View source for Chocolate milk

{{short description|Sweetened chocolate-flavoured milk}}
{{pp-pc1}}
{{about|chocolate-flavoured milk served cold|heated chocolate milk|Hot chocolate|other uses|Chocolate milk (disambiguation)}}
{{Distinguish|Milk chocolate}}
{{pp-pc|small=yes}}
{{Infobox beverage
| name = Chocolate milk
| image = Chocolate milk.JPG
| image_size = 250px
| caption = A mug of chocolate milk next to a [[chocolate bar]]
| type = [[Flavoured milk]]
| origin = [[Colony of Jamaica]] (present day [[Jamaica]])
| ingredients = [[Cocoa solids|Cocoa]] or [[chocolate]] and [[milk]]; optionally [[sugar]] or [[Sugar substitute|substitute sweeteners]] and [[fat]]
| variants = 
| related = [[Hot chocolate]]
| colour = Brown
| introduced = {{circa|17th century}} (by [[Hans Sloane]])
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=July 2022}}

'''Chocolate milk''' is a type of [[flavored milk|flavoured milk]] made by mixing [[cocoa solids]] with [[milk]] (either [[dairy]] or [[plant milk|plant-based]]). It is a [[food pairing]] in which the milk's [[mouthfeel]] masks the [[dietary fiber|dietary fibre]]s of the cocoa solids.

==Types==
The liquid [[carbohydrates]] in milks like [[milk|cow milk]], or [[oat milk]], may be sufficient on its own to mask the bitterness from the cacao's [[theobromine]]. However, most often additional sweeteners are added to make the drink taste sweet.

However, the particles from cocoa solids in homemade chocolate milk will quickly sediment to the bottom. So the solution should be shaken or stirred before consumption to avoid uneven concentration. This is not a problem in some ready to drink chocolate milks.

=== Chocolate milk ===
{{Nutritional value
| name = Beverages, chocolate-flavored drink, [[whey]]- and milk-based
| serving_size = 1 cup (244 g)
| kJ = 500
| water = 214 g
| carbs = 26.1 g
| fiber = 1.46 g
| sugars = 21.2 g
| caffeine = 2.44 mg
| opt1n = [[Theobromine]]
| opt1v = 122 mg
| source_usda = 1
| note = [https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/167711/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry]
}}

Sugar used in commercial chocolate milk serves as a [[preservative]], and the energy from the sugar also makes it a [[convenience food]]. It can also be made at home by blending milk with cocoa powder and a sweetener (such as [[sugar]] or a [[sugar substitute]]), melted [[chocolate]], [[chocolate syrup]], or a pre-made powdered chocolate milk mix. Other ingredients, such as [[starch]], [[salt]], [[carrageenan]], [[vanilla]], or [[flavoring|artificial flavoring]] are sometimes added. 
To add [[nutritional value]] to the product, sometimes some minerals like [[zinc oxide]] or iron are added.

In New York City, school food officials report that nearly 60 percent of the 100 million cartons served each year contain fat-free chocolate milk.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/dining/25Milk.html?_r=1&ref=dining|title=A School Fight Over Chocolate Milk|last=Severson|first=Kim|date=24 August 2010|work=[[The New York Times]]|page=3|access-date=31 August 2010}}</ref>

==== Negative health impact ====
Some nutritionists have criticized chocolate milk for its high sugar content and its relationship to [[childhood obesity]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/what_we_do.aspx?id=4|title=Home - UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity|website=www.yaleruddcenter.org|access-date=31 October 2017|archive-date=9 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209214057/http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/what_we_do.aspx?id=4|url-status=usurped}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rodale.com/flavored-milk-and-school-lunch-programs |title=Chocolate Milk Debate Rages On |work=Rodale.com |date=30 November 2009 |access-date=20 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815032450/http://www.rodale.com/flavored-milk-and-school-lunch-programs |archive-date=15 August 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Because chocolate milk can contain twice as much sugar as plain low-fat milk from added sugars, some school districts have stopped serving the product altogether.<ref name="nytimes.com"/>

=== Dark chocolate milk ===
[[Dark chocolate]] milk has more [[cocoa solids]] than conventional chocolate milk. However, added sugar can still contribute to health problems.

