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Chocolate milk, whether served hot or cold, is more than just a favorite drink that many people have loved since childhood. It's also a great source of several important nutrients. It also has a long and interesting history.

Theobroma cacao, the scientific name for chocolate, translates to "cocoa, food of the Gods.". The Aztecs ground it into powder, mixed it with spices, water, and sometimes honey, and consumed it as a drink.

The shift from chocolate water to chocolate milk came early. As far back as 1494, according to historian James Delbourgo, people in Jamaica brewed "a hot beverage... from shavings of freshly harvested cacao, boiled with milk and cinnamon."

Each 8-ounce serving of 2% chocolate milk contains:

188 Calories

7 grams of protein

5 grams of fat

30 grams of carbohydrates

2 grams of fiber

24 grams of sugar

Chocolate milk is also an excellent source of:

The nutrition profile depends on whether you choose whole milk, 2% or skim. For instance, if you prefer chocolate milk made with whole milk, an 8-ounce serving contains:

206 calories

8 grams of protein

8 grams of fat

26 grams of carbohydrates

2 grams of fiber

24 grams of sugar

The difference is not just in the fat content and the calories. With whole milk, you also get more protein and fewer carbohydrates.

So, which kind should you choose? It depends on your taste and your nutritional goals.

The protein, calcium, and vitamin D in chocolate milk, as well as other minerals and electrolytes, provide important nutritional benefits.

Bone health. Milk is naturally rich in calcium, an essential nutrient for your bones and teeth. In addition, most of the milk available in the U.S. and many other countries is fortified with vitamin D. This combination of nutrients makes milk a bone-health powerhouse.

U.S. dairy producers began adding vitamin D to milk in the 1930s to help eliminate rickets, a bone-weakening disease. Rickets, which at the time was common in children, is caused by vitamin D deficiency and makes bones softer and weaker than they should be.

In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteomalacia, a softening of the bones that increases the risk of fractures. Both diseases can be prevented by eating foods high in vitamin D - and that's where milk, including chocolate milk, comes in.

Muscle mass and endurance. Chocolate milk is rich in protein, which helps build muscle mass. Several studies have also found that drinking chocolate milk significantly increases endurance, which helps you keep exercising longer.

As a result, chocolate milk can help you build muscle mass directly, by providing protein, and indirectly, by enabling you to exercise longer. Some evidence also suggests that it may be even more effective than sports drinks for increasing endurance and reducing post-workout exhaustion.

Weight management. Unlike other sugar-rich drinks such as juice and soda, chocolate milk is high in protein, and the non-skim versions also contain fat. Some evidence shows that protein and fat both help you feel full, and that feeling full can help you eat less.

Research shows that a diet high in protein - with enough vitamin D and lower calories - may help you lose. Older adults with obesity who increased their protein intake maintained more muscle mass and lost more weight than those who didn't add protein to their diets.

Compared to regular milk, chocolate milk does contain added sugars and added calories, both of which can contribute to obesity, which contributes to many different medical issues. So it's not the best choice if you're trying to keep your sugar and calories in-check.

Also, if your doctor has told you that you need more calcium, it's important to know that oxalic acid, a compound that occurs naturally in cocoa, can make it harder for your body to absorb calcium.

And of course, those with milk allergies or lactose intolerance may not be able to digest chocolate milk without discomfort.

For those with lactose intolerance, there are lactose-free chocolate milk options available. If you're concerned about the added sugar or calories, you can make smoothies with fruit and honey that can give you the same punch without the worry.

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Find out what the research says about chocolate milk, who should avoid it, and how it may affect your health.

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LOS ANGELES — Chocolate milk has long been seen as the spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down, but the nation's childhood obesity epidemic has a growing number of people wondering whether that's wise.

With schools under increasing pressure to offer healthier food, the staple on children's cafeteria trays has come under attack over the very ingredient that makes it so popular - sugar.

Some school districts have gone as far as prohibiting flavored milk, and Florida considered a statewide ban in schools. Other districts have sought a middle ground by replacing flavored milks containing high-fructose corn syrup with versions containing sugar, which some see as a more natural sweetener.

Los Angeles Unified, the nation's second-largest school district, is the latest district to tackle the issue. Superintendent John Deasy recently announced he would push this summer to remove chocolate and strawberry milk from school menus.

But nutritionists - and parents - are split over whether bans make sense, especially when about 70% of milk consumed in schools is flavored, mostly chocolate, according to the industry-backed Milk Processors Education Program.

