Milk – whether white or flavored – provides the same powerful package of nutrients!
Flavored milk contains the same nine essential nutrients as white milk and is a delicious way to help people of all ages consume essential vitamins and nutrients important for health. Consider the following impacts to health and nutrition if milk, flavored or not, is removed from the diet:
- Milk contains calcium, vitamin D and potassium which are nutrients of concern that most Americans’ don’t get enough of.
- Milk consumption (including flavored) in children and adolescents, is associated with higher intakes of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and vitamin A, compared to those who do not drink milk.
- On average, by the time children are 6 years old, milk consumption falls below the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ recommended daily servings of dairy.
- Children in the U.S. who drink flavored milk, do not have higher Body Mass Indices (BMIs) compared to non-drinkers suggesting that flavored milk does not lead to weight gain.
In the school setting, flavored milk enables school nutrition programs to address the nutrient, taste, and health needs of the students they serve.
- Data show that students choose flavored milk 70% of the time.
- When schools removed or limited flavored milk options, milk consumption dropped dramatically (an average of 35%) and equates to a substantial loss in nutrients that can’t be replaced by another beverage.
- Replacing nutrition contribution from milk requires three to four food items but adds back more calories and fat than were originally contributed by milk.
You can feel good providing flavored milk as an option. It’s a delicious option that helps kids (and adults) meet their nutrient needs.
