Muscle cramps are painful spasms of a muscle or part of a muscle that happen without the person’s control. Most of the time, they are short and over in a few seconds to a few minutes.
Even though the exact cause isn’t always known, it’s thought that intense exercise, neuromuscular abnormalities, medical conditions, an electrolyte imbalance, medication use, and dehydration are common causes.
Some research suggests that replacing potassium, sodium, and magnesium may help prevent muscle cramps. Also, not getting enough nutrients like magnesium, vitamin D, and some B vitamins may make muscle cramps more likely.
Because of these things, eating foods that are high in vitamins and minerals may help reduce muscle cramps and even stop them from happening.
Here are foods that may help relieve cramps.
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Foods That Help With Muscle Cramps
Muscles cramps are the worst to experience, we bring a list of foods that help with muscles cramps such as
Avocados
Avocados are tasty, creamy fruits that are full of nutrients that are the perfect food for muscle cramps and may help keep muscles from cramping.
One study reveals that avocados have a lot of potassium and magnesium, which help keep your muscles healthy and act as electrolytes in the body. Electrolytes are charged substances that your body needs to do important things, such as contracting your muscles.
When electrolytes get out of balance like after a lot of hard exercises, symptoms like muscle cramps can show up.
So, if you get muscle cramps often, eating lots of electrolyte-rich foods like avocados may help.
Watermelon
Dehydration can cause cramps in some people. Proper muscle function depends on staying hydrated. Not getting enough water can make it harder for muscle cells to contract, which can cause or worsen cramps.
There are many benefits of watermelon. Watermelon is a fruit that has a very high percentage of water. In fact, watermelon is almost 92% water, which makes it a great choice for a snack that will keep you hydrated.
Also, watermelon is a good source of magnesium and potassium, two minerals that help muscles work well as a whole.
Water from coconuts
Coconut water is a good choice for athletes who want to naturally rehydrate and replace electrolytes.
It has a lot of electrolytes like calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and phosphorus, all of which may help reduce muscle cramps.
One study found that 10 male athletes were less likely to get cramps from electrical stimulation when they rehydrated with a drink that had electrolytes and was similar to coconut water. When they rehydrated with regular water, they were more likely to get cramps.
This may mean that drinking electrolyte-rich coconut water to stay hydrated may make you less likely to get cramps after working out, but more research is needed to confirm this.
Sweet potato
People who have thyroid disorders are more prone to have muscle cramps. The flesh and skin of sweet potatoes are full of vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that make them one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat.
They have a lot of potassium, calcium, and magnesium, which are minerals that help muscles work.
In fact, 1 cup of mashed sweet potato has more than 20% of the daily recommended amount of potassium and almost 13% of the daily recommended amount of magnesium.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is a healthy dairy product that has a lot of nutrients, especially potassium, phosphorus, and calcium, which your body uses as electrolytes.
Muscles need calcium to work right, which is why not having enough calcium in your blood can cause problems with your muscles, like cramps and an irregular heartbeat.
Greek yogurt is also full of protein, which is important for muscle growth and repair.
So, eating Greek yogurt after a hard workout can help you get back some of the nutrients you lost, which may help prevent cramps and speed up muscle recovery. People with excessive muscles cramps should have a thyroid-stimulating hormones test
Bone Stock
Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones in water for a long time, usually over 8 hours, to make a concentrated broth. Usually, things like apple cider vinegar, herbs, and spices are added to make the food healthier and taste better.
There are several reasons why bone broth might help ease muscle cramps. Since it’s a liquid, drinking it can help you stay hydrated, which may help reduce muscle cramps.
Also, bone broth has a lot of magnesium, calcium, and sodium, which may help keep cramps from happening. When you make bone broth, make sure to cook it for a long time and add an acidic ingredient like apple cider vinegar.
Papaya
Papayas are tasty tropical fruits that are high in potassium and magnesium. In fact, one 11-ounce papaya gives you about 15% and 19% of the recommended amounts of potassium and magnesium, respectively.
So, eating more foods like papayas that are high in potassium may help lower your risk of getting muscle cramps. But there needs to be more research in this area.
Beet greens
Beet Greens
Beet greens are the beet plant’s leafy, healthy tops. They are some of the healthiest greens you can eat. They are full of nutrients that help keep your muscles healthy and may lower your risk of getting cramps.
For instance, 1 cup of cooked beet greens has more than 20% of the daily recommended amount of potassium and magnesium. They also have a lot of calcium, phosphorus, and B vitamins, all of which are important for how well muscles work.
Also, beet greens are full of nitrates, which help your blood vessels work better and make sure blood gets to your muscles properly. Muscle cramps may go away if the blood flow is improved.
Cultured Foods
Foods that have been fermented, like pickles and kimchi, are often high in sodium and other nutrients that may help relieve muscle cramps. Some interesting research has shown that drinking pickle juice may help prevent muscle cramps in athletes that are caused by electricity.
Pickles and other fermented foods, like kimchi and sauerkraut, are high in electrolytes like sodium and may be good for people who get cramps often.
But keep in mind that more research needs to be done before fermented foods and drinks can be suggested as a way to treat muscle cramps.
Salmon
Salmon is a great source of protein, healthy fats that reduce inflammation, and B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which may help prevent muscle cramps.
Salmon also has a lot of iron, which is a mineral that is important for healthy blood cell production, oxygenation of muscle tissue, and blood flow, all of which are important for preventing muscle cramps.
Salmon is a good source of vitamin D as well. Having healthy levels of vitamin D in your blood is important for how your muscles work, and a lack of this nutrient can cause muscle pain, spasms, and weakness.
The recommended daily amount of vitamin D for adults is 15 mcg, so wild-caught salmon is a good choice for people who want to get more of this important vitamin.
Smoothies
Smoothies are a great choice for people who get cramps in their muscles. They not only keep you hydrated but they can also be made to have a lot of nutrients that help your muscles.
For example, making a smoothie with frozen berries, spinach, almond butter, and Greek yogurt can help give your muscles the vitamins and minerals they need to work at their best.
Plus, drinking smoothies that are full of nutrients may help prevent muscle cramps by keeping your body hydrated and fed.
Sardines
Sardines may be small, but they pack a big nutritional punch.
These small fish have a lot of calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, vitamin D, and magnesium, all of which may help prevent and treat muscle cramps.
They also have a lot of selenium, which is a mineral that helps muscles work. Low levels of selenium can make your muscles weak or cause other problems, so it’s important to eat enough selenium-rich foods like sardines.
Things You Should Consider
Muscle cramps are a painful sign that many people experience.
Luckily, eating foods that are high in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients may help prevent and treat muscle cramps.
If you get muscle cramps often, try adding some of these foods and drinks to your diet to get natural relief.
If your symptoms don’t get better or get worse, you should talk to your nearest doctor about possible causes.
