I don’t hear a lot about bananas, except that they are a good way to get potassium and B vitamins.

You often write about phytonutrients and antioxidants in fruits.  Do bananas have any?

Also, why do some diets forbid you from eating bananas the first few weeks?

– Sandra Talenda
(Location withheld)

Let’s get the frustrating things out of the way first.

I will never, ever, ever understand diet plans that treat bananas (or any other nutritious, whole foods) as if they were radioactive waste.

A standard medium banana is not only a very good source of fiber, manganese, potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C, it also only delivers 105 calories.

FYI: When it comes to potassium, potatoes and avocados surpass bananas.

Anyone who recommends banana avoidance in the name of health needs to take a nutrition class.  Stat.

As far as phytonutrients are concerned, all plant-based foods (grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and spices) contain them.  That’s one significant reason why a diet heavy on plant-based foods is optimal for health!

Keep in mind that we are still in the process of identifying phytonutrients; the nutrition nerd in me can’t help but feel excited when researchers uncover a new one.

Bananas provide high amounts of the following phytonutrients, flavonoids, and antioxidants:

• Glutathione: a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to protect against cellular oxidation and damage
• Phenolic compounds: a Cornell University study concluded that certain fruits — including bananas — contain phenolic compounds that protect neural cells from oxidative damage, thereby helping slash the risk of neurodegenerative disorders, like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
• Delphinidin: a naturally-occurring pigment that helps lower cancer risk — particularly of the prostate — by causing tumor cells to undergo apoptosis (”cell suicide”)
• Rutin: a flavonoid also found in asparagus that is associated with blood pressure reduction
• Naringin: also found in grapefruits, this flavonoids reduces LDL cholesterol oxidation, thereby lowering atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease risk

For what it’s worth, the riper a banana, the higher its phytonutrient, antioxidant, and flavonoid content.

If you don’t like the texture of a very ripe banana, I suggest peeling, slicing, freezing, and incorporating it into a smoothie.

4 Comments B-vitamins, You Ask/I Answer, antioxidants, bananas, cancer, cardiovascular disease, flavonoids, phytochemicals, phytonutrients, potassium

Your typical tomato sauce recipe calls for plenty of chopping — and time! Many sauce purists, in fact, claim the only way to achieve deliciousness is by simmering tomato sauce for hours on the stovetop, allowing flavors to blend and fully integrate.

While all that is true, it is not the only way to make an out-of-this-world pasta sauce.

This recipe is super quick, but provides a sauce that truly tastes as if you had labored over it for hours.  I knew this was a must-share recipe when a friend of mine — who consider herself a “sauce connoisseur” — proclaimed this one of her top-three all-time favorite sauces and demanded the recipe.

YIELDS: 1/2 cup (2 servings)

INGREDIENTS:

12 grape tomatoes
1 medium garlic clove
1/3 cup roasted or raw red peppers
2 Tablespoons sundried tomatoes (packed in olive oil)
1 Tablespoon white onion, chopped
1/3 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of pepper
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and blend/process until well-mixed.

NUTRITION FACTS (per quarter-cup serving)

100 calories
1 gram saturated fat
170 milligrams sodium

Excellent Source of: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E

Good Source of: folate, niacin, potassium, thiamin

1 Comment folate, niacin, pasta sauce, potassium, recipes, thiamin, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E

My local health food store now carries mesquite powder.

Is that the same as mesquite barbeque stuff, like the flavoring in potato chips?

What about it makes it healthy enough to be at a health food store?

– John Amers
New York, NY

Many people are unaware that mesquite trees contain an array of edible components.

The mesquite you refer to (the one used for barbecuing as well as for barbeque-flavored snacks) comes from mesquite tree wood that is processed into chips and then smoked.

The mesquite powder sold in health food stores, however, is the end result of grinding up mesquite tree pods and seeds.

I find that mesquite powder has a delicious caramel-like flavor.  As with maca, I love to add a heaping tablespoon (or two!) to any shake I make with cacao (the flavors complement each other wonderfully).