==Source==

=== Drink mix ===
[[Drink mix]]es of cocoa powder and a sweetener can be either [[#Homemade|homemade]] or commercially manufactured.

===Ready to drink===
[[File:Chocomilkjf.JPG|thumb|A glass of [[pasteurized]] chocolate milk made from [[water buffalo]]'s milk produced by the [[Philippine Carabao Center]]]]

[[Ready to drink]] chocolate milk is produced by [[Milk#Creaming_and_homogenization|homogenization]].

At or below room temperature, chocolate is a solid, which does not dissolve, but instead remains a powdered solid [[Suspension (chemistry)|suspended]] in milk.  The suspension must be stabilized, otherwise, the powder will settle. Separation can be slowed by any of the following:<ref>{{cite web |title=The Science of Chocolate Milk (And How to Prevent Sedimentation) |date=July 7, 2018 |publisher=Food Crumbles |url=https://foodcrumbles.com/chocolate-milk-sedimentation/ |access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref>

* Reduce particle size, for example by [[tempering chocolate]]
* Reduce particle density, by incorporating air pockets
* Increase the viscosity of the milk, by adding thickening agents

[[Carrageenan]] is used at very low concentrations to form an imperceptible weak gel that prevents the large, dense particles of chocolate from [[sedimentation]].

Ready to drink chocolate milk should be [[Refrigerator|refrigerated]] like unflavored milk, except some ultra-high temperature ([[Ultra-high-temperature processing|UHT]]) pasteurized drinks, which can be stored at room temperature. However, it is generally served cold. The nutritional qualities of chocolate milk are the subject of debate: while some studies criticize the high sugar content of chocolate milk, other studies suggest that chocolate milk is nutritionally superior to white.

====Disadvantage====
[[Ready to drink]] chocolate milk contains fewer [[antioxidants]], caffeine, etc., due to [[oxidation]] from the water in the milk.

==Studies and research==

A number of studies have been issued in regard to chocolate milk nutrition. A 2005 study by the [[New York City Department of Education]] found that by removing whole milk and replacing it with low-fat or fat-free chocolate milk, students were served an estimated 5,960 fewer calories and 619 fewer grams of fat per year.<ref name="Centers for Disease Control and Prevention">
{{cite journal | author=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | title= Effects of Switching from Whole to Low-Fat/Fat-Free Milk in Public Schools| journal=Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report | year=2010 | pages=70–73 | volume=59 | issue=3 | pmid=20110934}}</ref> However, more recent studies show that fat-free and low-fat milk may actually increase body fat and contribute to obesity. [[Whole milk]] may in fact be healthier for obese children than low-fat or non-fat milk.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Sifferlin |first=Alexandra |url=https://healthland.time.com/2013/03/19/skim-milk-may-not-lower-obesity-risk-among-children/ |title=Skim Milk May Not Lower Obesity Risk Among Children |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=19 March 2013 |access-date=24 July 2014}}</ref>

An April 2007 study from [[Loughborough University]] indicated that low-fat milk was an effective rehydration drink.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Milk as an effective post-exercise rehydration drink |journal=British Journal of Nutrition |volume=98 |issue=1 |year=2007 |first1= Susan M. |last1=Shirreffs |first2=Phillip |last2=Watson |first3=Ronald J. |last3=Maughan |pages=173–180 |doi=10.1017/S0007114507695543|pmid=17459189 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

A November 2009 study conducted by scientists in [[Barcelona]], Spain, suggests that regularly consuming [[skimmed milk]] with cocoa rich in [[flavonoids]] may reduce [[inflammation]] and slow or prevent the development of [[atherosclerosis]]. The study notes that its effects are not as pronounced as seen in consumption of [[red wine]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/health/research/10nutr.html?em "Vital Signs – Study Suggests Skim Milk with Cocoa May Reduce Inflammation"]. ''The New York Times''. 9 November 2009.</ref> However, in a single serving of cocoa, other researchers found 611 milligrams of [[gallic acid]] equivalents (GAE) and 564 milligrams of [[epicatechin]] equivalents (ECE), compared with 340 milligrams of GAE and 163 milligrams of ECE in red wine, and 165 milligrams of GAE and 47 milligrams of ECE in green tea.<ref name="antioxidants">{{cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=KW |last2=Kim |first2=YJ |last3=Lee |first3=HJ |last4=Lee |first4=CY |title=Cocoa has more [[phenolic phytochemicals]] and a higher antioxidant capacity than teas and red wine. |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |date=3 December 2003 |volume=51 |issue=25 |pages=7292–5 |doi=10.1021/jf0344385 |pmid=14640573}}</ref>

