Today, we celebrate a rare occurrence in the Badass Universe. Today, we celebrate confirmation that something we THOUGHT was a guilty indulgence turns out to be a HEALTHY, must-have food in our Badass sports training Arsenal.
Today, we celebrate...chocolate milk!!!
It's true. That creamy chocolate deliciousness we used to chose over apple juice or lame, plain milk while trudging through the elementary school cafeteria turns out to have been the choice of Badasses-in-the-making.
We spend all sorts of cash on "sports drinks" and "protein shakes," yet various studies increasingly show that the best post-workout fuel for endurance athletes is chocolate milk. Suh-weet!!!
For example, a recent study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism cited fat-free or low-fat chocolate milk as the ideal post-exercise recovery drink -- better than plain milk, water, or Gatorade, Powerade and the like.
Here's why:
1. Chocolate milk has twice as many carbohydrates and protein as plain milk, water and most sports drinks. Eight ounces of reduced fat milk contains between 160-170 calories, and skim milk contains 160 calories approximately per eight ounces. That's ideal for replenishing overworked muscles after a long run, cycle and/or swim.
2. Chocolate milk is high in water and in nutrient-dense electrolytes such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, so it replaces the fluids you lose when you sweat through a long workout.
3. Chocolate milk is low in sodium and (natural) sugars, and it's corn syrup and processed-sugar-free -- providing just the right amount of nutritional energy to athletes.
No wonder athletes like Olympian Michael Phelps drew are often spotted drinking the stuff!
A note of caution: This research is NOT a pass to chug gallons and gallons of chocolate milk, nor to add Hershey's chocolate syrup to your oatmeal and frozen yogurt! The research found that chocolate milk is best for cyclists, swimmers and long-distance runners because their endurance training and events burn up lots of energy. That means they need more calories, carbs, and protein than the average gym rat who jogs in the treadmill for 20 minutes and lifts weights for 30.
So know what your Badass needs, and choose your post-workout fuel accordingly. If you're doing endurance cardio, consider saving cash spent on Powerade or Muscle Milk shakes and opting instead for that old-school favorite.
If you're lucky, maybe you can even find your chocolate milk in a cardboard carton. Just like in kindergarten...
Coming this week: The temps drop, and we wear jeans. Time to tighten that tush!...