The Skinny on 6 Snack Picks

Chocolate Milk

The movement away from sports and energy drinks towards chocolate milk is popular with trained athletes who believe it to be ‘the best thing'. There was one small study done to ascertain if muscle recovery happens more quickly after a sports drink, or after chocolate milk. Why chocolate milk and not regular milk, and why just compared to the sugar/salt water of energy drinks? The minerals plus carbohydrates combined with protein in milk has the edge in muscle recovery, but you don't really need the chocolate and sugar of chocolate milk. It has 40 extra calories that come from mostly high-fructose corn syrup (we don't like that) plus a little shot of caffeine from the chocolate. None of these are required to recover from sport. Unless you're raising a true three hour-a-day elite athlete, these items can set back some of the calorie-burning benefits reaped from dance class. Instead, go for regular milk and a banana. They have all the nutrients, protein and carbs needed to rebuild muscle and re-hydrate.