Chocolate Milk - Recovery Drink

[SnappyPix]

Sorry if this has been asked before.
I'm interested in trying chocolate milk as a recovery drink, but can't actually stand the taste of anything chocolately (except chocolate!). Does anyone know if strawberry flavoured milk has the same benefits?
Also - does it matter whether the drink is half fat, full fat, etc?

Would prefer to try the more healthier versions of flavoured milk out there, especially the ones not awash with additives and preservatives.

Any info would be appreciated. :)

[mimitabby]

my DH drinks chocolate milk on a long bike ride, but it isn't his ONLY drink. He also drinks fancy electrolyte drinks, water, and ensure. after a while you get sick of any one thing...

[Fredwina]

do you have something like the "Nutrution Facts" labels that are required here in the US? They bascially tell you the Calories in a Food, %from fat, carbs, and protiens, and any vitaman/mineral info. That should tell you if Choco and Strawberry milk are equals Re:recovery

[Thorn]

But isn't there something about the anti-oxidant properties of chocolate that also play into it? Or is it really just the protein and sugar values?

Personally, because I tend to believe that the only form of chocolate is in the solid, dark chocolate, I've learned to justify milk chai (iced or hot depending on the weather) instead of chocolate milk after rides. Protein from the milk, sugar from the chai mix and all those good antioxidant properties of tea...and I'm sure that the spices are also good for me somehow.

[alpinerabbit]

Actually tea with milk is less effective than tea alone. Have a piece of chocolate some other time.

I just don't know how important it is to always, always live healthily....
I also like a beer after riding, and a glass of wine with my pasta when I refill the glycogen stores. Beer has been shown to be an excellent recovery aid.

[Thorn]

Actually tea with milk is less effective than tea alone.

Sniffle...snifffle...bummer....and I thought it was such a great justification for the chai!

Oh, well, then I guess I'll have to agree strongly with your statement, "I just don't know how important it is to always, always live healthily...."

P.S. I loved the quote site...

[Bklynmom]

I think the whole point of the Chocolate milk recovery drink is that it's an excuse to drink something you love. If you don't love chocolate milk, maybe there's something you do really like that fills the bill (or you could make it fit the bill :) ).

I personally love the taste of Endourox R4 , which I usually use. My family think it tastes awful, and that I have lost my mind, but after a tough ride it's delicious to me. I find it also completely brings my appetite back to normal (from ravenous) and I don't eat huge ammounts of food 2 hours after a ride.

Beer sounds good to me too - someone once suggested a shandy which is half beer half lemonade (may only taste good if you are in the UK). I find a beer after a ride makes me fall asleep almost immediately, which can be a good thing.

[ehirsch83]

the carb to protein ratio in chocolate milk is what you need as a recovery drink. I drink low fat chocolate milk( i alternate between chocolate milk and hammer recoverite). The carb:protein ratio in lowfat chocolate milk is about 3:1

[NJBikeGal]

My teammate SWEARS by chocolate soy milk. That's all she drinks after a race! Seems to work well for her. Not sure if strawberry would do the same thing....:rolleyes:

[anakiwa]

I've also heard that the protein to carbohydrate ratio in chocolate milk is the right number. (I'm not sure what level of milkfat this applies to, or how rigorous the science behind this is though.)

Personally, I love chocolate milk as a recovery drink after a really long run or ride (I don't do it after regular workouts). One of the local dairies here makes a really good organic chocolate milk- I can't imagine that any of those powdered recovery drinks would be anywhere near half as good.

[SnappyPix]

Thanks for your input, peeps. :)

I'll check out the nuitritional blurb of chocolate vs strawberry and see if any of the protein carb values are different.

I'm particularly liking the chocolate & beer system for post-ride recovery. That's what you said, right?! :rolleyes:

[sundial]

Hi Snappy, I love your avatar. :)

I ran across this article on WebMD and wanted to share it with you guys.

Chocolate Milk: The New Sports Drink?
Study Shows Chocolate Milk May Help Athletic Performance
By Richard Sine
WebMD Medical News
Feb. 24, 2006 -- During a 2004 Summer Olympics awash in controversies over steroids and supplements, one sportswriter wryly noticed that top American swimmer Michael Phelps was playing it safe -- he preferred to drink Carnation Instant Breakfast between races.

