After a moderate or intense workout, most of us reach for popular sports drinks to recover and refuel. Appealing advertising campaigns have us convinced that they are the best option for recovery. But, new research reported in Science Daily demonstrates how simple and inexpensive whole grain cereal is just as effective at refueling muscles as sports drinks are after moderate or intense exercise. Researchers at the University of Texas found that whole grain cereal with milk helps replenish immediate muscle fuel and provides a high quality source of protein needed for protein synthesis.
The best whole grain cereals boast 3 grams or more of fiber and have 10 grams or less of sugar. Scan the ingredient list for words like whole wheat flour instead of enriched wheat flour to ensure you're truly purchasing a whole grain product. Also, watch out for sugar and high fructose corn syrup in the list of ingredients. Make sure they aren't listed in the first few ingredients. Some excellent whole grain cereals include:
• Rolled or steel cut oats
• Cheerios
• Shredded Wheat
• FiberOne
• Grape Nuts
Comments