Is Chocolate Milk the Best Post-workout Drink?

Chocolate milk is right at the top of the list of drinks when it comes to fueling yourself after a hard session at the gym.

This is because every cup of chocolate milk contains between eight and 11 grams of protein.

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also found that, when taken immediately after exercise, milk-based proteins promote greater muscle protein synthesis than soy-based proteins, Fox News reported.

Finally, another reason why post-workout chocolate milk is beneficial is because cow’s milk contains about 80 percent casein protein content and 20 percent whey protein content.

This is ideal because the whey protein is fast-acting, allowing amino acids to get right into the muscle tissue, while the casein protein is digested slower, providing a steady stream of amino acids over a lengthier period of time.

In addition, drinking chocolate milk after workout also provides carbohydrates.

The total carbohydrate count will vary depending upon the brand you choose, with most coming in around 20 to 25 grams of carbohydrates.

This sugar will cause a spike in insulin levels, driving the glucose molecules into the muscle tissue and replenishing the energy stores for your next workout. Without this insulin spike, you’re going to be looking at a slower recovery period, which could mean more time out of the gym.

A study by the International Journal of Sports Nutrition had subjects perform three interval-style, exhaustion workout sessions on separate days, and then monitored the recovery that was demonstrated. The subjects consumed either chocolate milk or a carbohydrate replacement fluid post-workout.

It was seen that after the recovery period was over, those who were drinking post-workout chocolate milk showed enhanced performance between the interval sessions, indicating that the carbohydrates in chocolate milk were doing a better job in recovery than the carbohydrates in the replacement beverage.

Chocolate milk also contain calcium, which is one of the minerals that plays a critical role in the “power stroke” – when the individual muscle fibers generate tension through a cross-bridge cycling pattern, causing contraction to take place.

The calcium ions are what bind to the plasma membrane and send one of the first signals to stimulate the power stroke. So, without enough calcium ions in the body, this process will not take place optimally.

By drinking post-workout chocolate milk you will increase your daily calcium intake, and increase the likelihood of an optimal power stroke.

Source: ANI

Category: Wellness and Complementary Therapies