When I was playing soccer back in high school, I’d sometimes wake up with really bad leg cramps during the night, most likely thanks to a rigorous training schedule that included two-hour practices each day after class and a bike ride home because I didn’t have a car. Upon asking around, I was surprised to find out just how many of my friends (both athletes and non-athletes) had also experienced these nighttime leg cramps at some point in their lives.
Everyone wanted to give advice, which ranged from the commonplace: Drink Gatorade to replace electrolytes. Eat extra bananas for potassium… to the really weird: Sleep with a bar of soap at the bottom of the bed. I adopted the peanut butter and banana sandwich as my new favorite lunch and made different flavors of banana milkshakes each night.
The leg cramps did go away, but I’m not sure if I can thank all the extra bananas…
It might have been the soap! 🙂
This cookies & cream Oreo milkshake is full of potassium, as well as calcium, Vitamin C, and fiber. It’s also easy to make. (I figured it’d be good to post an easy recipe after the complicated ice cream recipe of a few days ago.)
Healthy Oreo Milkshake
- 2/3 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 Oreos or Healthy Oreos
- 1 medium frozen banana (140g) (See instructions below for a banana-free version)
- optional: sweetener of choice, to taste
- optional: 1 scoop protein powder
Blend all ingredients, except cookies, until completely smooth. Add the cookies, and pulse quickly until broken up. Pour into a glass, top with Vegan Cool Whip if desired, and serve. (Banana-free version: omit banana and use 1/2 cup Mori-Nu tofu or Thai coconut meat. Also add 1/8 tsp salt and 1-2 tbsp sweetener of choice. Increase vanilla to 1/2 tsp.)
View Oreo Milkshake Nutrition Facts
Question of the Day: Have you ever gotten nighttime leg cramps?
Do you have any tricks on how to get rid of them? If you ever do get them, you really should try the soap thing. I swear, it works! Another thing that works is standing on a cold floor until the pain goes away. And banana milkshakes… milkshakes make everything better.
Link of the Day: Starbucks-Inspired Cookie Dough Lattes
I got a TERRIBLE leg cramp in my left leg the other night. I loathe when they’re so bad that they wake you up and you have to get up and try to stretch it out. Ouch! 😛
P.s. This recipe sounds really great! 😀
How funny! For the past week I have been experiencing a quite bothersome leg cramp in my left calf! I plan to start eating sweet potatoes every day to boost my potassium and get rid of the cramp.
Hi, if your getting weird cramps in your calf, maybe speak to a doctor as they can be consistant with blood clots.
I’ve been experiencing leg cramps for ages but since I’ve been using a foam roller for about 15 minutes after my workouts, they’ve been almost entirely eliminated. I’d still drink a “milk”shake just as a precaution.
I put my leg on a pillow and that sort of works.
This sounds nice, but I’d have to sub cocoa powder for the cookies, add protein powder, & use a small banana or tofu to get it (possibly) into my range of calories for snacks.
I’ve had the leg/foot cramps problem for years, and there was a time when I tried eating more bananas, to no avail. I’ve been trying to figure out why I get them currently, and I think it’s when I do stuff that uses my muscles in an unusual way, like walking on sand or scrambling around on large rocks. The only real solution I’ve found is to stand on them, and sometimes to sit up in a chair for a while to give my leg or foot time to relax. I might just have to try the soap thing, since I know bananas don’t work for me (and my electrolyte levels test out normal). 🙂
I eat a few bananas everyday and still get painful calf cramps multiple times every month. I’ve been told it can be from lack of exercise, too much exercise, dehydration, not enough potassium, etc. I also read that it could be from a lack of magnesium so I’ve been taking a magnesium supplement every night and I swear I haven’t had any charlie horses since.
As far as your oreos… Have you had anyone comment back with using almond flour or maybe a combination with another grain-free flour like coconut? I looked through the comments, but there are so many so I might have missed one 🙂
I love drinks like this in the summer; they are very refreshing on a hot day. How do you think this would turn out with the new Watermelon Oreos? 😛
Might be just the thing to use up the last of the frozen bananas I’ve been ordered to get rid of…
I only get cramps on days I eat badly. So it’s a little extra incentive to not do that 🙂
I’ve been reading your blog for so long now, I’ve just never commented. I love your recipes and I come here often for dessert inspiration. Thanks for making the best part of the day healthy! 😉
This milkshake looks MOUTHWATERING!!! (At least my mouth was watering!!)
I used to get leg cramps ALL THE TIME at night. I would wake up nearing screaming, and try to jump out of bed in attempt to stand up, as that usually relieved the pain. Sometimes it didn’t work though, and I ended up on the floor!! I’ll try the soap idea, though!!