Many, including the School Nutrition Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, and National Medical Association, argue that the nutritional value of flavored low-fat or skim milk outweighs the harm of added sugar.Milk contains nine essential nutrients including calcium, vitamin D and protein.

A joint statement from those groups points to studies that show kids who drink fat-free, flavored milk meet more of their nutrient needs and are not heavier than non-milk drinkers.

"Chocolate milk has been unfairly pegged as one of the causes of obesity," said Julie Buric, vice president of marketing for the Milk Processors Education Program.

Others note the nation's child obesity epidemic and say flavored milk simply needs to go.

Eight ounces of white milk served in Los Angeles public schools contains 14 grams of natural sugar or lactose; fat-free chocolate milk has an extra six grams of sugar for a total of 20 grams, while fat-free strawberry milk has a total of 27 grams - the same as eight ounces of Coca-Cola.

"Chocolate milk is soda in drag," said Ann Cooper, director of nutrition services for the Boulder Valley School District in Louisville, Colo., which has banned flavored milk. "It works as a treat in homes, but it doesn't belong in schools."

Flavored milk is also a target of British TV chef Jamie Oliver, who has made revamping school food a signature cause.

For a segment to be aired on his "Food Revolution" TV show, he recently filled a school bus with white sand to represent the amount of sugar Los Angeles Unified school children consume weekly in flavored milk.

"If you have flavored milk, that's candy," he said.

Oliver cheered Deasy's proposal to remove flavored milk from schools during a recent joint appearance on the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" show.

If the school board adopts the ban, Los Angeles Unified would join districts including Washington and Berkeley, Calif.

But efforts by some other districts turned sour after children drank less milk. Milk consumption drops 35% when flavored milks are removed, according to the Milk Processors Education Program.

Cabell County, W.Va., schools brought chocolate milk back at the recommendation of state officials, and Fairfax County, Va., did the same after its dairy provider came up with a version sweetened with beet sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup.

The Florida Board of Education also backed away from its proposed ban on chocolate milk after the state agricultural commissioner urged the board to look at all sugary food and beverages served in schools.

The Los Angeles district has worked with its dairy supplier on flavored versions using the sweetener Truvia and chicory, district spokesman Robert Alaniz said.

Cooper and others argued children will drink plain milk if that's what's offered.

"We've taught them to drink chocolate milk, so we can unteach them that," Cooper said. "Our kids line up for milk."

Boulder Valley hasn't been barraged with complaints since removing chocolate milk two years ago, but it hasn't tracked whether milk consumption has dropped, she said.

Parents line up on both sides of the issue.

Deborah Bellholt, a South Los Angeles mother, said none of her six children ranging from pre-school to high school age will drink plain milk. "By allowing kids flavored milk, they still get the calcium they need," she said. "If not, they'd bypass it."

But Mimi Bonetti, a suburban Los Angeles mother with two elementary school-age children who drink plain milk, said she gets angry that chocolate milk is portrayed as nutritious. Children can get calcium and other nutrients from other foods, she said.

"If you offer them the choice of chocolate or plain, of course they're going to choose chocolate," Bonetti said. "When you're telling kids that drinking chocolate milk is a healthy choice, it's sending the wrong message."

Ask kids, and most vote for chocolate. Suburban Los Angeles seventh-grader Nacole Johnson said plain milk tastes yucky. If there were no chocolate milk, "I wouldn't drink it," she saiad.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Schools may ban chocolate milk over added sugar - USATODAY.com

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Chocolate milk has long been seen as the spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down, but the nation's childhood obesity epidemic has a growing number of people wondering whether that's wise.

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Chocolate milk is milk typically flavored with cocoa and sugar.

Though nondairy varieties exist, this article focuses on chocolate milk made with cow's milk.

It's often promoted as a great way to recover from a workout and a good alternative to regular cow's milk when trying to increase children's calcium and vitamin D intake.

However, many people wonder whether the high sugar content of the sweetened milk overshadows its nutritional value.

This article reviews whether chocolate milk is good or bad for your health.

Chocolate milk is generally made by mixing cow's milk with cocoa and sweeteners like sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

It's richer in carbs and calories than unsweetened milk but otherwise contains similar levels of nutrients. Depending on the type, 1 cup (240 ml) of chocolate milk provides ():

Chocolate milk also contains smaller amounts of zinc, selenium, iodine, magnesium, and vitamins A, B1, B6, B12.

Milk is considered a complete protein - meaning it provides all nine essential amino acids your body needs.

It's particularly rich in leucine, which seems to be the amino acid most involved in building and maintaining strong muscles (, , , ).

