What is best post – exercise, white or chocolate milk?

Most people know that after exercising it is good to eat or drink something with protein and some carbs.  Protein for muscles and carbs to help restore the energy (glycogen) used when working out.  One student in my class said a group was working out at the gym with a renown weight lifter.  After the workout, the weight lifter went out to his truck and asked the group what he was going to drink post-workout?  The student in my class knew as we had discussed it in class.  The weight-lifter reached into a cooler and pulled out a quart of white cow’s milk.  But he also could have pulled out some chocolate milk.

My daughter sent me an article by a registered dietitian, White vs. Chocolate milk:  Can both be part of your post-exercise game plan?  This dietitian notes that many athletes hear the phrase, refuel with chocolate milk .  Which is a better choice post-workout, white milk (real cow’s milk, not plant-based milks) or chocolate milk?

 How does the nutritional quality of the 2 milks compare?

Chocolate Milk vs White Milk  (adapted)

	Calories (per cup)	Protein (grams)	Carbs (grams)	Carbs to Protein Ratio	Essential Nutrients
1 % White Cow’s Milk	100	8	12	1.5:1	9
1% Chocolate Milk	180	9	33	3.67:1	9

 

Why do some personal trainers and sports nutritionists recommend chocolate milk as a post-exercise beverage?  Because it not only provides a high-quality protein, it also provides carbs, and an ideal ratio of carbs to protein. 

Why is cow’s milk a good choice post-workout?

Both chocolate and white milk (cow’s milk) offer not only 8 grams of protein per cup, the protein in cow’s milk is high quality as it provides both casein and whey proteins.  Matt Pikosky, Ph.D, RD notes that “Approximately 80 percent of the protein in milk is casein protein, while the other 20 percent is whey protein.”  Both casein and whey-proteins are considered very high-quality proteins.  (Be sure it is real chocolate milk and not a chocolate drink, see:  Is chocolate milk good for you? )

Nutritional benefits of white and chocolate milk:

• Hydration – both white and chocolate milk are about 90% water.  Many people think plain water is the best for hydration and may be surprised to learn that milk is actually better.  As I noted in my blog, Is water the best for hydration?, milk is actually better for hydration because it provides protein and carbs which seem to slow down absorption and your body takes up and retains more water.  Both also provide electrolytes including calcium, potassium and magnesium.
• Carbs – after a workout it is good to have some carbs to restore the energy (glycogen) your body used.  Chocolate milk is good for restoring carbs as it provides more carbs than white cow’s milk.
• Protein:  both white cow’s milk and chocolate milk provide casein and whey proteins.  NIH research has shown that whey and casein proteins are beneficial for protein synthesis.   WebMD states, “Between whey and casein, whey is the “faster” protein supplement because its amino acids are absorbed quickly by your body.  While casein is the “slower” supplement – since it’s digested more slowly – both proteins can help your muscles grow when you work out.  That’s because they re-form fatigued muscles after exercise.”  For an extra protein boost, choose white or chocolate Fa!rlife milk which has more protein grams per cup and less sugar.  And Fa!rlife milk is a good choice for an athlete who has lactose intolerance.  

Why chocolate milk for refueling?

Some recent research has shown that chocolate milk post-workout is beneficial to adult athletes as well as high school athletes.  In the high school study, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin gave chocolate milk or a sports drink to 100 high school athletes over a five-week period.  They found the chocolate milk drinkers could bench press more and improved in weight-lifting in squats.  It was noted that chocolate milk provides “three R’s:  Rehydrate, Replenish, and Rebuild”. 

When to drink milk post-workout?

Most personal trainers and sports nutritionists recommend refueling within 30- 60 minutes after working out.  Drinking from 1 cup to a cup and a half of chocolate milk would provide adequate protein and carbs.  If you choose to drink white cow’s milk, add some carbs such as a banana, some granola.  Smoothies are popular.  Make with white cow’s milk, chocolate milk or cow’s milk yogurt and add some fruit – fresh or frozen for carbs. 

Want to learn more. Go to chocolate milk and sports nutrition for articles on nutrition and sports. 

 

Sources:   White vs. Chocolate milk:  Can both be part of your post-exercise game plan? , refuel with chocolate milk , Chocolate Milk vs White Milk , Matt Pikosky , Is chocolate milk good for you? , Is water the best for hydration , research , states , Fa!rlife , adult athletes , high school athletes , chocolate milk and sports nutrition  Images Sources:  Chocolate milk , Milk nutrients , Chocolate milk after a workout

Is chocolate milk good for you?