A study published in 2009 compared chocolate milk to a commercial recovery beverage (matched for carbohydrate and protein content) administered to cyclists after intense workouts. The researchers found no difference in post-workout plasma [[creatine kinase]] levels and muscle soreness, nor in cycling time to exhaustion. However, since chocolate milk is usually less expensive than commercial recovery beverages, the researchers concluded that chocolate milk "serves as a more convenient, cheaper&nbsp;... recovery beverage option for many athletes".<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism |year=2009 |volume=34 |issue=6 |pages=1017–22 |doi=10.1139/H09-104 |title=Acute effects of chocolate milk and a commercial recovery beverage on postexercise recovery indices and endurance cycling performance |vauthors=Pritchett K, Bishop P, Pritchett R, Green M, Katica C |pmid=20029509}}</ref>

A May 2010 sports nutrition study concluded that "exercise recovery during short-term periods of heavy soccer training appears to be similar when isocaloric CM (Chocolate Milk) and CHO (Carbohydrate) beverages are consumed post-exercise".<ref>{{cite journal |title=Effects of chocolate milk consumption on markers of muscle recovery following soccer training: a randomized cross-over study |vauthors=Gilson SF, Saunders MJ, Moran CW |display-authors=etal |journal=Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition |year=2010 |volume=7 |issue=19 |pages=19 |doi=10.1186/1550-2783-7-19|pmid=20482784 |pmc=2887392 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Yet another study in 2011 at [[Kean University]] in [[New Jersey]] concluded similar results in male soccer players, discovering that there was an increase in time to fatigue when chocolate milk was consumed. The Kean University study also viewed chocolate milk's effects on female soccer players undergoing morning and afternoon practices during preseason. They were either given the carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage or chocolate milk between morning and afternoon preseason practices. Following every afternoon practice, each athlete completed a shuttle run to fatigue. The study concluded that chocolate milk is just as beneficial as the carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage in promoting recovery in women.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Spaccarotella|first=Kim J|author2=Walter D Andzel|title=The Effects of Low Fat Chocolate Milk on Postexercise Recovery in Collegiate Athletes|journal=Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research|date=December 2011|volume=25|issue=12|pages=3456–3560|doi=10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182163071|pmid=22080318|s2cid=207503813}}</ref>

===Calcium oxalate production===
Chocolate has [[oxalic acid]], which reacts with the [[calcium]] in the milk producing [[calcium oxalate]], thus preventing the calcium from being absorbed in the intestine. However, it is present in small enough amounts that the effect on calcium absorption is negligible (2–3%).<ref>{{cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Sue |url=http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tpnutrition/0,,3vpm,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050901001826/http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tpnutrition/0,,3vpm,00.html |archive-date=1 September 2005 |title=Does putting chocolate in milk decrease calcium absorption? |website=iVillage.com}}</ref> As chocolate contains relatively small amounts of oxalate, it is unclear to what extent chocolate consumption affects healthy people with calcium-rich diets. 