Now it appears that the six-time gold medalist may have been onto something. A new study shows that plain old chocolate milk may be as good -- or better -- than sports drinks like Gatorade at helping athletes recover from strenuous exercise.

The study, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, was small in scale; it was partially funded by the dairy industry. But dietitians say the study should help to counter the notion that high-tech, expensive supplements are better than whole foods when it comes to athletic performance. They also note that milk contains key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, in quantities that sports drinks can't match.

"[Milk] is a sports drink 'plus,'" Keith Ayoob, EdD, a registered dietitian and associate professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, tells WebMD. "It will supply you with things you need whether or not you're working out."

The study builds on findings that intense endurance exercise reduces the muscles' supply of stored glucose, or glycogen, a key source of fuel for exercise. To maximize glycogen replacement, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Dietetic Association recommend taking in a serving of carbohydrates within 30 minutes after a long and vigorous workout.

Milk vs. Sports Drinks
Common sports drinks such as Gatorade supply those carbs, as well as fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat. However, more recent research suggests that adding protein to the mix may further hasten recovery. Hence the new wave of drinks such as Endurox R4 that include protein as well as higher doses of carbs.

In the study, nine male cyclists rode until their muscles were depleted of energy, then rested four hours and biked again until exhaustion. During the rest period, the cyclists drank low-fat chocolate milk, Gatorade, or Endurox R4. During a second round of exercise, the cyclists who drank the chocolate milk were able to bike about 50% longer than those who drank Endurox, and about as long as those who drank the Gatorade.

The findings suggest that chocolate milk has an optimal ratio of carbohydrates to protein to help refuel tired muscles, researcher Joel M. Stager, PhD, Indiana University kinesiology professor, tells WebMD.

But the most puzzling result of the study, experts say, was why Endurox -- which has the same carb-to-protein ratio as the chocolate milk -- fared so poorly. Researcher Jeanne D. Johnston, MA, tells WebMD it may have to do with the different composition of the sugars in the milk. Another theory is that the sugars in the milk may be better absorbed in the gut than those in the Endurox.

Edward F. Coyle, PhD, a researcher on exercise and hydration at the University of Texas, tells WebMD the trial would have been stronger if the researchers had also tested the effect of flavored water or another dummy (placebo) drink.

The study was partly funded by the Dairy and Nutrition Council, an industry group. Coyle says that the study's reliance on industry funding is not unusual in the world of sports research, as federal funding for such research is hard to come by.

A Cheaper Alternative?
While rapid nutrient replacement may not be important for casual exercisers, it can make a big difference in performance for competitive athletes who work out vigorously once or twice a day, says Roberta Anding, a sports dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Anding has long recommended chocolate milk for young athletes who come to her practice at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. For children and teenagers from lower-income families, it doesn't make sense to spend serious money on sports drinks when they can get milk as part of a subsidized lunch program, she tells WebMD. The only advantage of sports drinks, she notes, is that they never spoil.

Ayoob estimates that more than two-thirds of teenagers should be drinking more milk anyway because they don't get enough calcium in their diets. He also recommends milk for its vitamin D and potassium content. "For me, this is a no-brainer," he says.

SOURCES: Karp, J. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2006; (16: 78-91). "Nutrition and athletic performance -- Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine," http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/adap1200.cfm. Svrluga, Barry, "Olympics Swim Trials,""Olympics Swim Trials," Washington Post, July 13, 2004. Jeanne Johnston, department of kinesiology, Indiana University at Bloomington. Joel M. Stager, PhD, department of kinesiology, Indiana University at Bloomington; Keith Ayoob, EdD, RD, associate professor of pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Edward F. Coyle, PhD, professor, kinesiology and health education, University of Texas. Roberta Anding, clinical and sports dietitian, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston.
© 2006 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.

