Burgers, Fries Can Be Good For Post-Workout Recovery, Study Says

Those who enjoy eating fast food but are worried about how it would affect their health goals can breathe a little easier after a study found they can be pretty good alternatives to a post-workout meal. In a thesis published at the University of Montana, researcher Michael Joseph Cramer compared the effect of eating fast food and taking sports supplements to help the body recover after a physical activity.

Cramer observed eleven males between the ages of 18 and 40 who engaged in glycogen-depleting workouts for 90 minutes over a seven-day period. Each was given a four-hour recovery team, during which they were given either fast food meals or sports supplements with similar carbohydrate content. The amount of carbs per meal time was between 0.54 and 0.81 g/lb of the subject’s body weight.

In the end, the study found that eating fast food versus sports supplements post workout did not show any difference in their insulin and blood glucose response. No notable difference was also seen on glycogen replenishment. Cramer concluded that muscle glycogen replenishment after a workout was no about what you eat, but what it contains. The study also noted that the type of carbohydrate consumed does not stall workout performance and muscle recovery.

In a news release, the University of Montana recognized the findings and said it could be good news for athletes who would like to reach out for burgers and fries after intense activity. Eating fast food, as long as they are in moderation and in the right amounts, offers the same potential for glycogen in muscle as sports nutrition products, which are more expensive. In addition, fast food treats are also more easily accessible.

Of course, this does not discount the many studies that say fast food is unhealthy. UM Montana Center for Work Physiology and Exercise Metabolism director Brent Ruby noted that fast food consumption is all right but in moderation. He also said that there are many articles that are misunderstanding the results of Cramer’s research, clarifying that the participants of the study ate only small amounts of burgers, fries and hash browns.