The best recovery drinks, bars and supplements for runners

If you're put off by the thought of an overly sweet, milkshake-style recovery drink, Veloforte is for you. One of our testers described it as having a 'taste and texture similar to a homemade chocolate and banana smoothie', with a very natural flavour and thicker consistency.

You get 13g complete plant protein from pea, brown rice and pumpkin, as well as 40g of natural carbohydrates - providing the ideal 3:1 recovery ratio. If you need to increase the protein value, you can always mix it with some milk too. And the best part? It's free from additives, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colourings and flavourings.

Choose from a single serve sachet (3, 12 or 24) or a larger 10 serving pounch. We found the sachets really convenient for putting in our post-race bag along with a protein shaker, so we could mix it straight up after.

Infinit’s easy-drinking shakes blend fast-absorbing carbs with three protein sources, BCAAs and glutamine to replenish muscle glycogen quickly and deliver sustained recovery. The mix of maltodextrin, glucose, sucrose and fructose speeds energy uptake, while whey, casein, and soy proteins support muscle repair. Flavoured naturally with real chocolate and vanilla, the taste was standout, with one tester admitting to liking the vanilla so much they downed it on non-run days too.

If there’s a tastier way to get a 12g hit of protein than these pocketable fudge bars, we’re yet to find it. The salted caramel flavour is ‘greedily moreish’, the soft texture is close to normal fudge. An excellent change to the many dense, powdery protein bars out there. The segments make it easy to break chunks off, but who are we kidding, this went down in one. ‘Protein in treat form’, said one tester.

We wouldn’t eat these mega-sweet, Snickers-esque bars after every run, but the RW test team liked them as a tasty go-to when you need something a bit more substantial in your belly than a shake. Each chunky 45g bar delivers a 14g hit of protein. It’s a happy mix of crunchy, chocolatey and chewy. The fudge brownie and almond coconut flavours hit the spot, too.

Iron levels are important for optimal running performance. Iron helps to transport oxygen around the body. Lower levels may be more likely in females who have heavy menstrual cycles or runners with a tendency to under-fuel, creating low energy availability. If that’s you, popping just one of these tiny, easy-to-swallow pills tops up with 100% of your recommended daily iron.

Blended into a smoothie, this super green powder is a simple and unexpectedly tasty way to get a big hit of nutrients without having to eat your bodyweight in veg. It’s packed with alkalising wheatgrass, barley grass, chlorella, spirulina, kale, spinach, broccoli for immune support. The notable hit of cinnamon stops it tasting like you’re chewing grass.

Quick to make and easy to consume, this particular recovery drink from protein works ticks lots of boxes. Featuring 25g of protein per shake, electrolytes to help restore minerals lost through sweating, plus carbohydrates to help your body recover faster, the all-in-one recovery drink has good mixability and a smooth, creamy chocolate taste.

We prefer mixing our recovery shakes with milk rather than water because a) it tastes way better and b) milk offers added protein and calories – which are both essential for recovery.