So I kind of get the mid ride principal (sugar?), but why do some teams hand our Fanta at the end of the rides?
Surely there's healthier ways to recover, so why not use all these sports recovery drinks, why coke and fanta?
the riders probably like it, and I've read that high GI is best after an event to replenish your stores quickly.
mid ride principal (sugar?)
And caffiene to stimulate and assist in utilizing fats as fuel iirc.
After hours of vile energy drinks a little bit of fanta or coke makes a nice change I suppose.
A cyclist and food scientist friend of mine sometimes takes cola as a recovery drink. But he's extremely fussy about what he puts in his drinks bladder - avoiding synthetic sweeteners mainly.
I occasionally drink Coke after riding as a recovery drink. I don't really like the drinks sold as recovery drinks. I understand the effects are dubious at best as well.
After a ride I want something cold, refreshing with a good kick of sugar to help me perk up a bit. Coke fits the bill pretty well and provides enough of a boost while I sort out eating something. It helps me "recover" in that it makes me feel better.
Coke isn't that unhealthy. It is pretty much a small amount of flavouring, sugar and a few other bits and pieces in solution. Not massively different from your average gel, energy drink, fizzy drink. It get's bad press but mainly because of other associated factors. It contains empty calories but for a pro rider that won't be much of an issue. It contains less E numbers than an apple but that is another debate.