After a steamy and regenerative sauna session, you might feel that your body feels lighter, warmer, and deeply refreshed. But as we all know, everyone sweats a lot in a sauna, this means that usually whoever finishes a sauna session, one loses fluids, minerals, and a great amount of energy. One important to do after sauna sessions are snacks and drinks! Eating specific food can greatly help in boosting recovery, replenishing nutrients, and even enhance the relaxing events of the session. Whether you are a foodie or not, the right snacks shall complete your sauna into a full wellness and recovery ritual.
Hydration comes first! Saunas make you sweat a lot so before thinking about food, think about hydrating yourself. The best choices for post-sauna drinks are:
- Water
- Electrolyte drinks
- Coconut water
- Herbal tea
Mineral replacement helps prevent fatigue, headaches, and muscle soreness. Sometimes Finns like to enjoy a cold water or berry juice after stepping out.
After heating up the body, light snacks are usually great for replenishing through solid food. Its good to have snacks to recover while not overwhelming the stomach. Some of the options include:
- Fresh Berries
- Cucumbers or Carrot sticks
- Watermelon or Orange Wedges
- Greek Yogurt ( possibly with honey)
- Fruit Smoothies
- Banana
- Boiled eggs
- Protein shakes
- Cheese cubes
- Nuts and seeds
Usually food with vitamins, antioxidants, and a bit of natural sugar to restore energy. Moreover, the ones with protein can also help stabilize blood sugar and keep you grounded after the heat sessions.
From a more traditional perspective, some snacks mainly from Finland, and neighboring countries usually enjoy the following:
- Korvapuusti (Cinnamon Buns) and Coffee
- Grilled Makkara (Sausage)
- Rye Bread with Butter and Cheese
- Pickles for body salt replacement
Getting that nostalgic feeling from both the sauna session and snacks will definitely help in regenerating one’s soul, especially if enjoyed with people we love.
More than just eating, post-sauna snacks are what help us gain what we lost in the process of the sessions. Replacing what is lost, regenerating the body as a whole. It may be a very healthy snack to aid the body or a very traditional snack to make the soul happy. Either way, your body will thank you.
