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drinking chocolate milk after workout

Refuel

Talk trash, don’t drink it.

Plenty of drinks are branded for energy, electrolytes and post-workout. How well do they actually refuel you?

Losing 2% of body weight through activity can cause a 10% decrease in performance. You’re depleting fluid, burning glucose and electrolytes, and breaking down your muscles. You need the right fuel to recover – and to push even harder next time.

Proof chocolate milk works
chocolate milk icon

Study after study has shown that chocolate milk as a recovery drink improved performance better than traditional sports drinks. For some athletes, traditional sports drinks actually made their performance worse than before.1

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More strength

High school athletes drinking chocolate milk:1

  • Bench-pressed a net total of 6.7% more than those recovering with a leading sports drink
  • Squat-lifted a net total of 7% more than those recovering with a leading sports drink

More speed

Collegiate swimmers drinking chocolate milk:2

  • Swam 2.1 seconds faster per 200-yard swim compared to those recovering with a traditional carbohydrate sports drink or calorie-free beverage
  • Swam 0.5 seconds faster per 75-yard sprint compared to those recovering with a traditional carbohydrate sports drink or calorie-free beverage

More endurance

Adult athletes drinking chocolate milk:3

  • Had almost 1 minute longer endurance than those recovering with placebo beverages
  • Had about 6 minutes longer endurance than those recovering with sports drinks
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Why chocolate milk is special

  • Five natural electrolytes. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and phosphorus (which turns into the electrolyte phosphate in your body).
  • Epic hydration. Naturally made of 90% water.
  • High-quality, complete protein. Can reduce muscle damage and improve muscle recovery.
  • Ideal ratio of carbs to protein. Can restore glucose (energy) to your muscles, thanks to the small amount of added sugar, which achieves the golden ratio of carbs to protein (about 3:1 to 4:1, with slight variation between brands).

Choose what’s popular. Or what’s powerful.

Chocolate milk brings more of six out of seven nutrients vs. the leading sports drink competitor.

 Primary Sports Drink Competitor
16.9 oz (500 ml)		Chocolate Milk
16.9 oz (500 ml)
Protein0 grams16.9 grams
Carbs5 grams51 grams
Calcium“Not a significant source”634 mg (53% DV)
Magnesium125 mg (30% DV)51 mg (13% DV)
Potassium700 mg (15% DV)772 mg (21% DV)
Sodium30 mg (1% DV)465 mg (19% DV)
PhosphorusUnknown522 mg (42% DV)

 

Hydration plan with post-workout chocolate milk

2-4 hours before workoutLow-calorie fluid (e.g., water)16-20 oz
Immediately before workoutLow-calorie fluid (e.g., water)5-10 oz
During workoutLow-calorie fluid (e.g., water)5-10 oz every 20 minutes
30-45 minutes after workout REFUEL TIMEChocolate milk16 oz for every pound of fluid sweated out.

Raise to 24 oz per pound lost if you train twice per day.

Learn more about hydration

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Refuel is only part of the picture.

Tips for all-day fuel

Coaches and health pros

Learn how to put chocolate milk to work for your athletes. 

Start here »

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References

  1. Born et al. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2019) 16:6
  2. Stager JM, Brammer CL, Sossong T, Kojima K, Spanbaur D, Grand K, Wright BV. Supplemental recovery nutrition affects swim performance following glycogen depleting exercise. Presented at the American College of Sports Medicine, 2014.
  3. Karp JR1, Johnston JD, Tecklenburg S, Mickleborough TD, Fly AD, Stager JM. Chocolate milk as a post-exercise recovery aid. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006;16:78-91.
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