Chocolate milk boosts exercise recovery more than sports drinks, new research suggests. The popular milkshake allows athletes to intensely exercise for around six minutes longer than sports drink without tiring, a study found.
The chocolaty drink also improves exercisers’ heart rates and lactic-acid levels, which causes cramp, just as well as beverages marketed for post-activity recovery, the research adds.
- Allows athletes to exercise for six minutes longer than sports drink without tiring
- Also improves exercisers’ heart rates and lactic-acid levels, which causes cramp
- Chocolate milk contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats and electrolytes
- Researcher says it is a ‘low-cost, delicious and palatable option for recovery’
- Traditional sports drinks contain electrolytes but often no protein
Study author Dr Amin Salehi-Abargouei from Shahid Sadoughi University in Yazd, Iran, said: ‘Chocolate milk contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, flavonoids, electrolytes, and some vitamins which make this drink a good choice for recovery in athletes.
‘The take-home message is that chocolate milk is a low-cost, delicious and palatable option for recovery and provides either similar or superior effects compared with commercial drinks.’