Presented in partnership with OAK Chocolate Milk
Alright, let’s have it. Powerade? No, okay, how about Gatorade then? Nope, and what of the dozens of protein shakes and powders? It’s not those either.
Chocolate milk has been identified as the ultimate post-workout drink. Efficiency wise, comparable to the other supplements and options previously listed, it pretty much levels up. However, when you factor in its simplicity, comparative low cost and of course, taste, chocolate milk beats the rest by a mile!
While there has been some speculation, Physiologist Joel Stager, director of the Human Performance laboratory at Indiana University confirmed this in his research published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
It’s noted that chocolate milk offers a high concentration of water necessary to replenish lost fluids, but also packs a few little extra goodies to optimise your recovery rate post-workout. The ratio of carbohydrates and protein levels found in chocolate milk make it an ideal recovery drink to target strained muscles, hitting the ‘sweet spot’ for the optimal recovery process as opposed to plain milk.
As a bonus, the calcium, sodium and minor sugar additives are active retainers of water and energy, decreasing the rebound time necessary between workouts – an important selling point for those with compressed and strict training schedules or in between competitions. Chocolate milk option such as OAK are low in saturated fat and cholesterols, and contains over a dozen other vitamins and minerals.This is all great stuff, but despite just being chocolate milk, the directions for use post-workout are an equally important aspect to consider.
The ideal consumer of chocolate milk in a post-workout sense is a highlevel endurance athlete that has engaged in sustained and repetitive movement – think a long-distance runner or ocean swimmer for example. To use its ingredients to their full potential, it’s not to be chugged after your indoor soccer match or quick boxing session. The reason it’s suited to a specific type of athlete or training routine is that to sustain these extended levels of performance, the athlete needs a higher than normal level of carbs, protein and calories. Chocolate milk can provide this as opposed to water.
So now you’re thinking, like we were, what’s wrong with just sticking to good old H2O? Well unfortunately, water is a hydrator, and that’s it. Chocolate milk such as OAK is a delicious alternative to protein shakes and gives your body tangible carbohydrates to metabolise, protein to speed up the recovery process, making it an ideal-post game or workout recovery drink that keens you hydrated along the way.
