Nuun Recover review summary: It’s a powdered sports drink mix that comes in a 17 g sachet and delivers 50 calories. It packs 54 mg of sodium, 250 mg of potassium, 600 mg of BCAAs, and 5 g of L-glutamine to assist in rehydration, muscle repair, and immune system support post-exercise. It also contains 6 g of protein and 5 g of carbohydrates for a more balanced nutritional profile.
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Nuun (pronounced “noon”) specializes in sports nutrition for hydration, including powdered mixes and effervescent tablets for daily consumption and pre-, mid-, and post-exercise.
The brand is very active on social media, sponsoring athletes and partnering with influencers, so it’s exciting to finally get to test drive some of its products.
Nuun Recover is a post-workout sports drink mix that contains branded chain amino acids (BCAA), electrolytes, and modest amounts of carbohydrates and protein.
Here’s a review of Nuun Recover after using it to recover from a 22 km trail run.
What is Nuun Recovery? Marketing highlights
- The brand’s product strategy is simple – provide electrolyte-packed sports drinks that are not overly sugary.
- And the message of Nuun Recovery’s webpage isn’t complicated either – a sports drink mix that promotes muscle repair, rehydration, and immune system support.
- Contains L-glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the human body, and is essential for countless bodily functions.
What are the ingredients and nutritional facts of Nuun Recover?
Nuun Recover comes in a 17 g sachet and delivers 50 calories, 6 g of protein, and 5 g of carbohydrates, of which 4 g are from sugar.
In addition to modest amounts of the two macro-nutrients, Nuun Recover provides 154 mg of sodium, 250 mg of potassium, 600 mg of BCAAs, and 5 g of L-glutamine.
The ingredient list on the website is incomplete. Please refer to “Supplement Facts” for the rest of the ingredients.
With protein and carbohydrates included to complement the electrolytes and BCAAs, Nuun Recovery offers a more well-rounded recovery tool.
What are the taste and consistency of Nuun Recover?
The sports nutrition maker recommends mixing one serving (17 g) of Nuun Recover with 450-500 ml of water. The consistency is no different from water if you follow the instruction.
It comes in one flavor – Blackberry Lemon. The sweetness is mild, and the taste is quite artificial. It’s palatable but doesn’t necessarily taste like blackberry or lemon.
How is the packaging of Nuun Recover?
Nuun Recover comes in a standard sachet and that rips open easily. It’s also fairly compact. Bring one in your workout bag to make a sports drink immediately after your run or other forms of exercise.
When should you drink Nuun Recover?
As the name suggests, Nuun Recover is designed for post-exercise. However, I’ve used it as a mid-run sports drink as well. It has electrolytes to help you stay hydrated, a BCAA blend that helps delay muscle fatigue, and a little sugar – all good things to keep your legs moving swiftly.
One issue is the protein content. Some studies claim that proteins are more difficult to process, requiring your body to divert oxygen-rich blood to the digestive system. Potential drawbacks are less oxygen for your muscles during workouts and stomach stress.
Personally, I didn’t notice any issue with consuming protein through Nuun Recover when using the sports drink mid-run.
Did Nuun Recover help you recover?
I drank 500 ml of Nuun Recover within 15 minutes to recover from a 22 km trail run, during which we also tested another sports drink.
Many elements go into proper recovery. Supplements don’t even make my top three most important things. Sleep, a healthy diet, easy/rest days, and a stretching/mobility routine are more important in my book.
That said, sports drinks like Nuun Recovery are still useful, particularly for serious athletes running high mileage or after big efforts. It is also a convenient option when preparing a proper meal isn’t possible after exercise.
Here are my takeaways:
- It didn’t taste great, but it wasn’t horrible, either. After a 2+ hour run, I wanted something tastier, but I was still in the wild and a 40-minute drive from civilization. Nuun Recover came in handy, allowing me to replace electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein quickly.
- The results of recovery supplementation are never instant or apparent. I felt fine the next day. But I also ate a healthy lunch and dinner and slept eight hours. As I said, a lot goes into recovery.
- On paper, Nuun Recover has all the goods. It included carbohydrates and protein along with L-glutamine, BCAAS, sodium, and potassium. I believe its balanced nutritional profile contributed to my bouncing back the next day, however subtle the benefits may have been.
- Nuun Recover provides ample electrolytes but only 6 g of protein and 5 g of carbohydrates. I recommend pairing it with other protein- and carbohydrate-rich foods or sports nutrition.
- The rule of thumb is to consume 20-30 g of protein within 30-45 minutes post-workout and eat a snack or meal with a 2:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio.
Conclusion
Nuun Recover is a powdered sports drink mix that comes in a 17 g sachet and delivers 50 calories. It packs 54 mg of sodium, 250 mg of potassium, 600 mg of BCAAs, and 5 g of L-glutamine to assist in rehydration, muscle repair, and immune system support post-exercise.
It also contains 6 g of protein and 5 g of carbohydrates, of which 4 g are from sugar, to make up a more well-rounded nutritional profile. The company recommends mixing Nuun Recover with 450-500 ml.
Nuun Recover’s taste is palatable, not overly sweet, and with an artificial fruity flavor (it doesn’t taste like blackberry or lemon).
Although designed for recovery, Nuun Recovery can be consumed mid-run as well. Despite its protein content, I experienced no gastrointestinal stress using it in this manner.
