Chocolate Milk & Calcium

Milk, whether natural or chocolate flavored, is an important source of nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D, which are typically low in the traditional American diet. According the USDA Food Surveys Research Group, the largest milk consumption occurs between the ages of 2 and 11 and accounts for twice as much as adults are drinking. Depending on the age range, chocolate milk consumption accounts for between 10 and 28 percent of all the milk consumed, including milk added to cereal. There is much debate on whether chocolate milk is as beneficial as regular milk, but recent research has shown it provides unique benefits.

Calcium

Calcium is a mineral that is essential for your body. In addition to its well-known role as a building block for bones and bone health, it also plays a vital role in your heart function, nerves, muscles and your blood clotting system. The Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board set a daily recommended allowance of calcium for adults between the ages of 19 and 70 as 1,000 mg. High intake of caffeine and sodium that can be found in a typical American diet can cause your body to remove calcium and increase your risk for bone loss. Receiving the recommended amount of calcium a day reduces this risk.

Nutritional Value in Milk

Most milk found on your grocery stores shelves has been fortified with vitamin A and vitamin D. A 1 cup portion of 2% reduced fat milk that has been fortified contains 122 calories, 8.05 g of protein, 11.71 g of carbohydrates, 20 mg of cholesterol and 4.83 g of fat. It provides 293 mg of calcium, 27 mg of magnesium, 224 mg of phosphorus, 342 mg of potassium, 115 mg of sodium, a trace of the B vitamins, 12 mcg of folate, 464 IU of vitamin A and 120 IU of vitamin D. Milk provides trace amounts of essential amino acids.

Nutritional Value Chocolate Milk

In comparison, reduced fat chocolate milk that is fortified with vitamin A and D is very similar to regular milk but does have differences. A 1 cup serving of chocolate milk contains 190 calories, 7.47 g of protein, 30.32 g of carbohydrates, 20 mg of cholesterol and 4.75 g of fat. Vitamin and mineral content include 272 mg of calcium, 35 mg of magnesium, 255 mg of phosphorus, 422 mg of potassium, 165 mg of sodium, trace B vitamins, 5 mcg of folate, 568 IU of vitamin A and 122 IU of vitamin D. Trace amounts of essential amino acids are also present in chocolate milk.

Medical Research

Much debate has surfaced in recent years regarding the consumption of chocolate milk, especially by children. According a report in “USA Today," some schools are removing chocolate milk from the lunch menus. While the added sugar in chocolate milk is cited as a concern, proponents feel that it chocolate milk consumption is better than children drinking no milk at all. Another concern is chocolate's ability to block calcium absorption in your body. According to Nancy Brown from the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, chocolate does contain oxalic acid, which can block your body’s absorption of calcium. The amount of oxalate in chocolate would only combine with about 6 mg of the calcium, leaving plenty for your body to absorb. In chocolate milk’s favor, a 2006 study published in the “International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism” found that consuming chocolate milk by athletes between exercise bouts proved to be a useful recovery aid and significantly better than traditional carbohydrate replacement drinks.