After four months of chasing bike rides and ski runs with recovery drinks, I'm convinced that they work. But I'm also convinced that it doesn't matter which brand you choose, as long as it has enough carbs (30 to 60 grams) and protein (7.5 to 15 grams) to begin replacing your glycogen stores within an hour after exercise. (Even chocolate milk helps your body rebound.) The tiebreaker, then, is taste.
Clif Shot RecoveryCall Fear Factor's stunt coordinator: I can bike a hundred miles (160 kilometers) off road, but I can't gag this stuff down. The mango-orange flavor tastes like a Pez wrapper—sickeningly sweet with a metallic aftertaste.
Payoff (per 8 ounces)
Calories: 140
Carbs: 30 g
Sugars: 23 g
Protein: 5 g
Endurox r4
The fruit punch is palatable, but so sweet you'll worry that Kool-Aid Man is about to break through your wall. Dilute by 25 percent—it tastes better and still packs a carb wallop. Avoid the chalky chocolate and vanilla flavors.
Payoff (per 8 ounces)
Calories: 186
Carbs: 35 g
Sugars: 26 g
Protein: 9 g
Powerbar Recovery - Editor's Pick
The best tasting but least potent of the three, PowerBar's orange drink smacks of half-strength Gatorade. It has enough sugar to keep you drinking but not so much that you fear a diabetic coma.
Payoff (per 8 ounces)
Calories: 90
Carbs: 20 g
Sugars: 10 g
Protein: 3 g
Photographs courtesy of Clif Shot; Endurox; Powerbar
Pick up the March 2006 issue for more secrets of the Southwest, nine Caribbean adventures, the best gear for runners, and our World Class outfitter trips.
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