Chocolate Milk: Your New Recovery Drink
Because what kindergarteners have known for ages, research now proves: chocolate milk not only tastes good, it’s the perfect way to replenish your body after a tough day on the playground (whether your playground consists of see-saws or free weights).
Two recent studies at the University of Texas at Austin found that compared to other recovery drinks, chocolate milk drinkers had twice the improvement in maximal oxygen uptake after four and a half weeks of cycling, which included intense exercise five days a week, with each exercise session followed by one of the three recovery beverages. Maximal oxygen uptake is one indicator of an athlete’s aerobic endurance and ability to perform sustained exercise.
Chocolate milk drinkers also built more muscle and shed more fat while training.
The researchers still aren’t sure what it is that makes chocolate milk ideal for recovery, but suspect it may be the naturally-occurring protein and carbohydrate mix.
But even if we don’t know for sure why it’s good, it looks like, for now, all signs point to: drink up!
What’s your favorite recovery drink?
