Milk - Better than Gatorade?

Admitting a problem is the first step to recovery.

So I admit it: I do not drink enough milk. Kind of ironic considering I live on a dairy farm. But believe me, I certainly consume my fair share of dairy products, especially cheese and yogurt.

I remember during my high school years, I would get home from whatever athletic practice-of-the-season, open the refrigerator door, grab the gallon of milk, remove the lid, and chug. It was so thirst quenching and I felt so much better after I had downed the delicious milk.

Of course, my mother was yelling at me the entire time: Don't stand there with the refrigerator door open. Don't drink from the milk container.

Now, there is new research showing that milk is, indeed, an excellent idea sports recovery drink.

The International Journey of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism featured an article proving that chocolate milk is a nutritious alternative to carb-replacement sports drinks. The smooth chocolate milk also supplies energy and helps muscles refuel after exercising.

A 2004 study proves that whey protein stimulates protein synthesis after resistance exercise. Whey is found naturally in milk. The impact of the study: consumption of whole protein can stimulate post-resistance exercise muscle protein synthesis, which could lead to bigger and stronger muscles.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that drink milk after heavy weightlifting helps exercisers burn more fat and build more muscle. The muscle gain proved greater among milk drinkers than those who drank carb-based beverages or soy products.

Drinking milk as a training beverage results in great muscle mass accretion states another issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Skim milk is a natural and effective post-exercise recovery aid, according to a study in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Consumption of dairy foods leads to stronger bones and bone mass preservation.

Three daily servings of milk contribute to a healthy diet by helping children and adolescents meet calcium and vitamin D needs reports Pediatrics.

Perhaps in the future, we'll see superstar athletes on the sidelines of a football game chugging a glorious glass of milk instead of reaching for a carb-based beverage. So watch out, sports drinks! There's a new refueler in town, and it is doing a body good.