On the other hand, because it's sweetened, chocolate milk contains 1.5-2 times more sugar than unsweetened cow's milk ().

Most health authorities recommend limiting added sugars to less than 5-10% of your daily calorie intake - or less than 10 teaspoons of added sugar per day for the average adult.

One cup (240 ml) of chocolate milk can contain up to 3 teaspoons of added sugar. So drinking too much can easily cause you to exceed this recommendation (, ).

Summary
Chocolate milk can provide you with the same nutrients found in regular cow's milk. However, it also contains more calories and 1.5-2 times more sugar than unsweetened cow's milk.

Chocolate milk is rich in calcium - the main mineral present in your bones.

Dairy is the biggest source of dietary calcium in the United States and Canada - providing around 72% of the average person's daily calcium intake. The remainder comes from vegetables, grains, legumes, fruit, meat, poultry, fish, and eggs ().

That said, these nutrients aren't exclusive to dairy. Other calcium-rich foods include legumes, nuts, seeds, seaweed, leafy greens, blackstrap molasses, and some types of tofu.

Several foods are also commonly fortified in calcium and vitamin D, including some types of cereal and juice, as well as certain plant milks and yogurts.

Summary
Milk is rich in calcium, protein, phosphorus, and vitamin D. These nutrients are instrumental in building and maintaining strong bones and may protect your bones as you age.

Chocolate milk may help your muscles recover after a grueling workout.

This may explain why chocolate milk is often promoted as a great recovery drink. That said, most studies showing benefits are done on athletes whose workouts are typically more intense and frequent than the average exerciser.

Because of this, it's unclear to what extent nonathletes benefit from drinking chocolate milk to recover from a workout (, ).

What's more, the benefits aren't exclusive to chocolate milk.

A review of 12 studies reported that chocolate milk was no more effective than other carb- and protein-rich beverages at improving post-exercise recovery markers, such as serum lactate and serum creatine kinase (CK) ().

Therefore, a homemade smoothie - or other well-balanced meals or snacks - are likely just as effective at helping your muscles recover from your workout while being much more nutritious.

Summary
Chocolate milk offers a combination of protein and carbs that may help boost your body's ability to recover after workouts. However, well-balanced meals or snacks are likely more nutritious and equally effective options.

Drinking chocolate milk regularly may have several downsides.

Rich in added sugars

Most health authorities recommend that adults and children limit their intake of added sugars.

For instance, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women and children consume less than 100 calories - or 6 teaspoons - of added sugar per day whereas men should aim for less than 150 calories or 9 teaspoons per day ().

Excessive intake of added sugars is linked to weight gain and a higher risk of chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even certain types of cancers (, , , ).

Not everyone can tolerate it

Chocolate milk contains lactose, a natural sugar found in milk and other dairy products.

Moreover, some people are allergic to milk or develop chronic constipation when drinking it. This is more common in young children than in adults (, ).

Summary
Chocolate milk is high in sugar and lactose, a protein that many people are unable to digest. Milk allergy is also common - especially in young children.

Chocolate milk may increase your risk of certain conditions, such as heart disease and certain cancers.

May contribute to heart disease

Chocolate milk is high in saturated fat and added sugars, which may negatively impact heart health.

For example, research shows that consuming 17-21% of calories from added sugar may increase your risk of heart disease by 38%, compared to consuming less than 8% of calories from added sugar ().

What's more, added sugar has been found to increase heart disease risk in children through increasing calorie intake and body fat. It also elevates heart disease risk factors, such as LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglyceride levels ().

Though some scientists have started questioning the role of saturated fat in heart disease, most experts agree that diets high in this type of fat increase risk factors for heart disease. ().

For example, a 20-year study reported that replacing fat from dairy with an equivalent amount of polyunsaturated fat - found in foods like fatty fish and nuts - reduced heart disease risk by 24% ().

Similarly, another large study observed that replacing as little as 1% of calories from saturated fats by the same amount of calories from unsaturated fats, whole grains, or plant proteins may decrease heart disease risk by 5-8% ().

May be linked to certain cancers

In some cases, diets rich in milk and other dairy products have been linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer.

For instance, a recent review of 11 studies in over 700,000 people, found that men with high intakes of dairy - especially from whole milk - may be 1.5 times more likely to die from prostate cancer ().

Similarly, another recent review of 34 studies linked dairy consumption to a 20% higher risk of stomach cancer ().

