Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Simulated on 20/03/2012 22:55:59

Title: White vs Chocolate Milk for Recovery
Post by: Simulated on 20/03/2012 22:55:59

Hello TNS! It has been a long while!

I've been wondering the answer to this question, although I believe I know the answer, for quite sometime. Everyone seems to be all about drinking chocolate milk for recovery after physical activity. I strongly feel that people push chocolate milk because kids consider it tastier. My question is, is regular milk  just as good or does adding chocolate power EITHER/OR liquid actually add something beneficial.

Thanks in advance!
Sim

Title: Re: White vs Chocolate Milk for Recovery
Post by: CliffordK on 21/03/2012 00:23:49

Hmmm...  Is that a UK thing?
Here in the USA, it is Gatorade, and "Energy Drinks".

Perhaps the calories are of benefit for those that need the extra calories.  Otherwise, I can't imagine much additional benefit from adding chocolate. 

Title: Re: White vs Chocolate Milk for Recovery
Post by: Simulated on 21/03/2012 00:58:19

No, I live in Ohio. CMilk seems to be getting more and more popular as a recovery drink according to a runners world poll I saw a few days ago.
(Postrun Refreshments
Good old H2O tops readers' list of favorite drinks to down after a race or hard workout, according to the nearly 5,000 respondents of a recent runnersworld.com survey.
 
Water 31%
 Chocolate milk 26%
 Sports drinks 20%
 Beer 15%
 Other 5%
 Juice 2%
 Wine 1%)

Being an intelligent 18 year old, I am all about the top 3. I use them very much randomly, but water, sport drinks, then milk in that order)

Title: Re: White vs Chocolate Milk for Recovery
Post by: JP on 21/03/2012 03:17:59

I believe it's fairly well accepted that after an intense workout, your body can recover fastest if you take in simple sugars (to restore its energy stores) and protein (to repair tissue and grow muscle).  Milk has a decent amount of protein and chocolate milk is also loaded with sugar. 

But the key word is intense.  Unless you're a pretty serious athlete, it's not supposed to do much.  However, it's delicious and after a workout, it tastes pretty good.  :)

Title: Re: White vs Chocolate Milk for Recovery
Post by: Don_1 on 21/03/2012 09:24:00

Just about a year ago, researchers at Harvard concluded that cocao helps decrease blood pressure, improves blood vessel health and helps lower  LDL cholesterol.

But that’s not all, the polyphenolic flavonoids in cocao can also help prevent heart disease and be of benefit to diabetics.

These are benefits of cocao, not drinking chocolate, which is usually loaded with sugar. Being a bit of a chocoholic, I much prefer just plain cocao powder dissolved in half fat milk, no sugar added, but perhaps after an energetic activity, some sugar might also be of some benefit.

3 heaped teaspoons of plain coco powder in a mug of milk....... Yummm yummmm, hot or cold.