The banya experience is not only about relaxation but also about nourishing the body from within. From rehydrating with electrolyte-rich foods, to enjoying a glass of amazing herbal tea, the culinary aspect of the banya is an important aspect of your visit and complements the therapeutic benefits perfectly.
But this aspect of Russian sauna culture does raise a few questions. Is it better to eat before or after sauna visits? What foods are best to eat? Do you need special drinks or is water enough?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the importance of eating before or after the sauna, how to rehydrate andreplenish your body effectively, and what foods and beverages to enjoy for optimal post-banya nourishment.
Eat Before or After Sauna?
Timing your meals around your sauna session can enhance the benefits of both experiences. While some prefer to eat before to fuel their bodies for the heat, most people find that eating before can disrupt the banya experience. If you do eat before your visit, then be sure to do it well in advance, not just before.
Ideally, if you have eaten a full meal, you will want to wait at least two hours before your Russian sauna visit. Digestion involves an increase in blood supply to the stomach. A banya experience and a visit to the steam room draws blood away from core areas and brings it to the skin surface. Too soon after a meal, and this sudden rush can leave you feeling a little dizzy and disorientated. Elderly visitors particularly need to exercise caution with this.
So if you are planning to eat before your visit, do it ahead of time, and stick to something lighter, such as vegetable-based meals, fruit salad, or seafood. Avoid heavier meals including meats, smoked foods, sweets etc.
For this reason, most banya users prefer to eat well and drink well after their treatments, as a part of the relaxation experience. Rather than rush off after a banya visit, when your body has relaxed and unwound from the tensions and stresses of day to day life, take some time to spend in the rest and relaxation lounge, as it is the perfect way to end your visit.
Eating and drinking at the end of your session is also a perfect way to rehydrate and replace the missing electrolytes and minerals in the body. And as well as replacing nutrients, it’s a chance to recharge and replace your energy levels, as well as how to hydrate quickly.
Taking the time to make a meal part of your banya experience will allow you to leave feeling fully recharged and refreshed, which is why, traditionally, food and drink has always been an important element of the Russian saunaexperience.
Rehydration and Refuelling – The Key to Banya Wellness
Rehydration is essential after a banya experience – especially if you’ve sweated profusely. To hydrate quickly and effectively, you can opt for beverages rich in electrolytes. Herbal teas, and fermented drinks, such as kvass, draught kvass, and mors (especially cranberry mors) are excellent choices. These beverages not only replenish fluids but also help to restore your electrolyte balance, ensuring that your body regains its hydration and is re-energised. And these types of drinks are how to rehydrate fast, when you need to.
For example, cranberry mors is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, and vitamins B, C and P(also known as Flavonoids).
At Banya No.1, we have a selection of amazing herbal tea. Try the Herbal tea Banya No.1 blend (with linden, thyme, mint, and chamomile) on your next visit.
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Herbal Tea: A Special Blend of Banya Bliss
After indulging in the heat of the sauna, winding down with a cup of herbal tea is the perfect way to complete your banya experience. Banya No.1 blend, featuring linden, thyme, mint, and chamomile, offers a soothing and aromatic combination that calms the mind and relaxes the body. Sip slowly and savor the moment as you bask in the tranquility of the spa relaxation lounge.
Foods High in Electrolytes: How to Replenishing Your Body
In addition to drinking after your banya experience, you should also try to eat some electrolyte rich foods as soon as possible. A Russia sauna is excellent for both the body and mind, but part of the treatment is the removal of toxins and other elements. Some of these need replacing and food and drink are how you do this, and ideally straight away.
Pickled vegetables are amazingly high in many of the essential nutrients you need to replace after a banya, and some of the best foods to look for are:
- Pickled gherkins
- Pickled vegetables
- Pickled tomatoes
- Pickled mushrooms
- Pickled cabbage
- Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage)
All these are very rich in electrolytes and probiotics, help to support gut health and improve your overall well-being. Sauerkraut, for example, is packed with beneficial bacteria and vitamins, making it an ideal post-banya snack.
Superfoods for Gut Health: Enhancing Wellness
Superfoods like pickled vegetables and fermented foods are not only delicious and help to replace essential electrolytes and milernals, but they also promote good gut health. Their probiotic properties support digestion and boost your immune system, which makes them perfect additions to your post-banya diet. Experiment with different varieties of pickled vegetables and fermented foods to find your favorites and enjoy the benefits they offer.
Fermented Food and Fermented Drink
Fermented food and fermented drink includes such delights as sauerkraut, pickles, kombucha, kefir and much more. These are excellent for gut health, as many contain “good” bacteria that have a probiotic effect. These can boost and support you after a Russian sauna session and help to replenish the electrolytes and minerals that you may have lost during your banya experience. Draught kvass – a Russian fermented low-alcohol drink usually made from bread – is one to definitely try!
Kvass is also a great drink to have before your sauna, as it will help with the deep-cleansing process that you are about to experience. Herbal tea, still mineral water and even fruit juice are good alternatives, but drink them at room temperature, not chilled.
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Making the most of your Banya Experience – A Spa Day with Lunch
A Russian sauna is not just about the steam room and plunge pool – it is a whole body experience – and that includes your insides! And relaxing after banya with some good drink and great food is all a part of that experience.
It is even better when shared with friends or family!
A spa day with lunch is a perfect banya experience – so don’t just think of the Russian banya as you would another sauna – plan a visit and plan it around a relaxed meal to be enjoyed as a part of your day.
Spa Day for Two with Treatments and Lunch
For the ultimate banya experience, treat yourself and a loved one to a spa day for two with treatments and lunch. Much more than just a lunch date, a Russian spa session for you together is a unique experience, quite unlike any other, that can be enjoyed as a couple.
Immserse yourselves in perfect pampering; relax in the Russian sauna, experience the Parenie, and then enjoy a massage and even one ot two other treatments while you are there. Taking time out together as a couple, away from the fast-track of everyday life, is a great way to enjoy some down time together.
And you don’t have to miss out on the lunch date either! After all the pampering, enjoy some more stress-free time together in your own private booth in our rest and relaxation lounge. Sample some amazing food and drink while you relax, replenish and rehydrate together in comfort. It’s the perfect ending to a perfect date!
And if you include the relaxing lunch as a part of your treatment, then you will emerge feeling rejuvenated, refreshed, and deeply nourished.
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Final Thoughts on Why You Should Eat and Drink After Your Banya Session
Eating and drinking in the banya rest and relaxation lounge is not just about satisfying a hunger or thirst; it’s about nourishing the body, and doing everything that you can to enhance the overall wellness experience.
From rehydrating with electrolyte-rich beverages to enjoying pickled vegetables and herbal teas, every culinary choice contributes to your post-banya experience recovery and relaxation.
Additionally – as we always say – banya is ultimately a social experience, to be enjoyed with family and friends, and breaking bread (sharing a meal) together is as important as a social experience as it is for physical nourishment.
Taking some time out to simply sit, eat, drink and talk with those who are important to us is something that we should always prioritise – yet with our busy lives we rarely manage it. So whilst you have already taken some down-time to share together, having a meal after your banya visit is a natural extension to this, and takes advantage of the moment already set aside.
Whether you prefer to eat before or after sauna, make sure that you prioritise foods and beverages that help your body hydrate, replenishment, and gut health. By incorporating these nourishing practices into your banya routine, you will elevate your spa experience and leave feeling truly revitalised both inside and out.