I know some people also like to add it to pancake batter (it has some thickening properties and can replace a small quantity of flour) and yogurt.

Mesquite powder is a very good source of soluble fiber, manganese, potassium, and zinc.

While it is certainly not inexpensive, a small bag lasts me two to three months.

1 Comment You Ask/I Answer, manganese, mesquite powder, potassium, soluble fiber, zinc

I always hear that cucumbers help with weight-loss because they are mostly water and low in calories, but I never see them referred to as being very nutritious.

Are they high in any nutrients?

– Diana Wegfield
(Location withheld)

Cucumbers provide a generous amount of manganese, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin K.  To get the highest amount of manganese and potassium, be sure to leave the skin on.

Compared to other vegetables, their phytochemical and antioxidant content is low.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy cucumbers.  I don’t believe that every single morsel you put in your mouth has to be chock-full of nutrients.

If, for example, adding sliced cucumbers to a salad helps you eat more dark leafy green vegetables, you’re reaping benefits!

1 Comment You Ask/I Answer, cucumbers, manganese, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K

In the past, you have written that seaweed is a good source of omega-3 for vegans, but what are the benefits for those of us who already eat fish?

Is there any reason to eat sea vegetables if you already get omega-3s from animal sources?

– Tom Emilio
(Location withheld)

Absolutely!  Their DHA and EPA content (those are the two omega 3 fatty acids found exclusively in fish and seaweed) is only one of their many benefits.

All sea vegetables are great low-calorie sources of iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, vitamin A, and vitamin K.

Another bonus?  Sea vegetables have their own share of unique phytonutrients and antioxidants that help lower risk for heart disease and many different cancers.  This is why I often say that oceans have a very worthy produce section!

Many people erroneously assume all seaweed is slimy, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

You can purchase sheets of thin, crunchy nori (wonderful mixed into salads or used to wrap vegetables and avocado), dried chewy dulse (pictured, right), or hijiki (which, when cooked, has a consistency similar to that of rice).

2 Comments You Ask/I Answer, antioxidants, iron, magnesium, phytonutrients, potassium, sea vegetables, seaweed, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin K

Thank you so much for all the information you share with us on your blog.  I have learned so much over the past few months.

Last month, after my doctor said my blood pressure was higher than it should be, I followed your advice and kept a record of how much sodium I was eating [on a daily basis].  I definitely need to cut down.

What do you think of salt substitutes?  One of my nieces mentioned I need to be careful since they can cause kidney problems.  Is that true?

– Melody (Last name withheld)
Tucson, AZ

No, it is not true.

Let’s start from the beginning, though.

Most salt substitutes are made from potassium chloride, which taints them with an unpleasant aftertaste.

I have tried various different brands, and the only one that truly does a good job of replicating the flavor of salt is AlsoSalt.

Salt replacers can not only help lower sodium intake, but also increase potassium consumption.

Remember — increasing potassium intake is just as important as lowering sodium consumption to manage — and prevent — hypertension.  Unfortunately, the average American consumers more sodium and less potassium than recommended on a daily basis.

There are two concerns with salt substitutes, though.

Anyone diagnosed with kidney or liver disorders (or who is on any sort of medication for those conditions and/or cardiac ones) can NOT consume salt substitutes since the potassium content can have life-threatening consequences.

While healthy individuals can consume these products safely, I still recommend training the palate to get used to flavors other than salt.  Otherwise, you will simply continue to crave foods high in sodium.

I would recommend, for example, replacing half of the salt in a recipe with a salt substitute and then using spices to make up for that other fifty percent.

Spices are a wonderful way to add flavor — as well as health-promoting phytonutrients and antioxidants — to any meal.  Experiment with ground ginger, cumin, curry powder, thyme, rosemary, oregano, paprika, and other delicious varieties.

To clarify your niece’s concerns — salt substitutes do not cause kidney problems.  As stated above, though, they will certainly worsen any existing renal conditions.

