There has been a constant battle between which foods are the right foods to eat after a long, hard workout. Honestly, I strongly believe that it depends on the type of exercise you are doing. Weight lifting is an anaerobic exercise, which means it is done with little or no use of oxygen. Jogging is an aerobic exercise, which requires the muscles and body to use oxygen.
So, according to the latest news about which foods are most beneficial after exercising, protein takes the cake. I honestly recommend eating within 15 to 30 minutes of working out and intaking a combination of the two depending on the type and intensity level of the workout.
After weight training, I recommend intaking more protein than carbs and vis-versa with prolonged running. The body needs both after long bouts of exercise to help replenish (carbs), rebuild (protein), and repair (protein) what was lost and broken down.
See Matt’s Top 10 Post-Workout Snacks.