So many parents are not giving kids real cow’s milk at meals.  And many adults have forgotten that their bodies need milk too, at least 2 glasses of cow’s milk or dairy servings a day.  What about chocolate milk?  Most people know chocolate milk has added sugar, but are there any health benefits to drinking chocolate milk?  What about the chocolate milk at Fast Food restaurants?  I had a student who wouldn’t drink chocolate milk from Fast Food restaurants as he thought this milk was high in fat.  Is it?

What are some health benefits of chocolate milk? 

Nutrition – yes, chocolate milk made from cow’s milk has some added sugar but it also is a good source of nutrients.

• Protein – each cup of chocolate milk provides 7 grams of protein.  There is also a chocolate milk by Slate that provides about 14 grams of protein per cup.  And milk provides a high-quality protein that provides casein and whey.
• Minerals – real chocolate milk is loaded with healthy minerals.  Calcium for your bones, potassium that helps keep blood pressure in check, phosphorus, and magnesium.  Many American diets are low in calcium as people aren’t drinking milk at meals.  American diets are also often low in magnesium because so many people aren’t eating whole grains and not drinking real milk.  NIH notes, “The diets of many people in the United States provide less than the recommended amounts of magnesium”.  Funny how diets like the Paleo Diet restrict grains, even whole grain, because magnesium helps your body make protein.  It also is important for blood sugar control and regulating blood pressure.
• Vitamins- chocolate milk provides many vitamins including vitamin D, vitamin A and vitamin B-2.  

 

Bones – drinking milk, including chocolate milk, helps build strong bones.  The calcium and phosphorus are good for your bones and the vitamin D in chocolate milk helps your body absorb the calcium.  As WebMD notes, the combination of calcium and vitamin D in chocolate milk, “makes milk a bone-health powerhouse”. 

Muscle mass – As noted above, chocolate milk is a good source of protein.  And the proteins in chocolate milk are “considered high quality proteins”.  Drinking chocolate milk may even help your endurance. 

Weight management – one would think foods with added sugar would not be good for weight management.  However, because chocolate milk provides protein, and most chocolate milk provides some fat, you may feel fuller for a longer time when drinking chocolate milk versus a sugared soda.

What about the added sugar?

White cow’s milk has no added sugar.  There is sugar in white cow’s milk, but it is lactose, that is naturally present and not added to the milk.  Chocolate milk has some added sugar but unlike sodas, chocolate milk is packed with nutrients. 

There is the natural sugar, lactose, in chocolate milk.  For those who have trouble digesting lactose, this could cause them some discomfort.  Interestingly, I have relative who is lactose intolerant but can drink some chocolate milk and have no digestive issues.  There is also the Slate chocolate milk mentioned above that is lactose free.  The slate milk comes in cans and doesn’t need refrigeration so a good after workout drink.  The slate milk also has no added sugar but all the chocolate flavor.

Fast food restaurants often offer chocolate milk.  Interestingly, the chocolate milk at McDonald’s is reduced in sugar.  McDonald’s states., “25% less sugar than leading Quick Service Restaurants’ low fat chocolate milk” (14 grams vs an average 23 grams of added sugar).  

McDonald's offers a chocolate milk low in fat and reduced in added sugar.

What about the fat in chocolate milk?

One can buy whole or low-fat chocolate milk.  That student in my class that was worried that the chocolate milk in Fast Food restaurants was high in fat?  When I told him that Fast Food restaurants often have low-fat chocolate milk, he was surprised.  The chocolate milk at McDonald’s is not only lower in sugar but also low fat, providing 2.5 grams of fat or only about 23 calories from fat in a 130 calorie serving.  Fa!rlife also offers a reduced fat (2%) chocolate milk that is also lactose free.  

Be sure it is real milk, not a chocolate drink.

When buying chocolate milk, be sure it is real cow’s milk and not a chocolate drink like Yoohoo Chocolate drink.   This “drink” is not real cow’s milk as the first ingredients are water and high fructose corn syrup.  Yoohoo Chocolate drink has 36 grams of added sugar, and 65% of the calories are from added sugar. 

If you like chocolate milk, enjoy it.  Chocolate milk can be a fun after-school treat for kids.  Just be sure it is “milk” and not a chocolate “drink”. 

Sources:  health benefits of chocolate milk , Slate , NIH , magnesium , notes , McDonald’s , Fa!rlife , Chocolate drink  Image sources:  Milk jug McDonald’s , Fa!rllife chocolate milk, Milk Matters