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brynBanning Chocolate Milk in School Cafeterias

By Bryn Kirk on August 31, 2010 | Comments (0)

Reports show that 71 percent of the milk served nationwide is flavored, and the predominant flavor is chocolate.  Most public schools offer chocolate milk as an alternative to white milk. 

But chocolate milk is the center of controversy in many cities in the US.  The school districts of the District of Columbia; Berkeley, California; and Boulder, Colorado have already banned chocolate milk from the cafeteria.  Florida schools are considering it.

What’s the big deal? 

As you probably know, obesity among children is on the rise in the US and foods high in sugar get a lot of blame.  Of course, there are two sides to every story, and this is no exception. 

On the one hand chocolate milk is higher in sugar (almost twice as much) than white milk but on the other hand, many kids refuse to drink milk if it isn’t chocolate, and to grow up without the nutritional benefits of milk is unwise.

Milk, both chocolate and white, provides calcium, protein and vitamin D, all of which are lacking in our kids’ diets according recent studies.

Some parents say the added sugar in chocolate milk is worth the nutritional trade-off, while others say it is sending the wrong message about beverages high in sugar being part of a healthy diet.

What say you?  If you have an opinion, please comment below.  I’d love to hear your thoughts on chocolate milk in school.

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cuoadminChocolate Milk for Exercise Recovery

By Jeffrey Kirk on June 5, 2009 | Comments (0)

Research shows that chocolate milk might be just as good as sports drinks to help athletes recover from intense exercise.  This information comes out of a small study from James Madison University in Virginia as presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine.
 
I like to ride my bicycle for hours at a time and have often enjoyed a glass of chocolate milk upon my return.  My logic was that the milk contained some protein so it’s probably a good thing for muscles.  Milk also contains fluid for rehydration, as well as minerals like calcium and magnesium, electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, and carbohydrates including lactose.  These are all good for recovery after exercise and occur naturally in milk.
 
During the reported study 13 soccer players were given either low-fat chocolate milk or a high-carbohydrate sports drink.  Then researchers measured blood levels of creatine kinase, an indicator of muscle breakdown.  The players who drank the chocolate milk had lower levels of this chemical, indicating less muscle damage.  Furthermore, based on measurements of players subjective reporting, there was no difference between milk and the sports drink as far as tiredness, muscle soreness, and muscle strength.
 
OK, the study was small, with only 13 players, but I think this clearly points out an alternative to expensive sports drinks.  And, this is especially good news for chocolate lovers who can now claim that their chocolate milk is a good part of their exercise program!

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