Milk does a body good.
A group of scientists at Indiana University discovered that one of the most effective drinks to help athletes recover after exercise is chocolate milk!
The chocolate milk research, published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, was supported in part by the Indiana Dairy and Nutrition Council.
Nine fit athletes were asked to work out strenuously on a stationery bicycle, then drink low-fat chocolate milk, a fluid-replacement drink such as Gatorade and a carbohydrate replacement drink such as Endurox R4. A few hours later, they were asked to cycle again until they reached exhaustion.
The test was performed once with each kind of drink, and the data showed that the cyclists were able to go between 49 and 54 percent longer on the second stint after drinking chocolate milk than when they drank the carbohydrate drink.
"My way of explaining it is, there's really nothing magic about the powder in a can that you mix with water," cycling coach Scott Saifer said of the carbohydrate drink. "It's water, carbs, proteins, maybe minerals and electrolytes. What's in chocolate milk? The same thing. There's no reason it shouldn't be as good for recovery as a carb drink."
Gene posts the recipe for his "best ever bike ride recovery drink" at Biking Bis. He also points to Tim Grahl's experiment with a slightly unappetizing concoction involving tea, salt, and lemon juice.
Me, I'll stick to the powders that come in a can.
Read more about this breakthrough sports drink here.
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Animal milk leeches calcium from the body, thus accelerating osteoporosis, which hardcore cyclists already have reason to be concerned about as it is. Not to mention it has many other correlations in the world of disease, which Harvard also backs up here. When you consider the other ethical reasons to avoid milk, it seems pretty obvious that this is not the best choice.
ReplyDeleteeLoad and eMend from Medion are handsdown the very best products I have used in 25 years.
ReplyDeleteFor the reasons BFW mentions, and because many of us have a hard time handling lactose, chocolate soy milk is supposed to be just as good.
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