In a 2008 study, participants who consumed one or more servings of chocolate on a daily basis had lower bone density and strength than those participants who ate a serving of chocolate six times a week or less. Researchers believe this may be due to oxalate inhibiting calcium absorption – but it could also be due to sugar content in chocolate, which may increase calcium excretion. It is clear, however, that consuming foods high in oxalate – and in turn their effect on calcium absorption – is a more significant concern for people with oxalate [[kidney stones]], which occur when there is too much oxalate in the [[urine]]. These people especially should reduce their oxalate intake and increase their calcium intake.<ref>Katherine Zeratsky, [http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calcium/AN01294 "Chocolate: Does it impair calcium absorption?"], mayoclinic.com</ref> However, the high [[magnesium]] content in chocolate is likely to reduce the risk of stone formation, because like [[citrate]], magnesium is also an inhibitor of urinary crystal formation.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Johri|first=N.|author2=Cooper, B.|author3=Robertson, W.|author4=Choong, S.|author5=Rickards, D.|author6=Unwin, R.|title=An update and practical guide to renal stone management|journal=Nephron Clinical Practice|volume=116|issue=3|pages=c159–71|year=2010|pmid=20606476|doi=10.1159/000317196|url=https://www.karger.com/Article/PDF/000317196|doi-access=free|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==History==
Milk has probably been added to chocolate drinks wherever both ingredients were available. The first domesticated cattle were introduced to the [[Caribbean]] in 1493 by [[Christopher Columbus]].<ref>{{cite journal | title=New World cattle show ancestry from multiple independent domestication events | author=McTavish, Emily Jane | journal=[[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences]] | year=2013 | volume=110 | issue=15| pages=E1398-406 | doi=10.1073/pnas.1303367110 | pmid=23530234 | pmc=3625352 | bibcode=2013PNAS..110E1398M | s2cid=18538738 | doi-access=free }}</ref> Reciprocally, cocoa was introduced in Europe in the 1520s.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sseSDwAAQBAJ | title=Power, Political Economy, and Historical Landscapes of the Modern World | publisher=[[State University of New York Press]] | author=DeCorse, Christopher R. | year=2019 | pages=107| isbn=9781438473437 }}</ref> The[[Natural History Museum, London| Natural History Museum of London]] lists Anglo-Irish botanist [[Hans Sloane]] as the inventor of drinking chocolate with milk. Sloane found the local Jamaican beverage consisting of cacao and water served to him in Jamaica unpalatable, but by adding milk to it, found it not as unacceptable as it was.<ref>{{cite journal|title = Sir Hans Sloane’s Milk Chocolate and the Whole History of the Cacao|author = Delbourgo, James|journal= Social Text|year=2011|volume=29| issue=1|pages = 71–101|doi    = 10.1215/01642472-1210274}}</ref> However, according to historian [[James Delbourgo]], the Jamaicans were brewing "a hot beverage brewed from shavings of freshly harvested cacao, boiled with milk and cinnamon" as far back as 1494.<ref>{{cite web |last=Eveleth |first=Rose |author-link=Rose Eveleth |title=Chocolate Milk Was Invented in Jamaica |url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chocolate-milk-was-invented-jamaica-180949734/?no-ist |access-date=12 January 2017}}</ref>

In the late 19th century, Swiss entrepreneur [[Daniel Peter]] developed a solid dehydrated version of chocolate milk so that it could be easily portioned, transported and conserved (fresh milk was rare in the cities). He eventually created [[milk chocolate]] in 1875.<ref>{{cite news | language=French | url=https://www.faovd.ch/actualite/556/l-inventeur-oublie-du-chocolat-au-lait/ | title=L'inventeur oublié du chocolat au lait  | trans-title=The forgotten inventor of milk chocolate| work=Feuille des Avis Officiels du canton de Vaud | date=26 March 2023 | agency=[[Canton of Vaud]] | accessdate=14 August 2022 |quote=Doté d’un sens aigu des affaires, il cherche à rendre le chocolat au lait liquide «portionnable» et donc transportable, gageure des temps modernes. À la ville, le lait naturel étant rare et souvent falsifié avec de l’eau et de la craie... |trans-quote=Endowed with a keen sense of business, he seeks to make liquid milk chocolate “portionable” and therefore transportable, a challenge of modern times. In the city, natural milk being rare and often falsified with water and chalk...}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Drink}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Coffee milk]]
* [[Flavored milk]]
* [[List of chocolate drinks]]
* [[Milkshake]]
* [[Sipahh]]
* [[Chocomel]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{commonscat-inline}}
* {{wiktionary-inline}}

{{Chocolate}}
{{Chocolate beverages}}
{{Milk navbox}}
{{Sports drinks}}

[[Category:Chocolate drinks]]
[[Category:Cold drinks]]
[[Category:Flavored milk]]
[[Category:Functional beverages|Dark chocolate milkx]]
[[Category:Jamaican drinks]]