While most people have been conditioned to grab a protein shake post-workout, some new research suggests that giving in to your craving for a McDonald's might be just as nutritious.

One of the most important things when you're hitting the gym or out there running as hard as you can is to get the nutritional side of things right. You need to fuel your exercise with some good quality grub, and most of us look for something with a lot of protein in it that gives us that boost that we need.

However, a new study indicates that heading to your local McDonald's might be just as good in terms of helping your body recover. In the study, 11 "recreational" athletes (just like the rest of us) did two separate tests on a stationary bike. The first test was a 90 minute ride that included some tough intervals, after which the science people did all their measuring. They then took a break for a while, and while one group ate sports food and nutritional supplements, another group got to chow down on some fast food before hopping back on the bike for a 20km time-trial. 

Surprisingly, after measuring everything related to recovery - "blood cholesterol to thigh-muscle glycogen content to time-trial performance" - they found that there was no significant difference between the two groups on any front. They also added that "our results show that fast food, in the right amounts, can provide the same potential for muscle glycogen as sports nutrition products that probably cost more".

"These data indicate that short-term food options to initiate glycogen resynthesis can include dietary options not typically marketed as sports nutrition products, such as fast food menu items". Cut the science talk nerd, and give it to us in plain English, we hear you say. Well, according to Runner's World, glycogen resynthesis is essentially recovery, and the results of the study suggest that even eating something from a fast food restaurant can be just as effective as using other products that are marketed as being for sports nutrition.  

Speaking to Runner's World, lead researcher Brent Ruby said "we expected to see about the same glycogen recovery, but we were not expecting the nearly identical blood data, or the nearly identical time-trial times". Of course, the usual warnings of taking everything in moderation apply here, but next time you fancy a burger, you don't have to feel so guilty about it. It's fuel, apparently. 

Via Jump The Gun. Main pic via McDonald's.ie