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The good news about chocolate milk
By Dr. John L. Pfenninger | Posted: Sunday, April 8, 2012 7:59 am
It's Easter. What better time to talk about chocolate - milk, that is. A recent column discussed all the
negatives involved with consuming sugar-sweetened beverages, such as sodas and fruit drinks. If we
eliminate those, they have to be replaced by something. We know that water is a great substitute, but
could it be that chocolate milk is the best alternative?
Growing up, and as a young parent, I lived by the gospel that "chocolate milk has too many calories and
is not good for you." With that in mind, one of the largest school districts in Los Angeles has banned not
only soda/pop from their schools, but also chocolate milk. They claim that if kids have no other
alternatives than low-fat, white milk, they will learn to like it. Well, maybe.
The school board's decision has resulted in significant research in the nutritional value of white milk and
chocolate milk.
Milk can be flavored with powders, syrups, or other additives to make it more appetizing. Chocolate is
not the only taste. There is also banana, strawberry and lime. Actual fruits can be blended into the milk to
make it more like a "thin milk shake" instead of using other additives. Flavored milk is very popular in
New Zealand, and Australia has the highest consumption of flavored milk in the world.
Nearly 70 percent of the milk children choose to drink in the U.S. national school lunch program is
flavored. When flavored milk is removed from school meals and white milk is the only option, milk
consumption drops by 35 percent.
There is a huge focus right now to improve children's nutrition and overall health. The concern with
flavored milk is that it is thought to have more calories and thus contribute to childhood obesity.
However, chocolate milk today is not the same as the chocolate milk of the past. Between 2006 and 2011,
the production of chocolate milk changed. There are now 23 fewer calories per 8 ounces of chocolate
milk (for a total of 143). This is, indeed, 39 calories greater than white milk. There are now also fewer
calories from fat, and there is less added sugar which has decreased by an average of 30 percent. Most of
the carbohydrates/sugars presently come from the milk, itself, which contains lactose.
Flavored milk does include the same exact nutrients as white milk, and some suggest that chocolate milk
may actually be superior to white milk for nutritional value. Not only does it have the protein, calcium,
vitamin D, potassium, phosphorus and vitamins A, B12, riboflavin, and niacin, but it also has the antioxidant properties of the flavinoids from chocolate, as well as many other nutrients. Remember, milk is
the only food consumed by newborns and the young of many animals, including humans. It can totally
sustain life which no other food or drink can do. Milk may be the most nutritious item that many children
receive, especially those of low income who are at high risk of malnutrition. Low-fat or no-fat chocolate
milk does have the potential for a slight increase in calories in a child's diet, but provides a very high
nutrient value, especially when compared to sodas/pop and sugar sweetened fruit juices. It has also been
shown to be an excellent product for rehydration during sports. It is interesting to note that many studies
conclude that drinking flavored milk is not associated with adverse effects on children's body mass index.
Medical Procedures Center PC
4800 N Saginaw Rd Midland MI 48640 (989) 631-4545
Copyright 2012 John L Pfenninger MD
A Word from Dr. Pfenninger about:
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The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Heart Association, The American Dietetic
Association, and the School Nutrition Association, as well as the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,
support the important role of low-fat and non-fat milk, including flavored milk. They conclude that the
small amount of added sugars in flavored milk is a worthwhile trade off for the nutrients provided.
And so, on Easter, it is more good news about chocolate. Unfortunately, chocolate Easter eggs can't be
endorsed like low-fat or no-fat chocolate milk. But, one out of two isn't all that bad - unless you are the
Easter Bunny or the chickens laying the eggs!
Dr. John L. Pfenninger's column appears on Sundays. His office, Medical Procedures Center, is located
in Midland.
Medical Procedures Center PC
4800 N Saginaw Rd Midland MI 48640 (989) 631-4545
Copyright 2012 John L Pfenninger MD