Chocolate milk

For other uses, see Chocolate milk (disambiguation).

A glass of chocolate milk.

Chocolate milk is a sweetened, cold, cocoa-flavored milk drink. It is created when chocolate syrup (or chocolate power) is mixed with cow milk. It can be purchased pre-mixed or made at home with either cocoa powder and a sweetener (such as sugar or a sugar substitute), or with melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, or chocolate milk mix. Other ingredients, such as starch, salt, carrageenan, vanilla, or artificial flavoring may be added. Chocolate milk should be refrigerated like plain milk. A solution is required to blend in the two flavors (milk and chocolate, hence the name of the mixed drink). When chocolate milk begins to spoil, it gives off a coffee-like odor, unlike plain milk.

Brands

There are many brands of chocolate milk available in pre-mixed packages, including bottles and cartons. Some Swiss brands like Ovaltine and Nesquik can be either heated up or consumed cold. It is also possible to make chocolate milk by pouring milk in a glass, adding cocoa powder, and stirring, although powder does not mix with cold milk as well or as quickly as when using chocolate syrup. Shaking the ingredients in a clean bottle or cocktail shaker can more thoroughly mix the powder and milk. .

Variants of chocolate milk are candy-bar themed pre-mixed drinks, which claim to mimic the flavors of popular candy bars such as Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, or Snickers. Other variants include a lactose-free version made using lactose-free milk and flavorings, sugar-free "kids" chocolate milk in powder form, organic chocolate milk (made with organic milk, organic cocoa, and organic cane syrup), and chocolate soy milk. Nesquik comes in a double chocolate flavor.

Supplement

Some nutritionists have criticized chocolate milk for its high sugar content and its relationship to childhood obesity. Of the milk served in U.S. schools, 71 percent is flavored. In New York City, school food officials say nearly 60 percent of the 100 million cartons served each year are fat-free chocolate milk. Because chocolate milk can contain twice as much sugar as plain low-fat milk from added sugars, some school districts have stopped serving it, including those in Berkeley, CA, and Washington, DC. In the US, 32 percent of children and teens are overweight and at risk for diabetes, high blood pressure and other issues related to obesity.

A study published in 2006 indicated that chocolate milk aids in recovery when taken after intense athletic workouts. The study authors believe this to be due to its ratio of carbohydrates to protein, among other nutritional properties. However, the study was small in scale with only nine athletes and partially funded by the dairy industry. Furthermore, the study compared chocolate milk to two energy drinks and unflavored milk was not used as a comparison, so it is unknown if chocolate milk is superior to unflavored milk as a recovery drink.

A 2005 study by the New York City (NYC) Department of Education found that by removing whole milk and replacing it with low-fat to fat-free chocolate milk, students were served an estimated 5,960 fewer calories and 619 fewer grams of fat per year.

Chocolate supplies oxalic acid, which reacts with the calcium in the milk producing calcium oxalate, thus preventing the calcium from being absorbed in the intestine. However, it is present in small enough amounts that the effect on calcium absorption is negligible. As chocolate contains relatively small amounts of oxalate, it is unclear to what extent chocolate consumption affects healthy people who eat calcium-rich diets. In a 2008 study, participants who consumed one or more servings of chocolate on a daily basis had lower bone density and strength than those participants who ate a serving of chocolate six times a week or less. Researchers believe this may be due to oxalate inhibiting calcium absorption — but it could also be due to the chocolate's sugar content, which may increase calcium excretion. It is clear, however, that consuming foods high in oxalate — and in turn their effect on calcium absorption — is a more significant concern for people with oxalate kidney stones, which occur when there is too much oxalate in the urine. These people, especially, should reduce their oxalate intake and increase their calcium intake.

A November 2009 study conducted by scientists in Barcelona, Spain suggests that regularly consuming skim milk with cocoa rich in flavonoids may reduce inflammation and slow or prevent the development of atherosclerosis. However, the study notes that its effects are not as pronounced as seen in consumption of red wine.

See also

• Coffee milk
• Hot chocolate
• Milkshake
• Nesquik
• Ovaltine
• Sipahh
• Strawberry milk