...according to a new study that finds that eating an unassuming bowl of any whole-grain cereal with milk is superior to chugging a designer sports drink after a workout to replenish muscle fuel and protein.The study, published last week in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, demonstrates how sports drinks are largely unnecessary for recreational athletes..
Lynne Kammer of The University of Texas at Austin led a study comparing sports drinks and a milk-cereal combo for muscle recovery after moderate exercise among trained cyclists pedaling for two hours. Her team found that cereal and low-fat milk was just as good for replenishing the muscle with glycogen, its fuel source, and superior to a sports drink in helping fatigued muscle synthesize protein.
Not only is cereal with milk cheaper than a sports drink, Kammer said, the combo provides nutritional calories, not calories wasted in a drink...
There is, however, one rather large caveat -
Yes, this study was funded by General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition, the makers of fine breakfast cereals.