As a registered dietitian, I get asked all the time, “What’s the best way to recover post-workout?” How you choose to refill your body’s tank after your last workout or team practice could have a huge effect on how well you perform at the next one.
You might be shocked to find the best way to recover isn’t an expensive supplement or sports drink; it’s actually an 8-ounce glass of chocolate milk. Here are the top three reasons why:
- Rehydrate: Chocolate milk helps you rehydrate. Made of almost 90 percent water, nature’s sports drink also has the electrolytes you need after breaking a sweat during your exercise routine.
- Repair: Chocolate milk helps you repair your muscles. With 8 grams of high-quality protein in every glass, you can build lean muscles. Not only is it a good source of protein, there are two different kinds: casein and whey. One is absorbed slowly, the other quickly – so one glass of milk provides both short-term and long-term benefits to your muscles.
- Replenish: Chocolate milk helps replenish muscles. When you exercise, you use energy in the form of stored carbohydrates called glucose. If you don’t put more carbs back into the muscle after prolonged exercise, you might not have the energy to push harder during your next workout. The small amount of added sugar in chocolate milk achieves the perfect carbs-to-protein ratio to accomplish this.
For the best results, drink that glass of chocolate milk within 30 minutes after your workout. And to make sure you’re hitting all four hydration points during your day, check out this handy hydration graphic.
Press Release: Chocolate Milk Outperforms Sports Drink in Strength Test with Teen Athletes