[sundial]

I drink Boost which is a chocolate flavored energy drink. It's available in strawberry too.

http://www.novartisnutrition.com/us/productDetail?id=753

[sundial]

Here's the nutritional value of chocolate milk:

CHOCOLATE MILK - MEDIUM
Serving size 16 fl oz (473 ml)
Servings One

Calories 410
from Fat
110

% Daily Value, Calories :
2,000
2,500

Total Fat
12g

18%
15%

Saturated Fat 7g
35%
28%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 35mg
11%
11%

Sodium 140mg
5%
5%

Total Carbohydrates
68g
22%
18%

Dietary Fiber 4g
16%
13%

Sugar 64g

Protein 14g

Vitamin A 6%
•
Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 40%
•
Iron 0%

Calories: 2,000 2,500

Total Fat Less than 65g 80g
Saturated Fat Less than 20g 25g
Cholesterol Less than 300mg 300mg
Sodium Less than 2,400mg 2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate 300g 375g
Dietary Fiber 25g 30g

Calories per gram:
Fat 9 • Carbohydrate 4 • Protein 4

[SnappyPix]

Sundial, thanks so much for posting the report/info. Really helpful/informative.
Really interested to try it as a recover drink now.
Like the look of Boost, but not sure it's available in the UK. We have a chocolate bar called Boost, but don't think that's quite the same thing, unfortunately!

[RoadRaven]

But isn't there something about the anti-oxidant properties of chocolate that also play into it? Or is it really just the protein and sugar values?


Don't know how many antioxidants will be in chocolate flavoured milk, unless the flavouring is from chocolate/cocoa

Alot of the flavoured milks have a high sugar count but my guess is a low antioxidant count.

I think its more the milk as a key factor in recovery - and a hard ride being a good excuse to drink something you enjoy. :p

[Aquila]

Interesting! I'm learning so much.

What do you folks think of chocolate soy milk? It seems to really hit the spot after a ride, but I wonder what others find?

Thanks!

[Zen]

Alot of the flavoured milks have a high sugar count but my guess is a low antioxidant count.
:p
That's why you drink it. It's been found to have the optimum carb (sugar) to protein ratio for recovery.

I drank half a quart of 1percent last night and it did indeed hit the spot.

The anti-oxidant properties you're thinking of are only found in dark chocolate, and only small amounts, like one baking square size, are needed.

[Reesha]

I love chocolate milk after my rides. It's refreshing and pretty good for me too! Generally though I try to avoid brands like nesquik that use a lot of high fructose corn syrup in them and look for those that use regular sugar. Hood and Stewart's brands are both good for that.

During, I'd rather keep my electrolytes up so no chocolate milk for me. But a gatorade will do it if I take a break. :)

[Tri Girl]

I'm sure I'm just repeating what everyone has said- but I agree with the chocolate milk recovery drink from a recovery viewpoint (and I don't especially love it- but I think it worked).
Last summer when I was training for an IM- I drank 16 oz of chocolate milk after every long Saturday (those were days when I swam, biked looong, and ran). In a training book I read, it recommended it for long endurance sessions because of the carb/protein ratio. It suggested (and I used) 16 oz skim milk, 2T chocolate syrup and 6T sugar (I only used 5T of sugar because 6 was too much- and I know it's a lot of sugar- but again- it's the ratio that's important and when I was burning 2500-3500 calories those days I didn't have to worry about the calories).
I was NEVER sore after any of my long workout Saturdays (the longest of which was a 9 hour day). Between that and the ice bath I took when I got home, I was able to recover quickly and go out on Sundays for my long runs with no problems.

Not saying it works for everyone, but it worked for me. I can't imagine that strawberry would be any different, but I'm not sure. I also used some Ensure drinks (or Boost) as a substitute somtimes.

[indigoiis]

I have been using ovaltine. It's got protein in it because of the whey, and the malt is supposedly good for ya too.

[SheFly]

In talking to several nutritionist-type riders recently, I have determined that milk-based products contribute to your carb/protein ratio regardless of their origin. For recovery, that's the piece that is important, and the sugar and protein found in the falvored milks works great.

I've actually been using the yogurt drinks this season, and they also work well but have a little less protein.

This week? I discovered root beer floats are EXCELLENT for recovery :D . Sugar from the root beer and protein from the ice cream. YUM!

SheFly