right after a workout, items like dextrose and maltodextrin are good because they cause a spike in blood sugar that will be followed by a spike in insulin
during the day, that's a bad thing, because large insulin spikes are typically accompanied by fat deposition (unless you're one of those metabolic speed-demon prick bastards that I hate)
however, right after a weight training workout, insulin will shuttle your calories into the muscle cells rather than the adipose tissue, and that is what we like.
so the "general" idea is to suck down 50ish g whey protein (fast acting) such as Designer or Isopure along with about 50-75 g of fast sugar (NOT sucrose, but again, some metabolic bastards don't have a problem with regular sugar).
you take that drink about 10minutes after a workout, then within the next hour, you have a "whole food" meal that is similar in macornutrient profile, but is....well..."whole food". a dozen egg whites + oatmeal, a chunk of dead animal along with a plain baked potato (or potato + ketchup is my fave

)