Cramps occur due to a rapid and painful contraction of a muscle and usually arise due to lack of water in the muscle or due to the practice of intense physical exercise. This problem in most cases does not require medical treatment and can be avoided through the consumption of various foods that prevent and cure cramps.
Brown rice, parsnips, beer yeast, peanuts and oats are foods that heal the cramp because they are rich in Thiamine, a vitamin that is able to prevent the onset of muscle pain. In addition, it is important to eat foods rich in magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium in a balanced way, to ensure optimal muscle contraction and decrease the incidence of cramps.
Table of what to eat to stop cramps
In the table below are examples of foods that one should eat to improve the quality of the nerve impulse that leads to muscle contraction. These should be consumed in a balanced way, to ensure a better absorption of the nutrients:
| Foods rich in potassium | Raw or roasted peanuts, hazelnuts, avocados, carrots, black tea, beans, nescafé powder |
| Foods rich in calcium | Milk and its derivatives, broccoli, fish meal, cereal flakes, cane syrup, lupins |
| Sodium-rich foods | Seaweed, olive, dried meat, broth, skimmed milk powder, mortadella, ham, avocado, smoked turkey breast |
| Foods rich in magnesium | Almond, Hazelnut, Parsnips, Chickpeas, Soybeans, Wheat Germ, Peanuts |
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day also helps to eliminate cramps, as one of the biggest causes of its occurrence is dehydration.
Performing a blood test is an excellent method to make sure that cramps are due to anemia. So if it is the case, doing iron supplementation is recommended. Likewise, it is recommended to consume more iron-rich foods like red meats, for example.
Menu to fight cramps
A good way to fight cramps naturally is to add these foods to your day-to-day life. The following is an example of a menu that can serve as an inspiration:
- Breakfast: 1 glass of orange juice, 1 whole wheat bread with 1 slice of cheese and 1 slice of smoked turkey breast
- Collation: 2 Brazil nuts, 3 water and salt biscuits, black tea sweetened with sugarcane molasses
- Lunch: 3 tablespoons brown rice with broccoli, 1 bean ladle, 1 grilled turkey steak, green salad with olive
- Snack: banana vitamin with beaten almond,
- Dinner: vegetable soup made with carrot, zucchini, onion and shredded chicken and then add 1 tablespoon of wheat germ, already in the dish
- Supper: 1 natural yogurt with chopped peanuts
A good way to consume these foods is to always check in each row of the table above which food you can add to each of the meals of the day.
