One college football team is trying to do a little something different for it’s players after a long hard practice in the summer heat. The Washington Huskies are making their players drink chocolate milk along with Gatorade after practice to replenish the nutrients lost in the heat.
“This is just another way to facilitate post-exercise carbohydrate replenishment. This is another facet that we can use in our supplement program,” Washington director of sport performance Trent Greener said. “The research substantiates it and it’s something too that the kids are going to be compliant with.”
“We’ve always used Gatorade,” athletic trainer Rob Scheidegger said. “But we’re always trying to find ways to get natural foods into people. So if we can find a natural product at the end of practice that aids with recovery, keeps them hydrated and gives them the energy that they need we’re going to go with something like that.”
The players are required to drink a bottle of Gatorade and a small carton of chocolate milk after each practice. And if you don’t like milk, too bad. You still have to drink it. The lactose intolerant players are given a substitute drink with the same or similar nutritional benefits. They could just buy some Lactaid milk and choclate syrup mix.
I don’t know about you but after I’ve been outside working my ass off in the summer heat, I don’t want some heavy chocolate milk sitting in my system.
