Chocolate milk, the best drink after exercise

Scientists have claimed that chocolate milk is the best recovery drink to have after exercise, as it helps build more muscles, boost performance and keep off the fat.

After an exhausting session on the treadmill, many athletes usually reach for an isotonic sports drink or good old-fashioned water, but two new studies from The University of Texas at Austin have shown that chocolate milk is the ideal post-workout recovery drink.

"Serious and amateur athletes alike enjoyed physical recovery benefits when they drank low-fat chocolate milk after a vigorous workout," the Daily Mail quoted lead researcher Dr John Ivy as saying.

"The advantages for the study participants were better body composition in the form of more muscle and less fat, improved times while working out and overall better physical shape than peers who consumed sports beverages that just contained carbohydrates," he said.

Ivy and his team compared the recovery benefits of drinking low-fat chocolate milk after exercise to the effects of a carbohydrate beverage with the same ingredients and calories as typical sports drinks as well as to a calorie-free beverage.

They asked 10 trained cyclists to ride a bike for 90 minutes at moderate intensity, then for 10 minutes of high intensity intervals.

The scientists found the athletes had significantly more power and rode faster (reduced their ride time by an average of six minutes) when they consumed low-fat chocolate milk rather than a carbohydrate sports drink or calorie-free beverage.

The team also tested 32 amateur male and female cyclists, putting them through five intense spinning sessions a week followed by one of the three beverages.

They found after four and a half weeks that chocolate milk drinkers had twice the improvement in maximal oxygen uptake compared to the others.

Maximal oxygen uptake is one indicator of an athlete's aerobic endurance and ability to perform sustained exercise.

The amateur cyclists also built more muscle and shaved off more fat during training when they drank low-fat chocolate milk.

"We don't yet understand exactly what mechanism is causing low-fat chocolate milk to give athletes these advantages - that will take more research," Ivy stated.

"But there's something in the naturally-occurring protein and carbohydrate mix that offers significant benefits," he added.

Ivy added that a three-minute recovery window after exercise, for people of all fitness levels, was as important as the nutrition supplement.

The study has been published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research . 

Source

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Chocolate Milk a Better Halloween Treat

They may be small pieces, but when counted all together, they could add up to more calories than meets the eye. Did you know that an average Jack-O-Lantern bucket carries about 250 pieces of candy amounting about 9,000 calories and about three pounds of sugar?  The reality is, however, kids don't take home just one bucket of candy on Halloween night. They bring in pillow cases of sweets, many of which are eaten that night.

To curb this excess, the creator of Got Milk?, California Milk Processor Board, San Clement, encourages families to make healthier choices and to consider chocolate milk as the treat of choice this Halloween. As a matter of fact, it has partnered with several organizations throughout California and is sponsoring a Got Milk? Chocolate Milk Giveaway in cities like Burbank, San Francisco, and San Diego during their Halloween celebrations.

"We want to be a part of an environment where kids can trick or treat safely with other families in their community and promote healthier treat options for families," says Steve James, executive director of the California Milk Processor Board. "Chocolate milk is a great treat because it has the chocolate that's closely associated with Halloween but still has all the protein and nutrients that kids need for strong bones, muscles, teeth, hair and nails.

The following Halloween celebrations are for free chocolate milk, swag items and entertainment for the entire family:

San Francisco
Yerba Buena Gardens Halloween Walk
Oct. 31, 2010, 12 Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Children's Garden at Intersection of Howard St. and 4th St., San Francisco

Burbank
Downtown Burbank Boo-tiful Halloween Event
Oct. 31, 2010, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Intersection of San Fernando Rd. and E. Palm Ave., Burbank

San Diego
Halloween Carnival at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA
Oct. 31, 2010, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
151 YMCA Way, San Diego

For more tips on how to celebrate a healthy Halloween, visit www.gotmilk.com.

Source:
http://mobile.californiafarmer.com/main.aspx?ascxid=cmsNewsStory&rmid=0&rascxid=&args=&rargs=9&dt=634239194261375000&lid=a8yebu2d9qxnz7lo&adms=634239194259812500X41bba8854c&cmsSid=43332&cmsScid=9


Indulge in Chocolate - Sinful No More