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Chocolate milk in school: Concerns arise over sugar, but not everyone is worried

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New York City proposal to ban chocolate milk from schools sparks debate

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New York City proposal to ban chocolate milk from schools sparks debate

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A proposed ban on chocolate milk in New York City public schools has divided parents, lawmakers and dairy farmers across the state.

On Sep. 6, six members of Congress, including Rep. Grace Meng of New York, sent letters to the offices of Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Education Chancellor Richard Carranza voicing their "concern with the potential elimination of flavored milk in New York City Schools."

The letter, which was sent to TODAY Food by a representative from the New York Farm Bureau, outlined the "pivotal role" flavored milk plays in ensuring children receive nutrients like calcium, vitamin D and potassium.

The note cites a few studies (some of which were funded by diary producers) that claim children who drink flavored milks are more likely to get their daily recommended vitamin needs than "non-flavored milk drinkers." Those studies also showed no link between flavored milk consumption and weight gain in children.

Additionally, the letter argued that the move to ban so many milk products would adversely affect thousands of dairy farmers.

Will Mantell, a spokesman for the New York City Department of Education, would not specify when the initial ban was proposed but told TODAY via email that "it's fair to say that we continuously review our menu options for nutrition & whether kids enjoy them."

While many young kids enjoy drinking chocolate milk, proponents argue banning it would be one way to limit the amount of sugar children consume. In the U.S., children eat three times as much added sugar as they should each day, according to the American Heart Association. To limit that number, the AHA issued a recommendation in 2016 suggesting kids should consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar a day.

"Our priority is the health and well-being of our students, and every day, we offer a variety of healthy, delicious and free meal options that exceed USDA standards," Mantell said.

Mantell added that no New York City public schools currently serve soda and, when it comes to milk, only nonfat and low-fat options are served. Previously, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Rochester, Minnesota, Los Angeles and Detroit have also voted to ban flavored milks, NBC New York reported. But Los Angeles and Detroit have since reversed those bans and sweetened milks are now served in schools again.

While New York City schools may be looking to ban chocolate milk, other districts around the country are looking for different ways to increase students' daily dairy intake. Several districts have recently accepted grants from different local dairy associations to set up coffee shops in high schools so teens can get some extra protein and calcium, albeit with a latte.

Some tweeters think the ban on sugar-laden drinks, even if they do contain calcium, is a great idea.

But many, many more are saying that banning chocolate milk is going too far.

Norma Reid-Archibald, a dietician and nutritionist with NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, said that chocolate milk is a good alternative for kids who may not want to drink plain milk.

"I need them to have another option - there's calcium, vitamin D, potassium. All important," Reid-Archibald told NBC New York. "Don't worry about the sugar for this particular meal ... because it's a minimum part of their overall daily intake that these students are consuming."

While different brands may vary by calorie and sugar content, on average, chocolate milk has about 25%-30% more calories and double the sugar of plain dairy milk.

For example, a serving of Horizon Organic's low-fat chocolate milk contains 150 calories, 8 grams of protein, 23 grams of carbohydrates and 22 grams of sugar. Horizon's low-fat plain milk has 110 calories, 8 grams of protein, 13 grams of carbohydrates and 12 grams of sugar.

The future of sweetened dairy milk in New York City's public schools remains uncertain for now. Said Mantell, "No decision has been made about chocolate milk."

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Proposal to ban chocolate milk in public school sparks backlash

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New York City Public Schools proposed a ban on chocolate milk, but people aren't sure it should be a priority.

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"Got milk?" More and more people saying no

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"Got milk?" More and more people saying no

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Chocolate milk gets nutritionists' gold star

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Chocolate milk gets nutritionists' gold star

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Chocolate milk gets nutritionists’ gold star

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It was the last school day before Thanksgiving, and Traughber Junior High’s lunchroom crackled with adolescent energy and anticipation of a holiday break starting in just a few hours. Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at the Oswego school were busy polishing off selections from a multiple-choice m…

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School lunches may get a little less healthy with passage of new bill

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School lunches may get a little less healthy with passage of new bill

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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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: More Harmful than Healthful

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Chocolate Milk: More Harmful than Healthful

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TruMoo® Chocolate Milk From Country Fresh

TruMoo Chocolate Milk isn't just a tasty treat to enjoy every now and then. It's a nutritious choice for the whole family, and one that can be served every day. Nutrition and public health experts agree that milk is an important part of a healthy diet. TruMoo, like regular milk, provides 8 essential nutrients: calcium, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin, phosphorus and potassium. Together, these essential nutrients help strengthen bones, build and repair muscles and keep you and your f

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TruMoo® Chocolate Milk From Country Fresh... - SafeShare

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TruMoo Chocolate Milk isn't just a tasty treat to enjoy every now and then. It's a nutritious choice for the whole family, and one that can be served every day. Nutrition and public health experts agree that milk is an important part of a healthy diet.

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Dairy Nutrition FAQ - Flavored Milk... - SafeShare.tv

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Flavored milk tastes great and contains the same 9 essential nutrients as white milk. Registered dietitian and mom Stephanie Cundith explains how flavored milk stacks up nutritionally compared to other beverages.