The dairy industry creates many different varieties of milk and dairy products for consumers to enjoy. A favorite for many children is flavored milk such as chocolate and strawberry.

It is important to include milk and dairy foods at most meals. While most young children love the taste of unflavored milk, others prefer flavored milk. Recent studies have shown the health benefits of flavored milk and that children who consume flavored milk are more likely to reach their daily recommended intake of calcium and less likely to consume low-nutrient beverages such as soda and sugary juice drinks.¹

Only one in 10 school-age girls and three in 10 boys meet their calcium requirements.² This doesn’t come as a surprise, with increasing numbers of children drinking sweetened beverages that often replace milk. These trends are a significant concern in children and teens during the vital bone-building years. It is recommended that school-age children consume between 800 -1,300 mg of calcium per day. Children ages 4-8 need 800 milligrams of calcium, while children ages 9-18 need 1,300 milligrams of calcium. The recommended number of milk-group servings is 2-3 cups per day. In addition to calcium, milk also contains vitamin D, high-quality proteins, magnesium and potassium, which play vital roles in the development of healthy bodies and strong bones. Calcium, potassium and magnesium are three of the under consumed nutrients identified in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. ^3,4

There are two types of sugars found in flavored milk: natural sugar (lactose, found in all milk) and added sugar (typically high-fructose corn syrup). Although over-consumption of any calorie-containing food will lead to weight gain, the levels of high-fructose corn syrup in flavored milk are much lower than levels found in typical soda beverages and processed foods. One cup of flavored milk usually contains two to four teaspoons of added sugar; sodas and fruit drinks contain up to nine teaspoons of added sugar. These additional calories from sugars in flavored milk are small relative to the extra nutrients the child will likely not receive from other sources. Additionally, children who consume milk, including flavored milk, tend to consume fewer sweetened beverages, consume more nutrients and more often maintain a healthy body weight. Maintaining a healthy body weight is especially important for decreasing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.⁵

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¹Frary CD, Johnson, RK, Wang MQ. Journal of Adolescent Health 2004;34, 56-63.
² Kranz S et al. J Pediatr 2007;151(6) 642-6.
³ Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, 6th ed, 2005: www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.
⁴Greer FR, Krebs NF and Committee on Nutrition. Pediatrics 2006;117:578-585.
⁵ American Medical Association (2008). AMA finds high-fructose corn syrup unlikely to be more harmful than other caloric sweeteners. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from AMA website: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/print/18691.html.