I have to say, though, that I doubt the salt shaker is the main culprit of your high sodium consumption.

One of the most effective ways to keep your intake in check is to limit processed foods in your diet and choose whole, minimally processed — or, even better, unprocessed — foods whenever possible.

Keep in mind, too, that while these salt substitutes are high in potassium, you should try to get as much potassium as possible from whole foods.  That way, you will also get fiber, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and many other nutrients (i.e.: magnesium and calcium) that help maintain blood pressure within healthy ranges.

2 Comments AlsoSalt, You Ask/I Answer, blood pressure, potassium, salt, salt substitutes, sodium

I’ve been vegetarian for almost four years, but moved to New York City last Fall.  I’ve suddenly come across new foods I had never heard of before.

One of my favorite restaurants here serves a dish with adzuki beans.

They taste great, but I know nothing about them.  I hadn’t heard of them before until I saw them on this menu.

Are they nutritionally equivalent to all other beans?

– Claire Klein
New York, NY

Despite their Chinese origins, adzuki beans are super popular in Japan, where they are most commonly made into red bean paste after having generous amounts of sugar added on!

That’s right — if you’ve ever had red bean ice cream at a Japanese restaurant or a red bean bun at a Chinese restaurant, you’ve tasted adzuki beans.

The healthiest way to eat them, of course, is “as is”.  I personally love to add them to a side dish of brown basmati or brown jasmine rice.

Not only do adzuki beans deliver high amounts of folate, potassium, magnesium and zinc — they are also a wonderful source of lean protein.

Another bonus?  Their fiber content is mainly made up of soluble fiber — the kind of fiber that helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and helps us feel fuller faster.

Their bright red color holds another powerful secret — polyphenols!  Clinical studies have shown that adzuki’s polyphenols have powerful antioxidant properties and that adzuki beans offer more polyphenols than kidney beans, and soybeans!

Most conventional supermarkets do not carry adzuki beans.  However, if you have any health food stores or Asian food markets in your area, you will surely find them.

1 Comment You Ask/I Answer, adzuki beans, beans, fiber, folate, magnesium, polyphenols, potassium, protein, zinc

One cup of cooked Swiss chard contains as much potassium as two medium bananas.

FYI: The United States Department of Agriculture classifies medium bananas as those measuring anywhere from 7 to 8 inches.

Score another point for dark, leafy green vegetables.

Remember — they already get kudos for being good sources of calcium and vitamin K — two crucial nutrients for bone health.

While most people equate potassium with bananas (and that’s not too off-the-mark; bananas are a good source of that mineral), other foods provide higher amounts.

A medium banana contains approximately 420 milligrams of potassium (roughly ten percent of the daily requirement).  One cup of cooked Swiss chard, meanwhile, contributes 961 milligrams (slightly over a quarter of a day’s worth!).

Take a look at these other potassium-rich foods that are often forgotten:

• Spinach (1 cup, cooked): 835 milligrams
• Lentils (1 cup, cooked): 731 milligrams
• Edamame (1 cup): 676 milligrams
• Nutritional yeast (3 Tablespoons): 640 milligrams
• Baked potato (medium, with skin): 610 milligrams
• Halibut (3 ounces, cooked): 490 milligrams

A good list to keep in mind, particularly since the majority of adults in the United States do not meet daily potassium requirements.

3 Comments Swiss chard, bananas, cocoa powder, edamame, halibut, lentils, numbers game, nutritional yeast, potassium, potatoes, spinach

One cup of cooked Swiss chard contains as much potassium as ______ medium banana(s)

FYI: The United States Department of Agriculture classifies medium bananas as those measuring anywhere from 7 to 8 inches.

a) .75
b) 1.5
c) 2
d) 2.5

Leave your guess in the “comments” section and come back on Thursday to learn the answer — as well as more Swiss chard nutritional facts!

3 Comments Swiss chard, numbers game, potassium

Due to their stellar nutrition profile, hearty texture, and unique flavor, I am a die-hard fan of lentils.