However, other studies observed no link between milk or dairy intake and cancer risk. In some cases, dairy even appears to offer small protective effects against colorectal, bladder, breast, pancreatic, ovarian, and lung cancers (, , ).

What's more, diets high in added sugars have been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers including esophageal cancer and cancer of the pleura, a membrane that covers the lungs ().

Though some research indicates that certain types of milk may elevate your risk of certain cancers, more studies exploring these associations are needed before strong conclusions can be made.

Summary
Chocolate milk is rich in added sugars and may increase your risk of various conditions, including heart disease and certain cancers. Still, research is not conclusive.

Chocolate milk provides important nutrients - such as calcium, protein, and vitamin D - which may benefit health. However, it's high in calories and added sugar, which can contribute to weight gain and may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases.

Chocolate milk intake should be closely monitored in children. Too much can contribute to obesity, cavities, and other health issues in kids (, ).

Though chocolate milk is a tasty beverage, it should be considered more of a dessert than a beverage for children and adults alike.

Summary
Chocolate milk is high in calories and added sugar and should be consumed in moderation.

Chocolate milk offers the same nutrients as cow's milk but packs a hefty dose of added sugar.

This beverage may offer some benefits to your muscles and bones - but may also promote conditions like heart disease in adults and obesity in children due to its sugar content.

Therefore, chocolate milk is best enjoyed in moderation as an occasional treat rather than consumed on a daily basis.

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Chocolate Milk: Nutrition, Calories, Benefits, and Downsides

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Chocolate milk is milk typically flavored with cocoa and sugar. Though nondairy varieties exist, this article focuses on chocolate milk made with cow's milk. It's often promoted as a great way to recover from a workout and a good alternative to regular cow's milk when trying to increase children's calcium and vitamin D intake.

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Is Chocolate Milk Good For You? | Built With Chocolate Milk

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Sure, it's delicious, but is chocolate milk good for you? Here you'll find the real benefits of chocolate milk and why it's a nutritious choice for athletes.

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Most of my clients think of chocolate milk as a kid's drink. But even adults may occasionally crave it as a comfort food. As you go to take a swig of the childhood favorite, you might wonder if chocolate milk can offer more than just nostalgia-perhaps some health benefits, too? Well, it's tricky. Here's the lowdown on the drink's nutrients, as well what research says about how chocolate milk may impact your health.

Chocolate milk nutrition

Just like unsweetened, unflavored milk, chocolate milk is available in the forms of whole (3.5% fat by weight), 2%, 1%, and skim. Single-serve chugs of chocolate milk are often sold in the form of 1%. One 8-ounce container of Organic Valley's 1% chocolate milk supplies 150 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbohydrate with about 10 grams as added sugar, and 8 grams of protein. The portion also contains 20% of the daily value for calcium, 30% for the B vitamin riboflavin, 10% for potassium, and 15% for vitamins A and D. In short, while chocolate milk does provide some key nutrients, it also delivers a third of the recommended maximum daily intake of added sugar for women, based on guidelines from the American Heart Association. According to the USDA database, each 8-ounce cup of low-fat (aka, 1%) chocolate milk also provides 7.4 ounces of water, which contributes to hydration.

What if you use chocolate syrup to make your own chocolate milk: Is that any better or worse than drinking ready-made chocolate milk? It depends how little or much syrup you squeeze in, but probably not. That's because one tablespoon of chocolate syrup (probably what most people would add to 8 ounces of milk) contains 10 grams of added sugar, same as what's in 8 ounces of the pre-sweetened chocolate milk.

Chocolate milk and health outcomes

Really, when it comes to studies on chocolate milk and health outcomes in adults, research is lacking. So what we have to look at is research on the main ingredient of milk itself-not chocolate milk-and those findings are mixed.

A 2018 study from the British Medical Journal ( BMJ) found no evidence for a protective effect between a sustained intake of dairy-derived calcium and fracture risk. An older study from the same journal found that a higher intake of milk among adults was not tied to a lower fracture risk, and may be linked to a higher death rate.

In contrast, a 2019 analysis of eight previous studies published in the journal Advances in Nutrition concluded that dairy product consumption was not associated with risk of all-cause mortality (note: the research was sponsored by the Interprofessional Dairy Organization of Spain). And a 2021 analysis in Nutrition & Metabolism that reviewed 41 studies found that while milk consumption was related to both health benefits and risks, the data skewed more positive than negative.

But here's something key to keep in mind: The results of these studies largely reflect the effects of routine (and often, high) milk consumption. Many people drink chocolate milk just here and there. In other words, having a glass of chocolate milk once a week isn't going to have the same effect on bone health and mortality as having one to three glasses of milk a day.

