For meals and snacks at home, school, or sports activities, chocolate milk is a delicious way for kids and adults to get the nutrients they need. Read on for facts on this not-so-guilty treat!
Chocolate Milk in School Meals
Over 68% of milk offered in schools is flavored, with chocolate winning as the milk of choice. A pilot study at one school district that removed chocolate milk from the menu revealed a decline in total milk sales by almost 10% and a decrease in lunch sales by nearly 8%.
Get the Facts: Kids and Chocolate Milk
Check out these infographic for benefits of, and nutrition content in chocolate milk.
Nature’s Sports Drink
When it comes to post-workout recovery, chocolate milk is the perfect choice for rehydrating the body and refueling tired muscles. Chocolate milk has a unique combination of protein, carbohydrates, and electrolytes that no other sports drinks have.
Water
85% water for hydration
Vitamins & Minerals
calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and magnesium for strong bones
B-vitamins
helps convert food to energy for active muscles
Carbohydrates
replace diminished energy stores in muscles
Potassium
helps muscles contract; helps regulate body fluids
Protein
used to build and maintain muscles
Flavored Milk FAQs
When it comes to healthy eating, we need factual information to help us make the best choices. Do you have questions about flavored milk’s nutritional value? We have answers!
Does the added sugar in flavored milk make it an unhealthy choice?
While flavored milk does have a higher carbohydrate and calorie content due to added sweetener, it contains the same nine essential nutrients as white milk. Leading health and nutrition organizations have recognized the value of added sugars, in small amounts, to nutrient-dense foods like chocolate milk because it increases appeal, allowing the opportunity to consume nutrients that might be missing in our diet. In fact drinking milk, including flavored, is associated with higher intakes of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium,potassium and vitamin A, in children and adolescents, compared to those who do not drink milk.
Will drinking flavored milk cause weight gain?
One study that included over 7,000 participants, aged 2-18 years, found that drinking flavored or white milk was not related to an increase in body mass index, when compared to children and adolescents who did not drink milk. Instead of focusing on a specific food or diet to maintain a healthy body weight, try to balance calories consumed to match with physical activities performed daily.
How much caffeine is in chocolate milk?
An 8-ounce serving of chocolate milk has approximately 2mg of caffeine.
Does flavored milk cause tooth decay?
Although there is a correlation between sugar consumption and tooth decay, liquid sugars, such as those in flavored milk, pass quickly though the mouth which limits contact time with teeth. Because of this speedy transit, liquid sugars may be less likely to contribute to cavities when compared to sugary foods like candy that stay in the mouth longer.
Does the chocolate in milk affect calcium absorption?
No. Although chocolate milk contains a very small amount of oxalic acid, a compound found in cocoa beans and other plants that can affect calcium absorption, the concentration is such that there is no significant effect on the availability of milk’s calcium.