First Choice, manufactured by Woodlands Dairy, has launched High-Protein Recovery.
This scientifically-formulated ready-to-drink product, available at select Dis-Chem stores, can help elite and amateur athletes recover following intense workouts or competition.
Meeting recovery demands
Marisa Maccaferri, Marketing Manager for Woodlands Dairy and First Choice, explains that repeated exercise or long activity sessions decrease energy stores, which lead to fatigue and a decline in performance.
“Prolonged exercise also triggers muscle breakdown during and after training. Chocolate flavoured milk has long been touted as the go-to recovery drink. That’s because, post-workout, you want a snack or drink that gives you a dose of protein to aid muscle recovery, and carbs to fill up fuel stores and combat fatigue. Minerals such as potassium, sodium and magnesium replace electrolytes lost through sweating,” adds Maccaferri.
Research suggests that flavoured milk after exercise can help the body retain fluid, replenish glycogen and rebuild muscle to help your body recover. Milk protein consists of whey and casein, which help to rebuild muscle in different ways: the whey is fast-acting and the casein slow-acting.
The amount of milk recommended can be anywhere from one to two cups, depending on the size of the individual and the type of activity.
A convenient solution
“High-Protein Recovery is aimed at individuals who perform high-intensity training and need to recover fast to be ready for the next gruelling session,” explains Maccaferri.
“Although it’s been designed as a post-workout recovery drink, High-Protein Recovery can also be included in pre-exercise nutrition to supply carbohydrates and support hydration, or as a meal replacement,” continues Maccaferri.
This new RTD contains more than twice the protein found in normal milk and has been fortified with eight additional B vitamins. It is also high in calcium, high in energy and is tartrazine-free. The milk used is procured locally from predominantly pasture-fed cows.
A sustainability slant
Woodlands also takes sustainability and its impact on the environment very seriously.
“As with all our UHT products, we’ve moved to use bio-based closures. Our green closures are partly made from sugar cane which is a natural resource that grows back once it’s harvested. We’re proud of the fact that we’re the first dairy manufacturer in South Africa to make this change.”
Furthermore, the chocolate variant carries UTZ certification, which means the cocoa is sourced responsibly.
“In essence, the goal of UTZ is to create an efficient sustainability programme with effective certification and traceability tools for socially and environmentally responsible cocoa production that meets the needs of both producers and markets,” Maccaferri concludes.
