Milk, white or chocolate, is the number one food source for three of the four nutrients of concern identified by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Experts cite that, by the time children are six years old, many fall below the recommended daily dairy servings. This means kids are not getting enough of the essential nutrients needed for healthy growth and development, especially calcium and vitamin D.
Chocolate milk is a powerhouse, delivering great taste, and it’s a nutrient-rich, efficient way to fuel the body after a workout.
If you are still skeptical, here are three reasons to choose chocolate milk.
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1. Kids drink more milk when chocolate is a choice.
"Milk – whether white or chocolate – plays an important role in helping children get the nutrients they need for good health," said Karen Bakies, registered dietitian and nutrition affairs director for the American Dairy Association Mideast. "And we find that kids drink more milk when they are given a choice."
When children are offered flavored milk, like chocolate, research indicates that they drink more overall, and they are more likely to drink the recommended three servings of dairy a day to get the nutrients they need.
“When we have choice, we are more likely to consume the food, no matter what the food group is. Milk is no different,” Bakies said.
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2. Chocolate milk provides essential nutrients.
White or flavored, all milk is nutritious. Adding flavor does not take away nutrients. Chocolate milk helps kids get essential nutrients for strong bones and teeth.
“Three servings of dairy a day is critical to building strong bones,” Bakies said. “Milk provides nine essential nutrients, including calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D, which improves bone health in kids.”
If you're worried about sugar in a child's diet, flavored milk contains only about four percent, when compared to sports drinks, fruit drinks and sodas, which accounts for up to 46 percent of added sugar. And research shows that chocolate milk does not adversely affect the BMI of children.
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3. Schools agree, chocolate milk is a superior beverage.
School cafeterias know that chocolate milk is a popular choice with students, and kids drink less milk when flavored options are removed.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association also endorses chocolate milk as its official beverage because it's a great choice for student-athletes. Chocolate milk is packed with carbohydrates to provide energy and help refuel muscles, protein to support growth and repair of muscles, fluids to rehydrate, and vitamins and minerals to help build strong bones and bodies.
“Chocolate milk is the right mixture of fluid, carbohydrates, protein and nutrients,” Bakies said. “It rehydrates, refuels and reenergizes.”
So, the next time your kids (or you!) are given the choice for flavored milk, encourage them to drink up, and remember – adding flavor doesn’t mean taking away nutrients.