomegranate lowers exercise-related oxidative stress and inflammation. But the studies used a variety of different pomegranate products, including juice and extracts. It’s possible that eating pomegranate after a workout could provide the same benefits. 

The edible part of the fruit is the juicy red seeds, or arils. You can eat them on their own, or add them to yogurt, salad, or oatmeal.

5. Watermelon

Watermelon is hydrating because it’s made up of about 91% water. Its potassium also supports hydration. 

Watermelon contains L-citrulline, an amino acid that may help lower muscle soreness. Most research has looked at consuming watermelon or L-citrulline supplements before exercise. But one small study found that drinking watermelon juice after a workout lowered muscle soreness the next day. 

6. Blueberries

Blueberries are rich in anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that gives the berries their deep blue color. 

Blueberries’ anthocyanins and other polyphenols have anti-inflammatory properties. Some research suggests that eating blueberries may influence the body’s inflammatory response to exercise. And a review of studies found that fruits rich in anthocyanins may reduce muscle soreness and help you recover more quickly after a workout. 

Frozen blueberries can be especially refreshing after exercise. They’re also easy to add to oatmeal, granola, smoothies, or yogurt.

7. Pineapple

Pineapple contains bromelain, a natural enzyme that may help lower inflammation and support muscle recovery after exercise. And pineapple’s carbohydrates, fluids, and antioxidants can all help with postworkout recovery.

Because pineapple is naturally sweet and easy to blend, it can work well in smoothies and recovery drinks.

What other foods should you eat after a workout?

While fruits can help replenish energy stores and provide hydration, protein is key for repairing and building muscle after exercise. So try pairing carbohydrates with protein after a workout. 

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends eating protein within 2 hours of working out to support muscle recovery and growth. But they also note that total protein intake throughout the day is more important than timing.

You can pair fruits with protein-containing foods, such as: 

• Greek yogurt

• Cottage cheese

• Nuts

• Edamame

• Eggs

Best preworkout fruits

Many of the best postworkout fruits also make great preworkout snacks. Before a workout, choose fruits that:

• Contain carbohydrates that your body can use for energy during exercise 

• Are easy to digest, especially if you eat them within 1 to 2 hours of a workout

Good preworkout fruit options include bananas, watermelon, grapes, and dates. These fruits provide readily available carbohydrates that can help fuel your workout.

It’s important to get enough fiber in your diet. But eating large amounts before exercise may cause stomach discomfort for some people. 

Sports nutrition experts generally recommend exercising 1 to 2 hours after a small meal or 30 to 60 minutes after a snack. 

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Written by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She is co-executive director at Nonclinical Physicians Network and has served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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