Benefits of cereal after sport revealed

Raam

Brekkie is good, at any time of day

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/benefits-of-cereal-after-sport-revealed-410689.html

A bowl of breakfast cereal is better at aiding recovery after exercise than expensive sports drinks, it was claimed today.

Not only is it just as good at replenishing energy stores, but it also helps to rebuild muscle, scientists said.

They conclude that breakfast cereal eaten with milk offers an effective and cheap way for athletes to “refuel”.

The researchers studied eight male and four female trained cyclists.

After two hour-long cycling sessions, they were randomly given either bottles of carbohydrate-based sports drinks or bowls of wholegrain cereal and non-fat milk.

Tests showed no difference between the two in their ability to restore lost energy “fuel” in the form of stored glucose, or glycogen.

But the milk protein provided raw material for muscle-rebuilding that was lacking in the sports drink.

During sustained exercise, muscle protein is broken down. Although exercise itself stimulates the creation of more protein, the consumption of protein-rich food is also needed to maintain a proper loss and gain balance.

The findings were reported today in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

US researcher Lynne Kammer, from the University of Texas at Austin, who led the study, said: “Our goal was to compare wholegrain cereal plus milk – which are ordinary foods – and sports drinks, after moderate exercise. We wanted to understand their relative effects on glycogen repletion and muscle protein synthesis for the average individual.

“We found that glycogen repletion, or the replenishment of immediate muscle fuel, was just as good after wholegrain cereal consumption and that some aspects of protein synthesis were actually better.

“Cereal and non-fat milk are a less expensive option than sports drinks. The milk provides a source of easily digestible and high quality protein, which can promote protein synthesis and training adaptations, making this an attractive recovery option for those who refuel at home.”

The research was supported by Wheaties, a popular American wheat and bran breakfast cereal, and the General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition.

General Mills, based in Golden Valley, Minnesota, markets the brand, which has had a long association with sport.

scottreynolds

Raam wrote: »

The research was supported by Wheaties, a popular American wheat and bran breakfast cereal, and the General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition.

Oh really -- I hope this is not one of those cigarette style things after all he who pays gets the results

In all seriousness though the important thing after exercise is carbs and protein which a bowl of cereal (not Wheaties) has in abundance. When they say its cheaper they aren't obviously looking at the Irish price for whole grain cereals..... my muesli is expensive.

Raam

scottreynolds wrote: »

Oh really -- I hope this is not one of those cigarette style things after all he who pays gets the results

In all seriousness though the important thing after exercise is carbs and protein which a bowl of cereal (not Wheaties) has in abundance. When they say its cheaper they aren't obviously looking at the Irish price for whole grain cereals..... my muesli is expensive.

Should we believe the people who make the expensive sports drinks instead?

scottreynolds

Raam wrote: »

Should we believe the people who make the expensive sports drinks instead?

Yes. Actually they can't be that important at all cause on the TOI there was no recovery drinks which was silliness just water and a meal.

Diarmuid

I think any carb with a medium GI index would do as recovery food. My fav is weetabix + porridge flakes + honey + milk

Raam

I'm quite liking granola/oats/muesli/crunchy-stuff + natural yogurt + honey.

ROK ON

[quote=scottreynolds;60239387

In all seriousness though the important thing after exercise is carbs and protein which a [B]breakfast roll[/B] has in abundance. When they say its cheaper they aren't obviously looking at the Irish price for whole grain cereals..... my muesli is expensive.[/quote]

Fixed that for you.
I will try eating a breakfast roll after my next spin, and let ye know whether it aids recovery:D

lukester

scottreynolds wrote: »

When they say its cheaper they aren't obviously looking at the Irish price for whole grain cereals..... my muesli is expensive.

My pre, and often post-ride brekkie is Bunalun organic oats, with milk. Cheap as chips, cheaper actually. And good for you.

Sometimes add Goji berries and/or linseeds, also cheap super-foods.

Raam

lukester wrote: »

Sometimes add Goji berries and/or linseeds, also cheap super-foods.

They defo go nice in a bowl of porridge

ROK ON

Raam wrote: »

I'm quite liking granola/oats/muesli/crunchy-stuff + natural yogurt + honey.

I have started eating granola bars for breakfast, during a ride and after. They are great, tasty and a lovely way to take on energy.
Way better than sports bars IMO in terms of setting one up for a good day cycling. They also bust my hunger pangs more than energy bars etc. I also dont like the sickly feeling I get after sports bars - dnt get that with granola.

Also, the ones that I get come in a bpx of 6, and work out at about €0.40 per bar.

scottreynolds

ROK ON wrote: »

I have started eating granola bars for breakfast, during a ride and after. They are great, tasty and a lovely way to take on energy.

I find them a bit dry. Nutigrain bars, although I had enough of them last week, are still my number 1.

Jawgap

Cereal and sport always worked well for this guy!!

lukester

Jawgap wrote: »

Cereal and sport always worked well for this guy!!

He ate sugar-coated, processed maize. Crap in a box.

petethedrummer

scottreynolds wrote: »

I find them a bit dry. Nutigrain bars, although I had enough of them last week, are still my number 1.

