Chocolate Milk: The New Sports Drink?

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. 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. 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. "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, drink within 30 minutes after a long and vigorous workout. Common sports drinks supply those carbs, as well as fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat.