In school districts all across the country, there has been great debate over the last five years: Is it? flavored milkIt is a contributing factor to childhood obesity. Should it be removed from schools?
Experts, research, and facts all say no. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines For Americans states that flavored milk has the same nine essential nutrients of white milk. This includes calcium, vitamin D, potassium.
“On average, flavored milk accounts for only 2 percent of total calories and 3 percent of all added sugars in kids’ diets. But studies show that schools see a severe drop in milk consumption when chocolate milk is taken away,”Alyssa, a registered dietitian at the Dairy Council of Florida, said that she is a certified dietitian. “And the nutrients lost from not consuming enough milk aren’t easy or affordable to replace.”
Research shows that low-fat chocolate milk is most popular in schools. Children will also turn to sodas or fruit drinks if they are not offered white milk. Sodas are the main source for added sugar in children’s diets. They also have no nutritional value, unlike milk.
Many nutrition and health organizations, including the American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatrics and the School Nutrition Association, agree that flavored milk is healthier than soft drinks and an important part of satisfying the nutritional needs of children.
“If children don’t drink milk with lunch, it becomes almost impossible for them to consume the daily intake of calcium, vitamin D and potassium, which are nutrients of concern as it is,” says Greenstein.
A small, but important part of a child’s total milk intake is flavored milk. However, this doesn’t mean that children should stop drinking white milk. Actually, flavoring milk only makes up 20-26% of kids’ total milk intake.
Recent surveys of 1000 mothers revealed that more than half were opposed to any school district’s decision to remove chocolate milk from their menu. National milk processors have made substantial nutritional changes to their milk formulas over the past five years. Flavored milk will have an average of 31 calories less than white milk, and 38 percent less sugar.
Visit this page to learn more about the nine essential nutrients in flavor milk. www.floridamilk.com.
