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Chocolate Milk vs. Protein Chocolate Milk

Jul 19, 2011 | By Brian Willett
Chocolate Milk vs. Protein Chocolate Milk
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If you're engaged in an exercise routine to gain muscle or lose weight, consuming protein-rich foods can be beneficial. Two options are chocolate milk and protein powder, which contains more protein when mixed with chocolate milk. While both options are protein-rich, there are other nutritional characteristics to consider so you can decide which is more appropriate for your goals.

Calorie Content

Protein with chocolate milk contains many more calories than chocolate milk alone. An 8-oz. serving of chocolate milk with one scoop of protein powder provides 328 calories, while chocolate milk alone contains 208. If you're trying to gain muscle mass, protein and chocolate milk is preferable. If you're dieting, chocolate milk alone is preferable. If you switch from drinking one serving of chocolate milk and protein to chocolate milk alone each day, you'll save 840 calories per week, enough to lose about 1/4 of a pound.

Protein Content

Protein powder is rich in protein, so adding it to chocolate milk greatly increases the protein content of your beverage. A scoop of protein with 8 oz. of chocolate milk contains 31 grams of protein, while chocolate milk alone contains 8 g. Protein helps build muscle and research from the October 2004 issue of "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" indicates that increased protein intake can enhance weight and fat loss when dieting, though your results may vary.

Protein Type

Protein powder and chocolate milk are both dairy products, but they contain different types of protein. Milk provides whey and casein protein, while protein powder contains whey alone. According to the March 2011 edition of "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," whey promotes increased fat oxidation and calorie burning, while casein promotes more satiety. These factors may make one option more preferable to you than the other.

Carbohydrate Content

Protein powder is low in carbohydrates, so adding it to your chocolate milk doesn't make a significant difference. An 8-oz. serving of chocolate milk alone contains 26 g of carbohydrates, and adding a serving of protein powder would result in a total carbohydrate content of 29 g.

Fat Content

If you're on a low-fat diet, consuming chocolate milk alone may be preferable, as it contains 8 g of total fat and 5 g of saturated fat per 8 oz. serving. Adding one serving of protein increases the total fat content by 2 g and the saturated fat content by 1 g.

Mineral Content

Adding protein to your chocolate milk can affect the mineral content, as protein powder contains 10 percent of the daily suggested intake of calcium and 2 percent of the daily suggested intake of iron. Meanwhile, chocolate milk contains 28 percent of the daily suggested calcium content and 3 percent of the daily recommended intake of iron.

Vitamin Content

Protein isn't a significant source of vitamins, but chocolate milk provides 5 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin A and 4 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C in each 8-oz. serving.

References

Article reviewed by Joel Nisleit Last updated on: Jul 19, 2011

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