Chocolate milk is a favorite drink for many children and grown- ups alike. In a recent article posted on the USDA website by Henry C. Lukaski, Ph.D., FACSM, low-fat chocolate milk is said to be "the new sports drink" and "low-fat chocolate milk provides needed nutrients to refill body fluids, replenish muscle energy stores, and rebuild and renew tired muscles." Often parents give chocolate milk to their children, thinking of it as a healthy drink since it is, after all, milk. In most public schools, chocolate milk is a popular choice for children. There are various nutrients in chocolate milk that you might want to consider before incorporating it into you and your families diet.
Sugar
According to the USDA chocolate milk contains a whopping 24g of sugar in an 8 oz. serving. Chocolate milk has even more sugar than soda, with an 8 oz. glass of cola containing 22g of sugar. According to the USDA's Food Pyramid guidelines, a person who should consume 1600 calories in a day should limit their sugar consumption to 22g a day. That means that for a fairly average-sized adult, 8 oz. of chocolate milk would exceed the amount of sugar they should consume in an entire day.
Protein
Eight ounces. of chocolate milk contains almost 8g of protein, according to the USDA's Nutrient Database. Protein helps build muscle, and repair body tissues. One serving of fish has around 20g of protein. For kids who are not big on eating cheese or meat, chocolate milk may be a good source of protein.
Calcium
It is common knowledge that milk is a great source of calcium and this is the same with chocolate milk. One 8 oz. serving of chocolate milk has almost 300mg of calcium, around 30 percent of the recommended daily amount for the average adult.
Fat
Low fat chocolate milk should be picked over full fat. Regular chocolate milk has an amazing 8.5g of fat per 8 oz. serving, while low fat only has 2.5g. Most schools serve low fat chocolate milk.
Calories
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 oz of low fat chocolate milk contains 158 calories. Although this is a higher amount than plain low fat milk, which contains 105 calories in an 8 oz serving, it is not a significant difference. Again, watch out for whole milk chocolate milk, which contains 208 calories in an 8 oz serving.
Other Nutrients
Despite the high sugar and possible high fat in chocolate milk, there any many more benefits than downsides. Besides calcium, chocolate milk is often fortified with extra vitamins. Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, an 8 oz. glass of fortified chocolate milk contains the following recommended daily amounts of vitamins: vitamin A, 10 percent; vitamin C, 4 percent; iron, 4 percent; zinc 8 percent; thiamin 6 percent; riboflavin 25 percent; niacin, 2 percent; vitamin B-6, 6 percent; folate, 4 percent; vitamin B-12, 15 percent; phosphorus, 25 percent; magnesium 8 percent; and vitamin D, 25 percent.
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