Question:
Is flavored milk nutritious?
Answer:
Flavored milk provides the same calcium, protein, riboflavin and vitamin D that you find in unflavored milk. The only difference is the flavoring, which typically adds 50 calories per eight-ounce glass. For this reason chocolate milk is considered a nutritious and even a great snack choice for children.
According to a study published in May 2002 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (JADA), children who consumed flavored milk drink more milk and have higher calcium intakes than those who do not. The results also showed that children who drink flavored milk consume fewer nutrient-void soft drinks and fruit-flavored drinks than children who do not drink flavored milk. In light of the fact that most children aren’t meeting current calcium recommendations, flavored milk is another tasty and nutritious way to help ensure that kids get the calcium their growing bodies need.
Flavored milk can also be an alternative to plain
milk at mealtime. Many parents may be concerned that
flavored milks add too much sugar to their child’s
diet. In fact, the JADA study showed that flavored
milk actually boosts overall calcium intake without
increasing total daily sugar intake. By encouraging
flavored milk consumption parents can help reverse
the trend toward soft drink and fruit drink consumption
which negatively impact children's diet quality.
Back to the question
archive list
