You might enjoy a glass of chocolate milk after an intense workout. But is chocolate milk good for you after exercising?
Read on to learn more about how chocolate milk affects your body after rigorous activity.
It’s All About the Ingredients
If you’re into endurance training, you may have been advised to drink chocolate milk after practice. That’s probably because you’ve heard that chocolate milk helps your muscles relax.
After a workout, your muscles suffer from small tears due to physical activity. These microscopic tears are usually healed during the recovery period when your body is at rest.
Chocolate milk has the perfect mix of carbohydrates and protein. Carbs help restore large amounts of energy lost during a workout. Protein helps rebuild any muscle loss as well.
It also has the same type of components as a sports energy drink. Chocolate milk contains a necessary amount of sugar that helps your muscles rebuild glycogen levels. But it also has a little bit of sodium that helps with recovery.
Calcium is a key ingredient in chocolate milk. Calcium consumption not only helps maintain bone density, but it also helps promote heart and nerve health.
Since the body doesn’t naturally produce calcium, it has to be absorbed through food consumption. Chocolate milk is a great source not only for athletes but for anyone looking to increase their calcium intake.
When to Drink Chocolate Milk
For best results, chocolate milk should be consumed after a workout. Drinking chocolate milk before a workout can make your stomach feel heavy. Pre-workout drinks and energy bars usually rely on a dose of caffeine, such as the Cellucor C4 powder.
It is recommended that athletes eat or consume a good amount of protein and carbohydrates within an hour of physical activity.
One of the most obvious needs after a workout is hydration. The body loses a lot of water content during physical activity and its imperative that fluids are replenished.
Dehydration can cause a lot of harm to muscles during the rest period. Microscopic muscle tears can have a harder time healing if your body isn’t properly hydrated.
Chocolate milk provides all the elements you need to recover in a liquid form, which helps you stay hydrated.
It can be hard to cook a high protein meal directly after exercising. Chocolate milk is a quick and easy way to absorb necessary carbs to replenish weak muscles.
Plus, energy drinks can be pricey and hard to find. Chocolate milk is one of the most affordable drinks and it can be bought in small portable portions or in bulk.
Is Chocolate Milk Good for You?
Because of its sweet reputation, you might be wondering is chocolate milk good for you?
Indeed, chocolate milk is a very effective drink to consume after an intense workout. It replenishes carb and protein levels that are lost during physical activity.
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