You’ve just finished a tough workout, and it’s time for your muscles – and your body – to recover. If you worked out a lot, you used up your muscle glycogen stores, fat and even destroyed some muscle if you trained for a long time. Not only that – you’ve also lost critical electrolytes like sodium, chloride and potassium. In order to recover, some people resort to sports drinks to replenish all the important carbs, protein, and electrolytes. But are these expensive drinks the best choice when it comes to sports recovery drinks? You may be surprised at the answer.
Once you’re done, keep the sports drinks handy and reach for a glass of chocolate milk. A study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism shows that milk is as effective as a sports recovery drink. like Gatorade to replenish fuel stores and replace electrolytes after exercise. They tried this on the riders by giving them either a gym recovery drink, Gatorade, or low-fat milk after they’d been rolling for four hours. When they cycled repeatedly, the group that drank full-fat milk could cycle fifty percent longer. who drank sports-recovered beverages – and for the same amount of time as those who drank Gatorade.
There are many benefits to using low-fat dairy as an exercise recovery drink. Not only does the carbohydrate-replacement system rival that of the recovery drink for athletes, but it’s also a good source of calcium that many people don’t get enough of. Chocolate is also a good source of flavonoids – natural antioxidant compounds that help repair free radical damage that occurs with high-intensity or long-term exercise. On top of that, it also contains vitamin D – which up to seventy-five percent of Americans are deficient in. in. Chocolate milk is also much less expensive than most sports recovery drinks, which is a big help if you’re on a budget.
The only real drawback to using low-fat dairy milk as an exercise recovery drink is the lactose it contains. Many people have digestive problems lactose found in milk. Since lactose isn’t broken down properly, intestinal bacteria have a field day with it, causing bloating, cramping, and loose stools—symptoms most people can live without. If you have problems digesting lactose, look for lactose free milk chocolate that is now available in many grocery stores.
Is it the only line? Skip the following sports expensive recovery drinks and taste the low-fat milk chocolate after exercise. It tastes good – and it’s better for you after a hard workout.
Notes:
Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2009 Feb; 34 (1): 78-82.
