Drinking chocolate milk after running is legit: Studies show that guzzling it after a workout can improve muscle recovery and help you work harder during subsequent exercise. It has everything you need in one glass: the right combination of carbohydrates, protein, electrolytes, and fluid, which work synergistically to help you recharge. And you might be used to picking up a half gallon of the stuff at your local grocery store, but homemade chocolate milk blows away anything you can buy premade. The syrup from this recipe is also great on yogurt or ice cream. Consider whisking in about a teaspoon of instant espresso powder when making the syrup to perk it up. You can also mix it with milk that has been warmed in the microwave or on the stove top for a toasty drink when you’ve just finished up a workout in chilly temperatures.

For body-friendly antioxidants, use raw cocoa powder (often spelled cacao) instead of Dutch-processed, which is treated with alkali that destroys naturally occurring antioxidants. You can also up the nutritional ante by opting for organic or grass-fed milk, which has higher levels of beneficial nutrients such as omega fats.

Chocolate Milk Game Changers

• Replace brown sugar with turbinado sugar, coconut sugar, or maple sugar
• Replace cow milk with goat milk, which may be easier to digest