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Want a delicious indulgence that makes a great snack during or after a workout? How about chocolate or strawberry milk. Surprised? Recent findings reported in the Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism found that trained cyclists who drank chocolate milk were able to ride 51 percent longer when compared to a group consuming a carbohydrate fluid replacement, and up to 43 percent longer when compared to a group consuming a fluid replacement solution.
Flavored milk has a four to one ratio of carbohydrate to protein, making it an excellent choice for repairing broken muscle fibers and replenishing glycogen stores. Glycogen is a form of storable glucose, that can be metabolized for energy. Flavored milk also has valuable protein in the form of whey and casein. Glycogen and the protein are both important for recovery nutrition. The broken down carbohydrate will help with maintenance of blood sugar and spike insulin levels, which plays an important role in muscle growth.
Not only will individuals who drink chocolate or strawberry milk get the benefits from the carbohydrate and protein, but also the added benefit of nutrients that are deficient in many diets: vitamin D, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, vitamin A, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B12.
Resistance training is the best way to build muscle, and of course, your performance is directly affected by your diet. For example, if I normally can bench press 200 pounds, but I decided to skip breakfast and lunch, chances are I will not be able to bench press my normal maximum weight. The reason for that is, my glycogen stores will be depleted and I will have to pull from other energy reserves in order to complete my resistance training. And what helps restore glycogen? Flavored milk is a good example.
Hydration also affects performance, so having chocolate or strawberry milk post-workout not only helps restore glycogen stores and repair broken muscle fibers, it also aids with hydration. Also, take note that it is important to consume a post-workout snack within 30 minutes after completing a workout.
Flavored milk is a low-cost way to make sure you get the fuel you need after your workout to recover properly. If you don’t want to keep flavored milk on hand, you could always buy skim milk and add chocolate or strawberry syrup to get the same effect.
If you are interested in learning more about nutrition, please attend the Semper Fit Health Promotion Education Workshop. The class is open to all Department of Defense identification card holders. Call 451-2865 for upcoming workshop dates and to register for the class. Limited seats are available.