Chocolate milk and recovery

A lot of people think of chocolate milk as a sweet treat, but it has also long been touted as a recovery drink. As a board-certified sports dietitian, I'm often asked about the benefits of drinking chocolate milk after a workout. Older research from the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism is frequently cited regarding the topic. In that study, on three separate days, researchers asked nine male endurance-trained cyclists to perform interval workouts, take a four-hour rest, and then resume cycling to exhaustion. After the first training session, and again two hours later, the cyclists consumed one of three drinks: chocolate milk; a lower carbohydrate fluid replacement with electrolytes; or a higher carb drink with the same amount of carbs as the chocolate milk. Athletes who drank chocolate milk took longer to reach exhaustion, leading researchers to conclude that the beverage is an effective recovery aid between two fatiguing bouts of exercise.

A more recent study looked at chocolate milk vs water as recovery aids following all-out bouts of high-intensity endurance climbing. Ten men scaled a climbing wall to exhaustion. Twenty minutes later, the participants consumed either water or chocolate milk and then downed their respective drink again with their evening meals. The athletes also repeated the protocol using the opposite drink. When they consumed chocolate milk, the men improved their performance in terms of distance climbed and duration of the workout. Muscle soreness scores were also lower three days after exercise for the chocolate milk drinkers.

While this research is interesting, my issue is that they are comparing drinks that are very dissimilar in composition, including drinks that aren't recommended ways to achieve recovery. The goal of a post-workout snack or beverage is to replenish fluid and nutrients that have been lost during training and provide the building blocks needed to heal from the wear and tear exercise puts on the body. Sports dietitians have long recommended that athletes and active people consume fluid, electrolytes, and other nutrients after a strenuous workout, in addition to both carbohydrates and protein in a 4:1 ratio. In other words, water, a sports drink, or a carb-only beverage alone-the drinks compared to chocolate milk in these studies-aren't standard nutrition protocol after a difficult workout.

For a 2017 review published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers looked at 12 previous studies that compared chocolate milk to either water or sports drinks to assess post-exercise recovery markers. The scientists concluded that chocolate milk seems to be a good candidate to aid recovery because it contains nutrients needed for replenishment and healing. But again, the research compared chocolate milk to other drinks that also aren't the recommended way, alone, to recover after strenuous exercise.

Basically, what chocolate milk has going for it is that its composition is naturally in line with the fluid, macro and micronutrients needed to support exercise recovery. Cow's milk is also a good source of leucine, an amino acid needed to trigger muscle protein synthesis. And chocolate milk is relatively available and affordable. That said, it's not the only choice-and it's also not an option at all for certain people, including those with a milk allergy or sensitivity, people with lactose intolerance, and vegans.

If dairy-based chocolate milk isn't a good option for you for whatever reason, or you simply choose not to drink it, there are plenty of other alternatives. One is chocolate plant milk made from split peas. Like dairy-based chocolate milk, chocolate pea milk provides 8 grams of protein per cup and is also a good source of leucine. An 8-ounce portion of Ripple's brand also contains 4.5 grams of fat, 17 grams of carbohydrate with 15 grams as added sugar, 35% of the daily value for calcium, 100% for vitamin B12, 10% for potassium, 10% for vitamin A, and 30% for vitamin D. Pair pea milk with a small banana to up the carb-to-protein ratio to the advised 4:1.

Bottom line

There's a lack of research about infrequent chocolate milk consumption and health outcomes.

If you reach for chocolate milk occasionally as a treat, it may provide more nutrients than another sweet option it displaces, such as ice cream or a brownie. And after a hard workout, chocolate milk can provide the fluid and nutrients needed to support recovery. However, it's not an option for everyone, including those with lactose intolerance or milk allergies. It's also not the only source of recovery nutrients.

And then there's this: Any food you consume once in a blue moon is less likely to impact your nutritional status and health compared to your usual eating pattern. If chocolate milk is a can't-live-without favorite, enjoy it once in a while. And if you can't or don't want to consume dairy, look for plant-based alternatives that offer a similar creamy composition and satisfy a sweet, chocolatey craving.
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Here's Why You Might Want to Drink Chocolate Milk After a Workout

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As you go to take a swig of the childhood favorite, you might wonder if chocolate milk can offer more than just nostalgia-perhaps some health benefits, too? Here's what a nutritionist says about chocolate milk and its impact on health outcomes and workout recovery.