This week we are celebrating National Chocolate Milk Day! Chocolate milk is a tasty and nutritious beverage that deserves to be celebrated.

There are many reasons to love and enjoy chocolate milk. For athletes, one of those reasons is that chocolate milk can help you hydrate before and after exercise. Research shows that milk (both white and chocolate milk) is one of the best beverages for hydration, even better than water or sports drinks.

Milk contains natural electrolytes like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium, that are lost via sweat when exercising. Replenishing these essential electrolytes helps your body retain fluids and makes milk a winner when it comes to rehydration. Choose affordable, accessible milk after your workout to help you stay hydrated longer.

Milk also contains carbohydrates and high-quality protein, which are necessary for recovery and muscle building. After exercise, choose chocolate milk for extra carbohydrates to help replenish energy stores and give your body what it needs to stay healthy and hydrated, build lean muscle, and reach your fitness goals.

Helping you stay healthy and hydrated, build lean muscle, reach your fitness goals, and recover after a tough workout, milk does it all. Stay in the game and reduce your risk of sports-related stress fractures by drinking milk, the number one food source of calcium in the American diet.

Calcium works to build and protect your bones. Calcium loss can increase the risk of stress fractures, so drinking chocolate milk can help to safeguard your bones. The complete protein in milk helps to maintain and build muscle which also supports your bone health.

Lactose intolerant? Try lactose-free milk. It’s real milk, without lactose. There are many options on the market offering electrolytes to help you stay hydrated.

Learn more about dairy’s role in sports nutrition here.

Jill Merkel is a Registered Dietitian specializing in sports nutrition and disordered eating. She is the owner of a virtual private practice, Jill Merkel RD Nutrition Coaching and Consulting, based out of Tennessee.

Every dairy farm looks a little different, but one priority remains the same: keeping cows healthy, comfortable and well cared for. Dairy farmers put careful thought into the housing they provide, creating spaces that give cows a comfortable place to rest, access to fresh food and water, and protection from changing weather conditions. From barn design to bedding and ventilation, meet the dairy farmers who are putting cow comfort at the center of their everyday care.