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Health & Fitness

Refuel with Chocolate Milk

Refuel with chocolate milk

Chocolate milk (either cow's milk or soy milk) is an excellent recovery drink because it not only provides carbohydrates and protein, but contains the electrolytes sodium and potassium, which are lost in sweat.  And, the electrolytes contained in milk are in greater quantity than that found in sports drinks.  Milk is a great source of calcium (also lost in sweat) and vitamin D, both essential for strong bones and muscles.  Finally, milk contains riboflavin, a B vitamin that is required to convert the food you eat into energy.  Low-fat or skim milk is the perfect post-exercise sports drink!

Either make your own chocolate milk by adding chocolate powder or syrup to milk or purchase pre-made chocolate, strawberry or coffee milk.  The goal is to consume approximately two to four grams of carbohydrate for each gram of protein.  This is an ideal ratio of carbohyrate to protein for energy (glycogen) replenishment and muscle rebuilding.  Most pre-mixed, flavored milks have this ratio.  Post-exericise is the time when the cells of your body are the most efficient at repleneshing energy stores and rebuilding muscle protein. 

To make the perfect post-recovery sports drink yourself, add either chocolate syrup or powdered chocolate mix to fat-free or low-fat milk.  Here are two recipes:

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o   4:1 ratio: 2 cups skim or 1% milk +

o   3 Tbsp. Hershey’s chocolate syrup = 340 calories (skim) or 380 calories (1%)

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o   5 Tbsp. Nesquik Milk Chocolate powder = 340 calories (skim) or 380 calories  (1%)

o   2:1 ratio: 2 cups skim or 1% milk +

o   1 Tbsp. Hershey’s chocolate syrup = 240 calories (skim) or 280 calories (1%)

o   2 Tbsp. Nesquik Milk Chocolate powder = 250 calories (skim) or 290 calories (1%)

Here’s to your recovery!

First published in The Mystic, Lymes and Stonington Times on July 2010.

Katie Jeffrey, MS, RD, CSSD, is a registered dietitian, Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a columnist, and the owner of FitNutrition, LLC, in Stonington, CT.  She provides individual nutrition counseling, sports performance nutrition counseling for athletes and educational nutrition presentations on various topics for all age groups.  For more information, call 860-917-6131 or go online to www.fitnutrition.net.  Join FitNutrition, LLC on Facebook.





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