Crossing the finish line, Ryan McNamara is exhausted after a vigorous 3.1 mile-long race. After catching their breath and cooling down, McNamara and the rest of the boys’ cross country team have a special tradition. After every race, the seniors on the team pour a glass of chocolate milk for their teammates. Once all the runners get a glass of milk, they chug it together. This tradition is unique to the boys’ cross country team, but this habit is more than just a team ritual. It is scientifically proven to be beneficial to their health.
According to gotchocolatemilk.com and fooducate.com, chocolate milk is the most beneficial recovery drink for athletes after an intense workout of any type. This is because chocolate milk contains a balanced ratio of carbohydrates and proteins that are necessary for rebuilding, refueling and repairing muscles.
“I am a firm believer,” McNamara said. “It feeds our mind, body, spirit and soul.”
Chocolate milk is effective because it helps replenish the body with necessary nutrients. Many of these nutrients are not found in water or sports drinks like Gatorade. Chocolate milk provides vitamin A, B vitamins, natural electrolytes and calcium. Calcium is particularly important because rigorous exercise causes substantial calcium loss. Calcium strengthens the bones, which helps reduce the possibility of stress fractures according to gotchocolatemilk.com.
In addition, chocolate milk is less expensive than other drinks designed for athletes. It is cheaper than name brand as well as generic sports drinks, and can be bought in many different stores and sizes. An eight ounce serving of chocolate milk is 44 cents, while a eight ounce serving of Gatorade is 60 cents.
“It’s up to the athlete to drink what they want,” Michael Rath, senior and cross country runner, said. “Chocolate milk is relatively inexpensive, so if an athlete thinks it helps, they should be able to get it.”
While chocolate milk is beneficial as a recovery drink, it is thick and sits in one’s stomach if drank before or during a workout. Instead, athletes should drink water or a sports drink, according to Wayne Baldwin, boys’ cross country coach.
“[According to my coach, Pam Harris], I’m supposed to keep a water bottle with me at all times, and stay hydrated all day, especially before a race,” Annie Cockerline, junior and cross country runner, said.
Other drinks are also beneficial depending on the goals of an athlete. Water is necessary to stay hydrated. Sports drinks provide electrolytes to the body that need to be replaced as they are lost through sweat. Protein shakes help build muscle quicker according to gotchocolatemilk.com.
According to Baldwin, water is key for all athletes before, during and after a game or race, rather than chocolate milk or anything else. Water as well and a balanced diet are necessary for staying healthy and hydrated. Baldwin believes the milk is too fattening and has too many sugars to be healthy for any athlete after a workout.
“It’s milk, which is a natural product, but when you add all that stuff to it, like sugars, it loses it’s benefit,” Baldwin said.
Water and Gatorade are both beneficial, according to Denise Grider, athletic trainer, but chocolate milk provides a wide variety of necessary nutrients. All three drinks help athletes stay strong and healthy, but they all do different things.
“All three drinks are important in replenishing the body’s needs,” Grider said. “They each provide some benefits that are equally necessary.”
Because chocolate milk helps athletes recover, McNamara makes it a part of his everyday life.
“Live by the milk, and die by the milk,” McNamara said.
