Samantha Osaduke
Staff Writer
We’ve all grown up with the “Got Milk?” advertisements with the iconic white moustaches and celebrities drinking the white, creamy drink. Though milk is known mostly for its calcium content, a new study suggests that milk is actually more hydrating than water.
The study, which was paid for by the Dairy Farmers of Canada, found that milk actually replaces the sodium lost in sweat and helps the body retain fluid better. Milk is basically water with more nutritional value: high quality protein, carbohydrates, calcium, and electrolytes.
Milk remains superior for rehydration after a work-out because it is rich in sodium and potassium, which allows you to retain fluid while the protein and fat slow digestion. This results in less hunger and longer hydration. The extra vitamins and protein replenish the body’s water content faster after exercise.
In 2007, The British Journal of Nutrition also found that low fat milk can keep you hydrated after a workout. Post-exercise, 11 men and women were given four beverages: water, a sports drink, low-fat milk, and low-fat milk with sodium. Researchers tested urine output to determine the effects of dehydration one hour later. Milk provides nine essential nutrients, including calcium, protein, potassium, and vitamins A and D. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming three servings of low-fat or fat-free milk each day.
Additionally, milk makes sense because it is much more economical in comparison to sports drinks for students. The only downside to this source of hydration is the fact that it spoils. Milk is a steal for those on a budget or who simply don’t want to spend the hefty price for sports drinks.
All milk isn’t made equal. If you prefer chocolate milk, the benefits are still there but with a twist. Chocolate milk has a little higher carbohydrate content and will allow you to be hydrated despite the slight change in taste. The small amount of sugar and sodium allow the body to stabilize quicker. Chocolate milk also contains about two to seven milligrams of caffeine per eight-ounce serving. Caffeine has been demonstrated to improve exercise time to exhaustion by 22 to 23 per cent compared with a placebo.
Chocolate milk is actually better for hydration than skim milk because it has double the carbohydrate and protein content.
If you’re lactose intolerant, you can still get the benefits of the milk. Simply take lactase pills with your milk or drink lactose-free milk.
Canada’s food guide recommends two to four servings of milk, dairy products, or milk alternatives daily as part of a healthy diet.
