HOUSTON – It used to be a Saturday morning treat, but now plenty of school districts will be serving chocolate milk in their cafeterias.
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Houston Independent School District will serve it, along with The Woodlands, Alief, Magnolia and Clear Creek.
The chocolate milk versus regular milk debate has nutritionists and parents alike talking.
When given the choice, most kids choose chocolate milk over regular. The difference is about 20 calories, according to nutritionist Kristi King. It may not sound like much, but she said drinking chocolate milk every day should still be a family discussion.
"Include your child in that conversation, maybe talking about how chocolate milk may not be appropriate everyday," King said. "Maybe pick a couple a days."
So what does it take for kids to burn that off the extra calories and sugar? For older students, King said chocolate milk could mean running once more around a track, about 400 yards. For most younger students to burn off the 120 calories in regular milk, it would take about 50 minutes of running and playing. The estimated 140 calories in chocolate milk would equate to about 5 to 10 more minutes of activity.
King, with Texas Children's Hospital, said it's still a very healthy drink.
"As far as protein goes, calcium, vitamin D and potassium, all of that is exactly the same," she said.
She also said chocolate milk is a good recovery drink because of its potassium, carbohydrates and protein mix.