Let the Claims Begin

With school back in session the great chocolate milk debate is also back in the news. Of course the Fresno, California school board is the first to get things started this school year with some teachers and parents groups requesting to pull chocolate milk from the school menus charging that the added sugar in flavored milk is a major contributor to childhood obesity. Facts are that over the last five years the dairy industry has worked hard to develop low fat, fat free, and reduced sugar chocolate milks in response to the overall national concern for childhood obesity. With milk being the number one food source for the majority of children’s daily calcium, potassium, and vitamin D needs many nutritional experts including The American Academy of Pediatrics are concerned that if chocolate milk is removed from schools milk consumption will fall off dramatically. They insist that the nutritional value of milk far outweighs the additional sugar in flavored milks. They’ve also stated that “flavored milks account for only three percent of total added sugars in a child’s diet, with soft drinks being their primary source for added sugars”.