Chocolate improves maths and recovery from endurance capacity
Chocolate milk after intensive prolonged exercise helps recovery much better than a carbohydrate replacement drink or a fluid replacement drink. After my 10 kilometer run on Sunday I’ll have some chocolate milk.
This was tested in a study in which during recovery from prolonged exercise (cycling) the participants ingested chocolate milk, carbohydrate replacement drink or a fluid replacement drink. After the chocolate milk the participants cycled 51% and 43% longer than after drinking carbohydrate replacement drink or a fluid replacement drink.
This could be due to differences in carbohydrate type and or fat content of the beverages. The absence of sucrose in carbohydrate replacement drink might have caused less liver glycogen repletion. Chocolate milk has a higher fat content and increases free circulating fatty acid. This might improve recovery for low-moderate endurance exercise while carbohydrate replacement drink is more effective for higher intensity endurance exercise.
Chocolate can also help improve your maths
Mental arithmetic became easier after volunteers had been given large amounts of compounds found in chocolate, called flavanols, in a hot cocoa drink.
They were also less likely to feel tired or mentally drained, the findings, presented at the British Psychological Society annual conference in Brighton show.
Eating things that are high in polyphenols the better that is for your brain in the long run. Chocolate especially dark chocolate is high in flavanols, a kind of polyphenol. So next exam be sure to do some binge eating of dark chocolate.
Anyone experience with these uses of chocolate for maths or exercise? Let me know in the comments
Thomas, K., Morris, P., & Stevenson, E. (2009). Improved endurance capacity following chocolate milk consumption compared with 2 commercially available sport drinks Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 34 (1), 78-82 DOI: 10.1139/H08-137
David Bradley
April 9, 2009 @ 9:45 am
There is a lot of talk of the benefits of polyphenols, antioxidants and such, but often overlooked is that the chemical species targeted and disabled by these compounds (free radicals, and reactive oxygen species) actually help destroy pathogens.
There is a growing school of thought that supplementing one’s diet with antioxidants could be bad for your overall health. That’s not to say we shouldn’t carry on with the fruit and veg advice, but supplements aren’t necessarily a good thing.
Chocolate is an exception to all of this, of course, any excuse for chocolate consumption.
Nestor L Lopez-Duran PhD
April 9, 2009 @ 4:23 pm
Hello Dr. Shock. Was there any discussion on the role of proteins? I’m a semi-competitive runner and the new trend in recovery drinks is the inclusion of protein, which used to be totally absent from the old carbohydrate-focus recovery supplements. I wonder if the difference was partially due to the 10+ grams of protein contained in the chocolate milk?
But either way, I will to start adding chocolate milk to my post-workout routine. Nestor.
Santiago
April 9, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
Hi, I am a biology student in Mexico City and for every long day of classes (more than 10hours) and before every exam I usually have some chocolate, but I thought it helped just because of the sugar. I am also very fond of chocolate so I think I am going to be eating lots of chocolate without feeling guilty about it, I have really enjoyed hearing these news,
Santiago