Though they are often prominent in soups and casseroles, they also go well as a dip for crudité or heart whole grain crackers.

This lentil paté is especially wonderful served warm in the winter months.

YIELDS: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white or yellow onion, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, diced
1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
1/3 cup red pepper, chopped
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed (I think red lentils look nicer for dips, but feel free to use brown)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon cumin
Pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat olive oil in pot over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, carrot, and red pepper.

Cook the vegetables until soft, stirring frequently.

Add lentils and water.  Bring contents to a boil.

Lower heat to a low simmer and cook until no more water remains in pot.

Add salt and spices.  Stir until well-combined and cook, still over simmer, for two minutes.

Pour contents into food processor, add lemon juice, and puree until smooth.

Feel free to add more spices after pureeing, if you deem it necessary.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per serving):

123 calories
0.8 grams saturated fat
150 milligrams sodium
8 grams fiber
6 grams protein

Excellent Source of: B vitamins, copper, magnesium, manganese, monounsaturated fats, pantothenic acid, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C

Good Source of: Iron, phosphorus, zinc

No Comments B-vitamins, calories, copper, fiber, iron, lentils, magnesium, manganese, monounsaturated fat, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, potassium, recipes, saturated fat, sodium, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, zinc

I consider myself an adventurous eater, but other than a few sushi rolls when I go to a Japanese restaurant, I don’t eat much seaweed.

Whenever I am at Whole Foods, I see a pretty good-size chunk of one aisle devoted to different kinds of dried seaweed.

What are some ways I can eat them?  Do they offer any real nutrition  benefits or are they healthy just because they are low in calories?

– Joanna MacKay
New York, NY

Seaweed — which is literally available in thousands of varieties — offers an array of flavors, textures, and health benefits.

All varieties are good sources of B vitamins, calcium, copper, iodine, magnesium, manganese, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and zinc.

Most varieties also provide substantial amounts of lignans — the compounds found in flaxseed that are linked to decreased cancer risk AND lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels!

Nori is the most commonly consumed seaweed, as it is the one used in sushi rolls.  However, many people also like to add a few slivers of nori to salads and soups.

You can even buy sheets of nori and make home-made vegetable rolls.

For example, roll up mesclun greens, sliced avocado, sliced mango, and julienned (that’s chef-speak for “thinly sliced”) red peppers in a nori sheet, cut the long roll into round bite-size chunks, drizzle a bit of dressing on top (this peanut-cilantro one complements the flavors fabulously), and you have yourself a fun — and nutritious — lunch!

In Japan, toasted nori snacks are immensely popular (almost as much as potato chips are in the United States).

Kombu is a type of seaweed mainly used for stocks, while kelp is often added to soups (like miso) or used in granule form to add fishy flavors to vegetarian items that aim to mimic seafood.

Arame is used in many savory dishes, including stews and grain-based side dishes, while hijiki is often steamed and consumed as a side dish of its own (one restaurant I frequently establish serves up hijiki as part of a platter alongside brown rice, chickpeas, and stir-fried tofu).

Dulse is mainly available as granules to add fishy flavors to food, although whole dried dulse can be eaten right out of the bag as a snack or used as a salad topper.

FYI: most seaweed salads at Japanese restaurants use a combination of seaweeds.  The downside?  They contain a substantial amount of added sugars and oils.  If you want to start your meal with it, keep that in mind and make light entree selections.

The biggest mistake I come across when it comes to the nutritional aspects of seaweed is the completely erroneous claim that they are a good source of vitamin B12.

They are NOT.  Seaweed contains B12 analogues — compounds that mimic the vitamin.

Vegetarians and vegans need to be very mindful of B12 analogues; they attach to B12 receptors in the body, and prevent real B12 in the diet from being absorbed properly!

Also, since seaweed is very high in iodine, anyone with thyroid issues should first consult with a Registered Dietitian before adding it to their diet on a consistent basis.

