Why chocolate milk?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Why not banana, strawberry or even just plain milk to aid recovery? ... I don't like chocolate milk.

[whitestone]

I don't like milk. How am I supposed to recover?

[benp1]

Chocolate milk is delicious!

[GregMay]

Chocolate soy milk here for Mr.Lactose Intolerable.

mmmm tasty

[deft punk]

Maybe adding sugary synthetic flavours to milk gives it superpowers?

I don't like milk. How am I supposed to recover?

I recommend a pie & a pint, it's why I'm such a fine figure of a man

[cyclingtiger]

Mostly it's about lazy journalism.

Pretty much any sweetened milk product is going to have the same sort of effect on your recovery. Plain milk lacks the calorific content that is sought for effective recovery but I think the protein values are pretty much the same. Compare varieties on your favourite brands to be sure. The other issue is around calcium depletion which can lead to cramping. Again, as long as it's some kind of milk product, the actual flavouring doesn't make a great deal of difference.

Chocolate milk is OK in a pinch but I'd rather have coffee and and a nice buttery cheese scone. Tastes twice as nice and I don't sound like a pillock harping on about the recovery benefits of chocolate milk.

[Mariner]

Try a Nutribullett and make up your own recovery drink.
Handful of baby kale, a banana, a kiwi fruit, water and or yogurt.
Add in nuts etc if you want.
Whizz it up, decant and enjoy.
I bought Mrs M one (for me).

[whitestone]

Maybe adding sugary synthetic flavours to milk gives it superpowers?

I don't like milk. How am I supposed to recover?

I recommend a pie & a pint, it's why I'm such a fine figure of a man

Now you're talking!

Greg: don't like soy milk either.

Graeme Obree just went for sardines on toast.

[GregMay]

[
Graeme Obree just went for sardines on toast.

He's also quite, quite mental.

[HaYWiRe]

So....how do you recover on a sugar free diet then?

[GregMay]

You do realise calories can come from sources other than carbohydrates right?

*gets out of his science box*

I finish work in 1 hour - I am done with being a science dork for the weekend. Screw you gainful university employment!

*runs off naked into the hills*

[benp1]

Try a Nutribullett and make up your own recovery drink.
Handful of baby kale, a banana, a kiwi fruit, water and or yogurt.
Add in nuts etc if you want.
Whizz it up, decant and enjoy.
I bought Mrs M one (for me).

Nutriblast every work day morning for breakfast. Try adding cocoa powder, makes it taste nice and chocolatey. I use milk in mine too, so it's like a really thick, slightly fruity, slightly odd chocolate milkshake

[touch]

really thick, slightly fruity, slightly odd

Much like myself. :p I might give it a go!

[RIP]

Another good thread Stu!

Can't do bananas personally - had a bad experience with one as a child... too traumatic... don't like to talk about it....

As befits my old fart status, I'm very sceptical about all these "recovery drinks", "electrolyte tabs", et al. I'm sure Greg'll correct me but surely our bodies are pretty good at sorting themselves out, at least over the short term, having had aeons of evolution to come up with cunning schemes internally.

I managed WRT on a handful of chewy bars, gallons of stream water with sheepshit in it, and some rude Tywyn chips. Oh, and a choc-less cappucino in Mach served by a young lady with ample charms (thanks for reminding me Rich!). LHC-B guys: with all due modesty, ahem, how did I get on up Happy Valley on that diet for example? Never mind being a 57-year-old herbivore to start with.

"Reg"

[ctznsmith]

Why not banana, strawberry or even just plain milk to aid recovery? ... I don't like chocolate milk.

Chococlate is my favourite but I'll have banana or strawberry and occasionally plain to mix it up.

If I'm feeling less of a skin flint and I'm in civilized place I'll go Soy.

[Justchris]

Strawberry or bananna milk. Chocolates not great. The only thing worse are the brands that come out gloupy. Thick gelatinous milkshake ming. Pies are good too.....After a sugary drink.

[FlyingFox]

Strawberry gets my vote, but my mate insists that chocolate is the best for after-ride.... we have moved on though and agree to disagree....

[Charliecres]

Those nutribollx concoctions sound mingin'. Ale and cheesy chips is where it's at

[Trail-rat]

i find food works.

ride for long enough - any food works.

ride for long long long enough ...... dead things at the side of the road start to look like they would work .....

[ianfitz]

I'm not a nutritionalist but...

Guessing the recovery comes from the combination of simple carbs (from the sugar) and from the lactose plus a bit of protein.

The chocolate flavouring is not likely to be a factor.

I like it though!

[Alpinum]

I thought...

Sugars from chocolate are there to keep you upright under the shower or waiting for a brew whilst bivying post ride. They will only do little for recovery.

Whole milk powder is one of the energy densest food options you can take on a wilderness trip due to the amount of fats in there.

The most support for recovery most likely comes from;
Casein, the milk protein, is a complex protein that is made up of all nine essential amino acids needed by us. There are more proteins in there, some even help absorb iron (eg. new blood formation) for example.
Important minerals, especially when being active, like magnesium. And then there's a bunch of vitamins too. Not just some vitamins, but such that will support absorbtion of the supplied minerals.

To get back to chocolate, it contains a compound that releases serotonin in our body - our very own happy drug. But possibly you need dark chocolate to get high.

I love the taste of chocolate milk. In the end that's the only true reason why I drink it.

Oh... besides; best is to drink chocolate milk in the first 30 min after exertion to get most out of the recovery effects.

[ianfitz]

Also worth bearing in mind that there was a peer reviewed journal artical which said that beer under 5% was better at rehydrating people on the study than either water or the isotonic sports drink that they tested.

I know it won't help stu but maybe be some comfort to some of us

[fatbikephil]

Bacon roll is my pref - fat, protein, carbs, tasty!

[HaYWiRe]

My diet is already strict and limited without having to worry about recovery foods, I just eat as much chicken and eggs (I take mine fried, sunny side down thankyou) as I can muster with a healthy dollop of pasta, gotta get them carbs bro!

Not much different to my pre-ride fuel, or mid ride fuel.....come to think of it I pretty much live off pasta and chicken
Found it keeps my BG stable and stops me losing too much weight, plus I actually enjoy it and I've already given up enough food I used to enjoy

[Richpips]

I'm quite partial to a Maccy D's strawberry milkshake, and of course a beer or two.