Is chocolate milk good for you?

So many parents are not giving kids real cow’s milk at meals.  And many adults have forgotten that their bodies need milk too, at least 2 glasses of cow’s milk or dairy servings a day.  What about chocolate milk?  Most people know chocolate milk has added sugar, but are there any health benefits to drinking chocolate milk?  What about the chocolate milk at Fast Food restaurants?  I had a student who wouldn’t drink chocolate milk from Fast Food restaurants as he thought this milk was high in fat.  Is it?

What are some health benefits of chocolate milk? 

Nutrition – yes, chocolate milk made from cow’s milk has some added sugar but it also is a good source of nutrients.

• Protein – each cup of chocolate milk provides 7 grams of protein.  There is also a chocolate milk by Slate that provides about 14 grams of protein per cup.  And milk provides a high-quality protein that provides casein and whey.
• Minerals – real chocolate milk is loaded with healthy minerals.  Calcium for your bones, potassium that helps keep blood pressure in check, phosphorus, and magnesium.  Many American diets are low in calcium as people aren’t drinking milk at meals.  American diets are also often low in magnesium because so many people aren’t eating whole grains and not drinking real milk.  NIH notes, “The diets of many people in the United States provide less than the recommended amounts of magnesium”.  Funny how diets like the Paleo Diet restrict grains, even whole grain, because magnesium helps your body make protein.  It also is important for blood sugar control and regulating blood pressure.
• Vitamins- chocolate milk provides many vitamins including vitamin D, vitamin A and vitamin B-2.  

Bones – drinking milk, including chocolate milk, helps build strong bones.  The calcium and phosphorus are good for your bones and the vitamin D in chocolate milk helps your body absorb the calcium.  As WebMD notes, the combination of calcium and vitamin D in chocolate milk, “makes milk a bone-health powerhouse”. 

Muscle mass – As noted above, chocolate milk is a good source of protein.  And the proteins in chocolate milk are “considered high quality proteins”.  Drinking chocolate milk may even help your endurance. 

Weight management – one would think foods with added sugar would not be good for weight management.  However, because chocolate milk provides protein, and most chocolate milk provides some fat, you may feel fuller for a longer time when drinking chocolate milk versus a sugared soda.

What about the added sugar?

White cow’s milk has no added sugar.  There is sugar in white cow’s milk, but it is lactose, that is naturally present and not added to the milk.  Chocolate milk has some added sugar but unlike sodas, chocolate milk is packed with nutrients. 

There is the natural sugar, lactose, in chocolate milk.  For those who have trouble digesting lactose, this could cause them some discomfort.  Interestingly, I have relative who is lactose intolerant but can drink some chocolate milk and have no digestive issues.  There is also the Slate chocolate milk mentioned above that is lactose free.  The slate milk comes in cans and doesn’t need refrigeration so a good after workout drink.  The slate milk also has no added sugar but all the chocolate flavor.

Fast food restaurants often offer chocolate milk.  Interestingly, the chocolate milk at McDonald’s is reduced in sugar.  McDonald’s states., “25% less sugar than leading Quick Service Restaurants’ low fat chocolate milk” (14 grams vs an average 23 grams of added sugar).  

McDonald's offers a chocolate milk low in fat and reduced in added sugar.

 What about the fat in chocolate milk?

One can buy whole or low-fat chocolate milk.  That student in my class that was worried that the chocolate milk in Fast Food restaurants was high in fat?  When I told him that Fast Food restaurants often have low-fat chocolate milk, he was surprised.  The chocolate milk at McDonald’s is not only lower in sugar but also low fat, providing 2.5 grams of fat or only about 23 calories from fat in a 130 calorie serving.  Fa!rlife also offers a reduced fat (2%) chocolate milk that is also lactose free.  

Be sure it is real milk, not a chocolate drink.

When buying chocolate milk, be sure it is real cow’s milk and not a chocolate drink like Yoohoo Chocolate drink.   This “drink” is not real cow’s milk as the first ingredients are water and high fructose corn syrup.  Yoohoo Chocolate drink has 36 grams of added sugar, and 65% of the calories are from added sugar. 

If you like chocolate milk, enjoy it.  Chocolate milk can be a fun after-school treat for kids.  Just be sure it is “milk” and not a chocolate “drink”. 

Sources:  health benefits of chocolate milk , Slate , NIH , magnesium , notes , McDonald’s , Fa!rlife , Chocolate drink  Image sources:  Milk jug McDonald’s , Fa!rllife chocolate milk , Milk Matters