Forget the protein shakes, chocolate milk may be the best thing to drink after you work out. Scientists have found that the beverage has all the nutrients that your body needs to replenish itself from exercising. The protein helps the muscles recover and the calories replace those burned when you are on the treadmill.

Researchers said that chocolate milk, so long as it was a low fat brand, was the “gold standard for a recovery beverage.”

The finding calls into question the popularity of protein shakes, which were once used by bodybuilders but are now consumed by ordinary people who believe they make them stronger.

As a result, the sport-related protein product industry is booming. According to Cornell University, however, chocolate milk does just as good a job — if not better.

They sought out the best post-exercise beverage after seeing athletes overeating at night to compensate for their tough training regimes.

The team used computer software to develop a formula for the best product and combined it with advice from nutrition specialists in the athletic department.

The researchers tried adding Omega 3, the health fatty acid, into the drink, but it increased the fat content too much.

They also tried adding more sugar but realized that may cause stomach problems.

Clint Wattenberg, the coordinator of sports nutrition at Cornell, said that after numerous experiments they settled on an 8-ounce bottle of chocolate milk similar to those served with school lunches.

Their modified chocolate milk contains 16 grams of protein and 230 calories per 8-ounce serving.

By contrast, a regular bottle of chocolate milk has eight grams of protein and 160 calories.

Wattenberg said that 20 grams of protein is optimal for muscle recovery for an athlete weighing around 65 kg.

Wattenberg, a former wrestler, said, “The composition of low-fat chocolate milk is probably the gold standard for a recovery beverage.”

忘掉蛋白质奶昔吧，巧克力奶或许才是运动后的最佳饮品。科学家发现，运动之后，你的身体需要补充能量，而巧克力奶含有这时候身体所需的全部营养。蛋白质帮助肌肉组织恢复，而卡路里能补充你在跑步机上燃烧掉的能量。

研究人员称，就巧克力牛奶而言，只要它是低脂的，就符合”恢复性饮料的黄金标准。”这个发现对于蛋白质奶昔的广泛流行构成了挑战，之前健美运动员喝这种饮品，而现在普通人也喝，因为相信喝它可以变强壮。

受此影响，这种运动型蛋白产品行业一直蓬勃发展。但根据康奈尔大学的研究，巧克力奶可以达到同样效果 — 甚至更好。

研究人员发现运动员每天进行高强度的训练后，晚上都会吃的过多，于是他们想找到更好的运动后饮品。

该团队用电脑软件开发出一个最佳配方，并结合了体育部门营养专家的建议。

研究人员试图在该配方中加入健康的“欧米伽3”脂肪酸，但这样会让该配方的脂肪含量过高。他们也试着加更多糖，但发现这样可能引起胃部不适。

克林特·瓦滕伯格是康奈尔大学运动营养学的项目协调人，他说，大量实验后他们锁定了一瓶8盎司的巧克力奶，与学校午餐提供的相似。

经过他们改良的巧克力奶，每8盎司里包含16克蛋白质和230卡路里。而一瓶普通的8盎司巧克力奶则含有8克蛋白质和160卡路里。

瓦滕伯格说，对于一个体重大约65公斤的运动员来说，20克蛋白质是肌肉恢复的最佳含量。瓦滕伯格曾是摔跤运动员，他说：“这种低脂巧克力奶配方很可能是恢复性功能饮料的黄金标准。”

    Words to Learn 相关词汇

    【饮料】yǐnliào beverage something you drink

    【系统锻炼】xìtǒng duànliàn regime a regulated system of diet, exercise, or medical treatment