Chocolate Milk’s Not Just for Kids

When you think post-workout drinks, you probably consider Gatorade, POWERade, Vitamin Water, coconut water, or certainly water itself. These drinks contain electrolytes and help but back in what you sweated out, sure. But according to Joel Stager, exercise physiologist and Director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Indiana University Bloomington, you might also want to consider chocolate milk! And it makes sense, since milk contains protein and protein is vital nutrient in muscle recovery.

Stager tested chocolate milk’s performance as a workout recovery beverage on nine cyclists. In his experiment, each cyclist biked until exhaustion and then rested for four hours. During this resting period, each cyclist drank low-fat chocolate milk, Gatoriade, or Endurox R4, a high-carb sports drink. Each cyclist then cycled until exhaustion once more. Upon the conclusion of the experiment, Stager and his research team noted that the cyclists who had consumed the chocolate milk performed as well if not better than the others. Ultimately, the team found that the ratio of protein to carbs in the chocolate milk lends itself well to being an ideal and highly effective post-workout recovery drink for endurance athletes.

So what is this ratio and what exactly is in chocolate milk that makes it so effective? The ideal range of protein: carbs can range from 3:1 to 4:1, depending on the athlete. And when comparing chocolate milk to regular milk or a sports drink like Gatorade, chocolate milk has double the proteins and carbohydrates. It also has calcium, sodium (an electrolyte), and sugar, all of which are beneficial for endurance athletes.

Dr. John Ivy at the University of Texas also tested chocolate milk. His experiment confirmed Stager’s findings. In comparing chocolate milk to other sports drinks, Ivy’s subjects demonstrated that those who drank chocolate milk had better body composition (i.e., more muscles and less body fat), as well as better maximal oxygen intake than those who drank other sports drinks.

Time Magazine also weighed in on the subject earlier this year. In an article published March 8, 2012, author Aylin Zafar describes a study from three universities that was published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. The study showed that subjects who drank fat-free chocolate milk after a difficult run were able to run 23% longer than those who drank sports drinks.

Findings aside, I want to stress that chocolate milk isn’t for the recreational tennis player or helpful after a quick jog. Chocolate milk is best after difficult and long, endurance-necessary workouts that involve constant, sustained movement. Athletes who participate in sports with such requirements require themselves increased levels of calories, carbs, and protein to sustain their performance. So for those of you who fit this description, think about putting down the POWERade and picking up a nice, refreshing (and yummy!) glass of chocolate milk!

And to all of you, Happy Holidays!