Promoting chocolate milk is a major part of the Wisconson Milk Marketing Board’s million dollar marketing effort towards children and teenagers, touting it as a natural sports drink. “Muscles fueled with chocolate milk are muscles fueled with nutritious energy,” states a brochure for parents.
However, an investigation by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism and a University of Wisconsin-Madison journalism class found that the Wisconson Milk Board overstates the benefits of chocolate milk as a sports recovery beverage for children and teenagers.
In addition, in some materials, the Milk Board also recommends children consume three to four servings of dairy a day, but nutrition experts from Harvard University, New York University and the Mayo Clinic said three to four servings aren’t necessary.
Several small studies have found that drinking chocolate milk can enhance recovery after exercising. Who funded these studies? The dairy industry of course!
According to 2007 statistics, 31% of children in Wisconsin were overweight and obese.
How many servings of milk do children really “need” in a day? ZERO!