Swimmers can recover much faster by consuming chocolate milk, as opposed to the average sports beverage.

A new study has discovered that chocolate milk can provide swimmers with a performance edge. According to new research presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual conference, Indiana researchers found that college swimmers were able to take off an average of 2.1 seconds per 200 yard race, and 0.5 seconds per 75 yard sprint when they drank chocolate milk after training.

According to Joel Stager, PhD, lead researcher at Indiana University, chocolate milk is an ideal beverage for recovery following intense training. The carb to protein ratio it features is exactly what athletes need, and it’s much more affordable than many alternatives, such as calorie-free drinks or sports beverages.

“From cyclists to runners to soccer players, there’s a strong body of research supporting the benefits of recovering with chocolate milk. Now, our research suggests these same benefits extend to swimmers – a sport that relies on quick recovery for multiple races within a single day,” said Stager in a statement.

The study is the first of its kind, and involved testing six college swimmers performing a glycogen depleting swim race of 60 x 100 yards, followed by a five-hour recovery period with the consumption of either chocolate milk, a sports drink, or a calorie-free beverage. After three weeks, there were significant differences in the recovery of athletes who drank chocolate milk over those who consumed the other two beverages.