Recent research shows that drinking chocolate milk helps athletes recover from strenuous exercise just as good as sports drinks like Gatorade. The findings help dispell the idea that high-tech supplements are better than whole foods when it comes to athletic performance. Sports drinks do a great job of providing carbs, fluids and electrolytes that athletes lose through sweat. Chocolate milk does that too, but it also has protein that researchers say helps speed-up muscle recovery time. Researcher, Joel Stager, Ph.D. of Indiana University says that chocolate milk has an optimal ratio of carbohydrates to protein to help refuel tired muscles. In addition to the protein, milk also provides calcium and Vitamin D which are key in building strong bones.
And if that's not enough to get you to down a glass of chocolate milk after your next run, keep in mind that Michael Phelps drank chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast in between races during the 2004 Olympics. Check out the video clip below about Michael Phelps in the 2008 Olympics. He's using a more high-tech recovery drink, but Men's Health Magazine mentions that you can get basically the same benefits from 1% chocolate milk.
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