A Challenger to Chocolate Milk
It is going to be hard to get me to change from chocolate milk to anything else for a post-workout recovery drink. The high-priced drinks for me have come and gone, the most recent being Muscle Milk, which I have come to loathe. There is a healthier alternative to my “brown milk” that I am willing to give a try, but only for health reasons, mind you! What am I talking about?
I am talking about a yogurt-like drink called kefir. I have had kefir many times, but never as a recovery beverage. Kefir is raw milk fermented with certain grains creating bacteria beneficial to the digestive tract. The fermentation also pre-digests the protein in the milk making the absorption of the protein as well as vitamins and minerals much easier for the stomach to utilize, which is what you want immediately after intense exercise.
Ok, that by itself isn’t going to convince me to switch from CM. The taste might though. It is slightly sour, (which makes sense since it is fermented). It tastes good by itself but also flavored with fruit, like blueberries. There are actually times I prefer something other than the taste of chocolate in my mouth!
I found about using kefir as a post-workout drink from Dane Miller of GarageStrength.com who has much more to add about kefir.
Miller is definitely sold on kefir: “I fully believe that kefir is the BEST post-workout drink, bar none. Following an intense workout, the body needs nutrition fast and wants to spend as much time as possible recovering its muscles. Kefir works wonders for this aspect of training. The body spends significantly less time digesting the food as it is already predigested. It can quickly transport vitamins, minerals, and protein to the bloodstream and muscles. There is no better post-workout drink than kefir.”
Personally, I am willing to use them both; kefir for the days I really want to pat myself on the back for being healthy and CM for the days I just want to pat myself on the back and reward my self with something that is also a little “decadent!”
Tagged with: bacteria • chocolate milk • kefir • muscle milk • post-exercise recovery • protein • raw milk • strength
Filed under: Health • Nutrition • Training Tips • Weblogs
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Kefir is awesome. After I read about it on Dane’s site I figured I’d have a hard time finding it, but luckily my grocery store carries it. Considering most chocolate milk is made with HFCS kefir is definitely a better choice.
But Paul, dude, it’s chocolate milk It’s a brief trip down memory lane as a kid. But, nutritionally, you and Dane are right, kefir is the better choice.
I am all for the health benefits. However, my discriminating pallette keeps me choosing chocolate milk. I would like to see a recovery beverage that suspends the lactobacilli in a dark chocolate, low HFCS, nonfat milk. I promise I would pay just about any price!!! I agree with your assesment of muscle milk – yuck.