Follow Akiia James on Twitter: http://twitter.com/akiiajames
I have two things for you to ponder this week -- the decision of D.C. schools to eliminate sugary, flavored milk and research showing that chocolate milk is a good recovery beverage pre and post workout.
How can this be? Aren’t the two declarations a contradiction?
The answer is no -- if you know your facts.
First, the decision of D.C. Public Schools to ban chocolate and strawberry flavored milk comes on the heels of "Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution." In the ABC series, Oliver, a professional chef, went into the Charleston, West Virginia school system and helped refine public school lunches.
Oliver’s series shined a light on the low nutrient, processed, sugary, foods (including flavored milks) children are consuming in large quantities.
One of the biggest shockers was children were drinking flavored milk sometimes twice a day. Flavored milk has the same amount of sugar as some soft drinks. And in D.C. schools, it was being served with sugar cereals. Those cereals also are now banned and will not be available in the fall.
The rationale behind the ban is children are consuming unreasonable amounts of sugar and carbohydrates throughout their school day, which administrators believe is contributing to their lack of attention in the classroom.
It will be interesting to see what changes are noted in the classroom once the school year begins.
Now, the second part of the milk research may have you a little confused.
Researchers say drinking chocolate milk after a workout helps with recovery and muscle repair, while drinking it before a workout can improve performance.
Milk’s combination of antioxidants, protein and carbohydrate provide a trio that is ideal for a body in need of energy and repair.
Now, you may be asking what about the sugar, and isn’t the sugar the reason why it’s being banned from schools?
Well, carbohydrates, which your body converts into sugar and then uses for energy to complete work, are commonly consumed by athletes before and after physical activity. So, to use it as a fuel is acceptable.
In the case of school children, eating a lot of carbs and going to sit in a classroom for hours is not good because they can’t burn the fuel and instead become lethargic as their glycemic levels drop.
I don’t drink milk and I don’t eat chocolate, so I won’t be able to try this. However, I encourage you to give it a try and let me know how it goes.
Before you get give it a go, be sure to review the reading materials so you can make an informed decision.
D.C. schools to discontinue flavored milk, sugary cereals
http://betterdcschoolfood.blogspot.com/2010/06/dc-schools-to-discontinue-flavored-milk.html
Nutrition: You should cocoa
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/nutrition-you-should-cocoa--26491
Benefits of chocolate milk -- post workout
Nutritional data: Milk, chocolate beverage, hot cocoa, homemade
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/93/2
What’s the best after-work out drink?
http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/brierley_wright/2010_06_04/what_s_the_best_after_workout_drink
I am a certified Crossfit Kettlebell instructor, triathlete and former trained dancer. I am not a nutritionist or a doctor. Information I share is based on my own research and experience. Before beginning a diet or fitness routine you should consult your physician or a health professional. For question and comments about this blog, contact me at akiia.james@abc11mail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment