Photo courtesy of Robb McCormick
If you think chocolate milk is just for kids, think again. This classic is making a comeback as a go-to snack after a long workout.
“Chocolate milk has now become the new Gatorade for post-workouts,” says Molly Linek, a New Albany nutrition and wellness consultant.
Linek has spent 20 years working in the health industry as a nutritionist and coordinator for public health programs. She has also developed a passion for sports nutrition and gained her certification through the American Dietetic Association.
As long as the workout is vigorous – she recommends a minimum of 60 minutes of biking, running or another activity that will cause you to break a sweat – chocolate milk can be a beneficial and delicious reward. Linek refers to chocolate milk as the ultimate snack after a vigorous workout for four important reasons.
It Helps With Muscle Recovery
Chocolate milk is chock full of the proteins your body needs after a long workout. Experts recommend a carbs-to-protein ratio between 2:1 and 4:1 for sports drinks and after-workout snacks. Milk meets this requirement. It contains a high level of whey protein, which helps muscles recover quickly.
“The quicker a muscle can repair itself, the better you are for the next day,” says Linek.
Other foods may boast high protein levels, but whey protein is only found in dairy products. Getting the right kind of protein – whey – is more important than getting a large amount, Linek says, since larger amounts do not equal more effective results.
“A lot of people take in more protein than necessary,” says Linek.
An 8 oz. glass of chocolate milk has eight grams of protein, which should be sufficient in most cases.
It Refuels the Body
While it may seem counterintuitive to take in sugar and carbohydrates after a workout, this is the time when it makes the most sense. Your body needs those simple sugars to gain back the energy expelled in a workout.
It Rehydrates the Body and Prevents Cramps
You may be tempted to reach for a bottle of water after that long run, but chocolate milk will rehydrate your body without giving you awful cramps.
“Research has shown that the fluid from chocolate milk is absorbed better than water,” says Linek.
The chemical composition of milk makes it absorb more quickly than water, which can sit in the gut and cause stomach cramps and even muscle pain.
Cows at Snowville Creamery's Pomeroy location. Photo courtesy of Anna Shields
It Gives You an Electrolyte Boost
Water alone doesn’t have the electrolytes that we lose from sweat; hence the popularity of sports drinks. Both regular and flavored milk contain four key electrolytes: potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium.
Chocolate milk also supplies almost a quarter of the daily recommended amount of phosphorus, which supports healthy bones, tissues and cells and reduces muscle pain after exercise. Linek says its B vitamins will “boost energy and decrease a sluggish feeling” after your workout. And of course, chocolate milk has plenty of calcium, which supports not only bone health but cardiac health.
How can you get the optimum benefit from your creamy reward? Linek recommends looking at the ingredients before you buy.
“Not all chocolate milks are the same,” she says. “You want the purest quality ingredients.”
Look for low-fat milk free of additives and artificial sweeteners. For the added bonus of antioxidants, look for chocolate milk made with actual cocoa.
Warren Taylor, owner of southeast Ohio dairy farm Snowville Creamery and self-proclaimed “dairy nerd,” says most commercially-produced chocolate milk is made from a combination of cocoa and artificial flavors.
“Our milk has no thickeners or stabilizers,” Taylor says. “We only use pure cocoa and our only sweetener is pure, organic, non-GMO can sugar.”
The 65-year-old athlete enjoys plenty of vigorous exercise himself. His favorite athletic activities include long distance running, swimming, bicycling and martial arts.
“But I don’t force myself to work out before I enjoy a glass of chocolate milk,” he says.
Katie Ellington is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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