College Students’ Knowledge of Recovery Beverage Serving Sizes

Previous research suggests that chocolate milk may be a beneficial recovery beverage, yet little is known about how athletes and students training for careers in sports science or health-related fields interpret recommended recovery beverage serving sizes. This study examined college students’ ability to correctly apply serving size recommendations for chocolate milk and protein powder used during post-exercise recovery and assessed usual consumption of milk as a recovery beverage. College students (34 women, 39 men) poured the amount of chocolate milk they would consume within 90 minutes after exercise unaided and with the use of a serving size guide. They scooped the amount of protein powder they would use after exercising. Participants reported consuming about 1.3±1.8 glasses of milk and drinking a recovery beverage besides milk an average of 0.95±1.3 times in the past three days. The majority poured less than recommended. Student athletes poured significantly closer to the recommendation than non-athletes (436±128 ml versus 418±127 ml, p=0.016) and poured significantly closer to the recommendation after reviewing a serving size guide (p=0.038). Athletes and men served themselves significantly more protein powder than non-athletes (13.0±5.6 g versus 10.3±5.2 g, p=0.047) and women (12.5±6.0 g versus 9.8±4.4 g, p=0.041). Most participants reported that the serving size guide was easy to read and helpful. Nutrition education specific to post-exercise recovery beverages may help students improve accuracy when interpreting serving size recommendations.