Chocolate Milk for Post Exercise Nutrition

You may be pleasantly surprised at which beverage is now being used as an exercise drink choice.

For post exercise nutrition, the favorite childhood drink - chocolate milk is now being recommended and used by a bunch of fitness experts, athletes and in general all people hitting the gym and looking to improve their bodies.

This is too good to be true, right? Not at all, you can actually enjoy some chocolate milk and see serious benefits from it as part of your overall workout and nutritional program. Here are the top reasons why chocolate milk is a great post exercise beverage.

1. Chocolate milk is high in protein - Chocolate milk contains a heaping portion of protein, which is essential to build, repair and maintain your muscles. If you don’t eat enough protein after a workout, many of the gains you worked hard to get in the gym will be lost. Your body won’t have the essential ingredient it needs to help make you stronger and keep you that way, and much of your hard work will have been for nothing (not good!).

2. Chocolate milk contains some fat - While nobody wants you to include too much fat in your diet, a limited quantity of healthy fats are essential to promote overall body health. Plus, fat will help make you feel fuller easier and longer, meaning you’ll intake less total calories. Using 1% or 2% milk for your chocolate milk is typically recommended as ideal.

3. Carbohydrate to protein ratio - Your body burns and utilizes energy in many different ways. Carbohydrates are generally ignited for short-term energy needs, but eating or drinking too many carbs will leave you drained later on. Protein, like fat, also helps you feel fuller longer and is burned off a more moderate pace. The carbohydrates, protein and fat will help to fuel your body’s immediate needs as well as its long term needs. You’ll maintain your energy level and you’ll be able to rebound from intense workouts sooner. Your stamina will improve as well.

4. Chocolate milk tastes great - While “tasting great” might not seem like a nutritional goal, it’s actually very important. You need to be able to stick with your nutritional guidelines and you need to enjoy doing it, otherwise you’ll be setting yourself up for failure. Chocolate milk tastes great and is easy to drink. You no longer have to punish yourself after a workout with a healthy but bad tasting beverage. You can actually reward yourself with a hard earned treat that provides many healthful nutrients.

5. Chocolate milk is easy and cheap - It can be a hassle to blend your own workout shakes. It can also become costly to continually buy sports drinks or to buy other ingredients such as protein powder or meal replacement drinks. Instead, all you need is some milk, some chocolate syrup and a spoon and you’ll be good to go. You’ll save time, money and frustration.

There are many different benefits to drinking chocolate milk as part of your nutritional program. For a post exercise beverage, it will replenish your energy and leave you feeling more energetic. You’ll recover quicker from your workouts and your muscles will get the protein they need to be maintained. Finally, the favorite drink from most of our youths can be enjoyed as an adult for beneficial purposes.