Are the new flavored milks for kids just a high-sugar gimmick, or are they okay?
The new varieties of flavored milk, including orange, strawberry and vanilla, are an attempt to reverse the trend of children and teens drinking more soft drinks and fruit “drinks” (with less than 10 percent real fruit juice) than milk. Largely because of this trend, adequate calcium consumption is below recommended levels, for example, for 70 to 90 percent of teenagers. With the wide availability of high-sugar foods and drinks, offering more would not seem desirable. But if your children are among those whose dairy consumption falls below the recommended three to four servings daily, these flavored drinks may help. A new study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows that children and teens who drink flavored milks tend to drink less soda and fruit drinks (but not less juice). The extra sugar from one source is compensated by less sugar from others. Whether it’s the sugar or another aspect of the diet, remember it’s the overall content that counts. Consider serving so
