I know, you saw the title and you’re expecting to read about steroids. Sorry to disappoint! This article is about fruit juice, specifically cranberry juice and tart cherry juice taken right after a workout.

I want you to go back to the mid-90s when creatine hit the market. Remember EAS Phosphagen? Back in the day, you were told to take creatine with a high-glycemic drink to help shuttle it into the muscle cell (although later we found out that sodium was the primary vehicle). The drink of choice was grape juice.

Although it’s still popular to mix creatine with grape juice, cranberry juice is a better option. Not only does it have a higher glycemic rating than grape juice, it brings along some other unique benefits. Everyone knows that cranberry juice is good for the urinary tract, but it’s also an excellent source of iodine that will help fire up your thyroid.

In Mass Explosion, I explain how creatine should be cycled for best results. During a creatine cycle, take it post-workout with cranberry juice (don’t forget to add salt). And when you’re not taking creatine, use tart cherry juice, which has been shown to reduce delayed onset of muscle soreness (known as DOMS).

Take-Home Message: If your goal is to gain size, have orange juice first thing in the morning, beetroot juice before you train, coconut water while you train, and then cycle between phases of cranberry juice and tart cherry juice after your workouts.