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For most of us, sports drinks tend to be an acquired taste—one we only acquire after about an hour of hard, sweaty exercise. But new research shows that our refueling options now extend beyond artificial-tasting limeade, and include things many of us crave even when we're not finishing a a spinning class. Here are three delicious, non-traditional options that have proven health benefits:

Chocolate Milk
Low-fat chocolate milk (yes, the real deal -- we're not referring to fudge-flavored drinks) has been shown in studies involving cyclists, soccer players and runners to be just as effective as sports drinks in helping athletes recover. It provides fluids to help you rehydrate and carbohydrates to replace glycogen burned off during intense activity. This affordable treat also has protein that combines with the carbs to reduce muscle damage and hasten recovery, as well as an added bonus of calcium. 






Beer
Those who enjoy the malty taste and carbonation of a cold beer after a hard workout will be happy to hear that a recent study found that the non-alcoholic version could help reduce muscle inflammation and the risk of respiratory infection (both common side effects of intense training). In the study, published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, male runners who drank a liter to a liter-and-a-half of non-alcoholic beer before and after training for a marathon reported fewer illnesses and less incidences of inflammation than the runners who chugged a placebo. The researchers think this has something to do with the polyphenols in the beer, which have been shown to help us fight off colds. Unfortunately, alcohol interferes with the beer's healing properties, so save the authentic pint for the Saturday night after the competition.

Tropical Drinks
We're talking about the endless variety of smoothies that you can make with bananas, oranges, cantaloupe and honeydew melons. A half-cup of any these has more than 225 milligrams of potassium, which has been shown to work with sodium to balance fluids and electrolytes in the body. To avoid muscle cramps, toss a mix of potassium-rich fruit into a blender with low-fat yogurt and milk (or try this easy vanilla melon smoothie), and drink within 30 minutes to an hour of finishing your workout.  

Read more:
Earn your recovery beverage with Bob Green's Better Body Bootcamp workout.
This banana smoothie does triple-duty as a recovery drink, a breakfast or a snack.