I f__ing hate nutrigrain bars and the like now. It must be the association with being hungry and miserable in Wicklow.

Jawgap

lukester wrote: »

He ate sugar-coated, processed maize. Crap in a box.

Can't have been too bad - he's very good at karate and I seem to rememer him sticking a penalty past Gordon Banks!:)

tunney

Raam wrote: »

Brekkie is good, at any time of day

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/benefits-of-cereal-after-sport-revealed-410689.html

Ah right - so a drink appropriate for during training when taken after training isn't the best?

Who drinks carbs only after a ride?

Raam

Personally I go for chocolate milk, fish, cheese, bit of pasta.

richiemack

I thought protein was good for recovery, or am I wrong, I was under the impression it was carbs before and during exercise, and protein after for recovery, correct me if Im away with the faeries

Jawgap

I thought it was protein and carbs after physical exercise - a tuna on brown sandwich being almost ideal.

zzzzzzzz

Jawgap wrote: »

I thought it was protein and carbs after physical exercise - a tuna on brown sandwich being almost ideal.

Apparently the ideal recovery drink/meal should have a ratio of 4:1 carbs : protein. The protein helps your body digest the carbs or something.

Lumen

Protein to repair and build muscle. Carbs to refuel.

That's my understanding anyway.

At the moment I'm significantly reducing the carbs in order to refuel from fat (that's my theory anyway). Longer recovery times, but I need the rest.

Raam

Lumen wrote: »

At the moment I'm significantly reducing the carbs in order to refuel from fat

Why?

Lumen

Raam wrote: »

Why?

Power/weight.

Raam

Lumen wrote: »

Power/weight.

I honestly don't think you should worry about the weight side. Just get the power up. I don't have much weight and I've no idea what power I have. In the hills, great, I'm in my element, but when a race is on, the bigger guys superior power leaves me struggling.

Lumen

Raam wrote: »

I honestly don't think you should worry about the weight side. Just get the power up. I don't have much weight and I've no idea what power I have. In the hills, great, I'm in my element, but when a race is on, the bigger guys superior power leaves me struggling.

I'm not worried. It just seemed like an easy thing to do since I'm only training hard once a week. All my long rides are in the mountains and the WW200 is only a couple of weeks away.

Esroh

Nothing new in this
Over the counter Expensive Sports Drink per 100ml
Protein =trace
Carbs =6.2gr

Milk(full fat)
Protein = 3.3g
Carbs = 4.9g

Expensive Sports Drink (powder)
Protein = trace
Carbs = 23.4g.

It doesn't take a scientist to see which drink will help recovery.
A pint of milk and a pasta based meal with meat is really all you need.

If anyone uses a Recovery drink maybe they can post the relative values

scottreynolds

Esroh wrote: »

Nothing new in this
Over the counter Expensive Sports Drink per 100ml
Protein =trace
Carbs =6.2gr

Milk(full fat)
Protein = 3.3g
Carbs = 4.9g

Expensive Sports Drink (powder)
Protein = trace
Carbs = 23.4g.

It doesn't take a scientist to see which drink will help recovery.
A pint of milk and a pasta based meal with meat is really all you need.

If anyone uses a Recovery drink maybe they can post the relative values

Ah...... thats not correct this study, without any more details, I presumed was comparing recivery drinks not 'sport' drinks.

-- My Powerbar recovery drink has 25g Protien and 70g protein for 100g when mixed with milk. Their recommend serving is 55g.

dave2pvd

scottreynolds wrote: »

Ah...... thats not correct this study, without any more details, I presumed was comparing recivery drinks not 'sport' drinks.

-- My Powerbar recovery drink has 25g Protien and 70g protein for 100g when mixed with milk. Their recommend serving is 55g.

....and that's the thing: they are comparing 'energy drinks' to cereal. Energy drinks are not recovery drinks. Powerbar recovery and Cytomax are. It doesn't say it, but if they used the usual suspects, they probably compared cereal with Gatorade or Powerade.

The article is best read from the bottom up. That way, you first get to see that the 'research' was sponsored by the cereal company General Mills. Then you don't have to read any more of the article. If you do, your brain might forget something that's actually useful and worth remembering.

unionman

The best start I ever got before a long spin was a small bowl of raw oats, some brown sugar and a splash of (soya) milk. Kept me going for ages. Cold roast chicken and lots of salad leaves with some olive oil afterwards. Felt A1 the next day.

Cereals are grand but you need to check the salt and sugar content.

Home:Ballyhoura

unionman wrote: »

...a splash of (soya) milk...

Nice to see someone else using soya milk, I have to use it all the time for allergy reasons. I could probably go back to cow's milk now if I wanted but I have heard so many good things about soya milk, and I've had a lot of success in it's time, that I'm not quite sure I want to just yet!

Itsfixed

Raam wrote: »

Personally I go for chocolate milk, fish, cheese, bit of pasta.

+1 on the chocolate milk. Tastes even nicer after a long ride.