Chocolate milk is a favorite drink of children, and a common way for parents to help their kids get the calcium, vitamin D and protein that they need. Along with its fun flavor, chocolate milk typically delivers substantially more sugar and calories than regular milk, and often more than colas and soft drinks.
The overall benefits of milk consumption must be weighed against the importance of a child's weight loss, and chocolate milk can often fit into the diet of an active child.
Milk Nutrition and Calories
Levels of fat, cholesterol and calories in milk vary substantially based on fat content. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a one-cup, or 8 oz., serving of whole milk contains 150 calories, 8 g of fat, and 24 mg of cholesterol. The same serving of reduced-fat 2 percent fat milk delivers 120 calories, 5 g of fat and 20 mg of cholesterol. A cup of nonfat skim milk, by contrast, has 85 calories, no fat and just 5mg of cholesterol. All varieties of milk contain 12 g to 13 g of natural milk sugars, and about 8 g of protein per serving.
Key Nutrients in Milk
Milk supplies essential vitamins and minerals, proteins and other nutrients that are important to human health, especially for growing children. Vitamin D is the most important nutrient that enables the body to absorb calcium and build bones and teeth. Phosphorus is critical to bone and tooth health, as well as energy storage and nerve signal transmission. Riboflavin helps to produce red blood cells and manage energy. According to the National Institutes of Health, a 1 cup serving of pasteurized milk, fortified with vitamins, contains 30 percent of vitamin D's recommended Daily Value, along with the same proportion of daily calcium. The single cup of milk also contains 23 percent of the DV for phosphorus, 27 percent for riboflavin, and 20 percent for vitamin B-12.
Chocolate Milk Data
While chocolate milk contains similar vitamin, mineral and protein content to plain milk, the amount of sugar and calories in the chocolate variety is substantially higher. All varieties of chocolate milk have about 24 g of sugar, and 60 to 70 more calories per serving than plain milk of the same fat content.
Compared to Other Beverages
The 160 calories and 25 g of sugar in a cup of lowfat chocolate milk is higher than the 90 calories and 22g of sugar in a 1-cup serving of a typical cola. Whole chocolate milk has 210 calories and 24 g of sugar per serving, compared to 115 calories and 24 g of sugar in apple juice, and 100 calories and 24 g of sugar per serving of fruit punch. However, chocolate milk provides a much greater amount of essential vitamins and minerals than the lower-calorie drinks.
Chocolate Milk and Weight Loss
While chocolate milk contains notably more calories and sugar than plain milk, its sweet flavor can be a good way to encourage children to get the crucial nutrients that only milk provides to growing bodies. For children who are overweight but active, chocolate milk's extra calories may be burned off during outdoor play and other physical activities. For less-active children, the added sugar and calorie burden of chocolate milk may not fit well with a weight-loss regimen. A physician or registered dietitian can help you decide how chocolate milk should fit into your child's overall diet.
References
- U.S. FDA: Vitamin Fortification of Fluid Milk Products
- U.S. National Institutes of Health: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet; Vitamin D
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus: Vitamin D
- USDA National Nutrient Database
- Cornell University: Vitamins & Minerals in Milk
- Dr. R. Elaine Turner, University of Florida: Facts about Riboflavin
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