There’s a reason your mother always told you to drink your milk. With 15 essential nutrients, including 9 grams of high-quality protein, per serving, milk makes an ideal recovery fuel for runners, supporting both hydration and muscle regeneration.
It’s often said that fitness gains are not made on the track or the road; they’re made while you’re sleeping. And though sometimes we pay lip service to recovery, the best athletes know how important rest and recovery are to performance. So if you’re chasing a personal best, or a Boston Marathon qualification, or even just working on your fitness through running, here’s a tip: recovery is just as important as the work you put in when you’re out there, grinding. And what you eat and drink are a big part of how well you recover.
The science of recovery
“Recovery” doesn’t just mean resting, though an appropriate amount of rest after a hard workout or long run is obviously important; fuelling and hydration also play key roles. How well you recover between workouts determines how ready you will be for the next one, and how well your body adapts to the training stimulus.
You’ve heard of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)? Those are the building-blocks of protein that your body can’t produce on its own, and has to get from food. They’re important for regenerating muscle, which sustains tiny tears every time you run. Milk is an excellent source of BCAAs–and more.
Milk also helps replenish fluids lost through sweat, since it contains fluid and electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, that are not present in plain water. (There’s also evidence that the BCAAs contained in milk support rehydration, as well as muscle recovery.)
The recommended total daily amount of water is a whopping 3.7 litres per day for men and 2.7 litres for women. While approximately 19 per cent of this comes from the food you eat, it can still be challenging, some days, to meet your body’s need for hydration by drinking water alone. That’s why milk is such a great addition.
Fuel like a champ: Andre De Grasse drinks milk, and you should too
But protein and fluid are not the only things that make milk perfect for athletes; it also contains carbohydrate in the form of lactose (a natural sugar), calcium (which is important for building and maintaining bone density, especially as we age) and ribovlavin (vitamin B2), which helps harness energy from food–among many other nutrients. Milk’s specific nutritional content depends partly on its fat content, i.e. whole (or homogenized), partly skim (2% or 1%) or skim (fat-free).
Best of all, milk is easy to consume. Just grab a glass after your workout, along with whatever you’re eating, mix it up in a smoothie or shake, or pour it on a bowl of your favourite cereal. (Even the milk you use in your coffee or tea counts.)
Boost your milk intake with these Slow Cooker Maple Bacon Oatmeal Bowls
Steel cut oats are firmer than other varieties of oats and, like many large grains, they benefit from a long cooking process. If you prep your oatmeal in the evening, you can wake up to a delicious, hot bowl on a chilly morning. And if you make the topping mixture ahead, too, you can spoon it on top, or stir it into the warm oats and let the mixture reheat for a few minutes. Add your favourite toppings, or a big spoonful of Ontario yogurt.
Ingredients:
2 cups (500 mL) milk2 cups (500 mL) water2 cups (500 mL) steel cut oats or large flake oats1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt8 oz (227 g) sliced bacon, chopped2 Ontario apples, cored and diced1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cinnamon1/3 cup (75 mL) maple syrupVanilla yogurt (if desired)
Instructions
Coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Stir together milk, water, oats and salt in the slow cooker; cover with lid. Cook on low for seven to eight hours.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside. Drain bacon fat, leaving 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the bacon fat in the skillet.
Return skillet to medium heat, add apples and cinnamon and cook in the bacon fat for about five minutes, or until golden and softened. Return bacon pieces to skillet with maple syrup and toss well to coat.
Ladle oatmeal into bowls, top with bacon and apple mixture and finish with a generous spoonful of yogurt, if desired. Optional: add a variety of dried fruits, such as chopped apricots or dates, dried blueberries or cherries. Mini chocolate chips sprinkled on top add a touch of indulgence.
To learn more about all you can do with milk, head over to our Instagram.
This story was produced in partnership with the Dairy Farmers of Ontario.
