Formulating for energy and recovery meets two of the important needs for sports enthusiasts as well as for the casual exerciser. But the foods and beverages marketed for this niche also have proven to be highly attractive to the average Jane or Joe burning the candle at both ends without working up a sweat in the gym.
Post-workout recovery involves the three Rs: Rehydrate, Refuel and Rebuild. Rehydration has typically involved sports drinks, though research has opened the door to positioning other beverages as optimal choices during this period. Refueling means carbohydrates— a vital part of a post-workout plan for anyone exercising hard every day or more than once per day. Rebuilding is done with high-quality proteins. Although whey took the lead here for years, plant proteins are growing in popularity and presenting a greater opportunity for product differentiation.