The Chocolate Milk Debate: Should it be Offered in Schools?
Serving chocolate milk in schools has been in debate for some time now. Does it contribute to the childhood obesity epidemic? Or would children’s nutrition be compromised by not drinking milk, flavored or not?
To Drink or Not to Drink: That is the Question
I have mixed feelings about this debate and I see both sides’ point of view.
To Drink
The facts are in from an article from the New York Times:
- Milk is getting a makeover: 8 ounces of low-fat and fat-free varieties of chocolate milk served in schools will have 38 percent less added sugar than before and only 31 more calories than its white milk counterpart .
- The made-over flavored milk will have around 130 calories and 22 grams of sugar per carton.
- Milk consumption decreased by 35 percent when flavored milk was eliminated as an option, according to a study done by Milk Processor Education Program.
- The average daily consumption when flavored milk was eliminated and only white milk was offered was 4 ounces per student.
- When schools offered flavored milk, on average each student consumed 6 ounces.
Whether or not the new and improved low-fat chocolate and flavored milk has too many calories and sugar, the kids obviously seem to prefer the taste over white milk.
To me, the question on this end of the debate is whether it’s worth it to get rid of flavored milk over 22 grams of sugar considering that kids may not drink milk at all if it is eliminated. What essential nutrients would be compromised if kids don’t drink any milk?
Not to Drink
Again, facts from the article in NY Times:
Jamie Oliver has had a great influence in stating that chocolate milk is not a healthy option for school-age kids. His reasons for this are:
- One serving of flavored milk has 4 teaspoons of added sugar per serving.
- When kids drink flavored milk on a daily basis, they are consuming an extra 2 gallons of sugar each year.
- 96 percent of school districts offer flavored milk as an option.
- Only 2 percent of these schools offer fat-free milk as an option.
My thoughts on this are that consuming sugar, like all things, should be done in moderation. So if chocolate milk is one of the only foods and drinks that kids have on a daily basis, then is that too much sugar? I think that decision is an individual one for each child and family.
Benefits of Milk
If you are undecided about whether or not flavored milk should be served in schools, the following are some overall benefits of milk — flavored or not:
- Milk is the No. 1 source of calcium, which is critical for bone and teeth development.
- Milk is fortified with Vitamin D, which aids in calcium absorption.
- Milk contains other vital nutrients, like protein, phosphorus, vitamin A and some vitamin B.
What are your thoughts on the great milk debate? Should schools offer flavored milk or not?
Resource: Parenting Magazine Photo credit: teejayhanton
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no
yes
milk well chocolate milk that is taste AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do not want to know about trumoon I want to know about chocolate milk
I think chocolate milk should be served in schools!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Yes I think that chocolate milk should be allowed in schools
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
chocolate milk is bad for your health.when i was little i thought that is was healthy . the only reason why im doing this is because my class is doing an essay on the writing but really i didnt know chocolate milk was bad for you. one reason why its bad for you is because it has artifical flavors. Alot of corn syrup, sugar,and other things. 70 persent of childern drink chocolate milk my mom doesnt let me drink chocolate milk.
This article helped me with my reasurch
I don’t know why people are making such a big fuss about this it is stupid
Did NOT help whatsoever(just kiddin hon)
hi
not helping at all
dude just dude why…… is there this stupid fuss if kids want to drink it let them
Milk should not be served in schools at all. Cow’s milk contains over 60 naturally occuring cow hormones never mind the added artificial hormones. These wreak havoc on the human body. There is also scientific proof that the casein protein in milk is a carcinogen. The dairy industry does not care about your kid’s health, only about making money. Listen to scientists like T. Colin Campbell, Neal Barnard, Dean Ornish, Walter Willet and Joel Fuhrman. Dairy is bad for the body.
milk is awesome
this was so helpful
I think it should stay
Hi i am Emily in 5th grade I think we should serve chocolate milk in school because…
chocolate milk is fine to have in schools
I Love Chocolate milk we should keep it….
chocolate milk is ok
This really helped on my school project I just wanted to say thanks to whoever made it ^﹏^ ✌
We’re happy to hear it, Kevin!
take out chocolate milk
they should remove it is disgusting nobody likes it and they should put other drinks
hi
noooooooooo
CHOCOLATE MILK BE SERVED (Making this in the middle of class time YAY!)
schools should ban choclete milk
Is it still ok to enjoy chocolate milk ?
Chocolate milk has nutritional value and vitamins. It’s better than a Coke which is just chemicals.