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January 13, 2005
Prairie Fare: Chocolate or Plain Milk?
“Mom, why can’t I have juice for milk break at school? Everybody else has juice,” my fourth-grade son remarked. “How many is everybody?” I asked while I wrote a check. “Well, lots of people, maybe not everybody,” he admitted. His younger sister then chimed in, “I like juice. I want juice, too.” “You’re having milk for milk break,” I boldly declared. “You have juice for breakfast. Do you know why milk is good for you?” I asked, softening my approach a little. “Milk keeps your bones strong,” they said in unison. “That’s right, and I want my kids to have strong bones! Here’s your choice: chocolate or plain,” I said. “Chocolate!” they exclaimed. I haven’t heard any complaints since I sent the check for their morning milk break. They love chocolate. Chocolate milk has not been without a little controversy regarding calcium absorption. The good news is that there’s only a small difference in our body’s ability to absorb calcium from plain or chocolate milk, according to recent research. Yes, cocoa naturally contains chemicals called oxalates that may bind to some of the calcium; however, cocoa is processed in a way that minimizes this chemical reaction. When researchers studied the differences in calcium absorption between plain and chocolate milk, the difference was not enough to be concerned about. Many children also prefer flavored milk and drink more. If their milk cartons or glasses are empty at the end of a meal or snack, we know they have a greater chance of meeting their calcium needs. Wasted milk doesn’t build strong bones. It’s true that chocolate flavoring does add calories and sweeteners. Some products offer a bonus - fortification with extra calcium and other bone-building nutrients. A tablespoon of instant sweetened powdered chocolate has about 45 calories, 9 grams of carbohydrates and less than a half-gram of fat. To put this in perspective, you would need to consume 78 tablespoons of instant chocolate flavoring beyond your body’s energy needs to gain a pound of body fat. Don’t try this in one day at home. Calcium isn’t just for kids, but they do have greater needs. Children ages 9 to 18 are in their prime bone-growing years and need 1,300 milligrams per day. Adults up to age 50 need at least 1,000 milligrams per day, and those over 50 need 1,200. Milk, cheese and yogurt are excellent calcium sources. Dry beans, broccoli and fortified foods are other sources. Here’s a recipe created by “3-A-Day of Dairy” and retrieved from the Midwest Dairy Council Web site. For more information about calcium, visit www.midwestdairy.com. This recipe takes 15 minutes to prepare, 18 minutes to cook and less time to eat! Try it with a glass of milk, chocolate or plain.
### Source:
Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
Market Advisor: |
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North Dakota State University |
