I have heard that there are studies saying that it is an excellent post workout drink and much better then all these sport drinks and protein powders for recovery.
Yep, most of those post workout drinks are made with high fructose corn syrup because its cheep. The problem is your body cannot properly digest high fructose corn syrup. Milk is far better and if its chocolate you want one sweetened with suger.. However, dextrose and whey protein is optimum IMHO.
A tip for anyone interested in drinking more chocolate milk, making your own syrup takes about 10 minutes with very little ingredients. Look up a recipe on line they're all pretty simple and easy.
I've been trying the chocolate milk thing and really can't tell a difference yet. Besides that I only drink water and nothing else. I stay away from juices, sports drinks, and energy drinks. I use the expensive organic low fat kind. Dont know if it makes a difference of which chocolate milk to use though.
I have seen that said before... and they always say chocolate milk. Why exactly does it have to be chocolate other than to get kids to drink it? Fast digesting carbs in the form of extra sugar? Milk already has some sugar in it. Yeah thats the thing a lot of them have high fructose corn syrup in there. The herseys syrup does. A lot of the pre-packaged ones do too.
A fruit smoothie is a much better way to refuel, chocolate has been processed and contains a lot more fat than fruit. Skimmed milk, banana, strawberries, raspberries, plums, pineapple, peach, mangoes are all good ingrediants to go with. If it is bitter just add some honey (once again no fat therefore easy for your body to break down for energy)
But where is the protein to aid recovery? Studies have been shown that if one consumes protein and carbs at a ratio of 1:4 will create a greater insulin spike than carbs alone which is necessary to aids the production of muscle glycogen. Apparently chocolate milk has this 1:4 ratio hence why it is often sited as a good post recovery drink. Though I agree with Windigo I prefer whey and dextrose.
yes i really like htis idea as far as the post workout carbohydrates and it does have milk so there's protein also. i suppose for more protein you could also use some kind of powder. i do something similar to what jankrow said sometimes except i usually include flaxseed in shakes. it's just a pesronal preference of mine