2 Comments B-vitamins, You Ask/I Answer, analogue B12, arame, copper, dulse, hijiki, iodine, kelp, kombu, magnesium, manganese, nori, potassium, seaweed, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, wakame

In response to your recent tea post, what are your thoughts on yerba maté?

I lived in Cordoba, Argentina for a year and brought a daily maté habit back with me.

My coworkers find it highly entertaining (one christened my maté/bombilla setup “the tea bong” and tried to light it) and I probably consume between 1 – 2 liters a day of maté.

I don’t drink coffee, occasionally drink unsweetened or mildly sweetened black, green, white or rooibos tea but cannot live without my maté.

I always drink it with no sugar — just like the gauchos!

– Nicole B.
Via Facebook

For those of you unfamiliar with yerba maté, it is a loose-leaf herb that is consumed as a beverage in Argentina as well as parts of Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia.

It is usually consumed by steeping the loose leaves in a gourd (made of metal, which also contains a metal straw) with hot water (though some people prefer to use cold) and then, optionally, sprinkling some sugar on top.

While maté is a dietary staple for millions of people in South America, it is relatively new to the United States.  Consequently, I am horrified at the extreme ways in which it is talked about.

On the one hand, you have the opportunists who advertise maté as some sort of miracle beverage that will not only help you lose weight and prevent all sorts of cancers, but also slow down aging and practically make all your dreams come true.

As you may have guessed, most of that advertising is pure hype.

Then there are some overly cautious individuals in the nutrition field who, perhaps because of fear of the unknown, caution against drinking maté, citing it increases cancer risk, raises  blood pressure, and can have fatal consequences.

The truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle.

It is true that consistently high intakes of maté can increase certain cancers (particularly oral and esophageal).  However, that is not the result of something intrinsic in mate leaves, but rather because of the very high temperatures at which maté is usually consumed.

The blood pressure concerns particularly confuse me because all caffeinated beverages temporarily raise blood pressure after consumption (and, if anything, research has demonstrated that compounds in caffeine help reduce risk of high blood pressure!).  Besides, a two-tablespoon serving of loose maté leaves contain less caffeine than a 16-ounce Starbucks latte.

An added bonus?  Apart from containing exclusive health-promoting compounds similar to those in green tea, maté is also a great source of potassium — two tablespoons of leaves provide even more of the mineral than an orange or banana.

There have been reports of some individuals developing fatal liver disorders from drinking maté, but statistically you are talking about 0.001% of maté drinkers; by no means a norm or even a “small but significant minority”.

As far as I’m concerned, maté is much like tea — a beverage that is by no means a magic bullet, but offers a fair amount health benefits.

3 Comments You Ask/I Answer, caffeine, potassium, yerba mate

I was working out the day before yesterday in the gym.  Ran for about 30 minutes, did my ab sets, cooled down, stretched, put on my fuzzy, went outside and woke up on the ground with people around me.

I just got real dizzy and went down.  I felt better within about 30 minutes.  I got a nice ambulance ride over to the clinic, where they decided that the problem is I don’t replace my electrolytes.

I don’t like Gatorade and I prefer plain water, so that is what I drink.  I’m well hydrated, so it’s not simply a matter of not drinking enough.

I went to the store to track down some stuff to put in my water that will add electrolytes without the sugar and calories.  They all are basically some sodium and a tiny bit of potassium.  Is this right?  Have I got the right stuff?  It just seems like such a small thing.  I have a really good diet and it seems like I should be getting enough of this stuff from what I eat.

Just for background, I swim four times a week, work out in the gym about 3 times a week.  I drink water all day, and I always have some with me both at the pool and in the gym.

I’ve lost about 20 pounds since I got here in August.  I don’t have any way to measure my body fat, but I’m still soft and girly, not boney, so I can assure you I’m not in any danger of starving to death.

Do you have a preferred electrolyte supplement?  Is this something I should even be concerned with?

– Quinn (last name withheld)
Baghdad, Iraq

Since the doctors who treated you specifically mentioned an electrolyte imbalance, I am going to guess you experienced mild hyponatremia.

Hyponatremia is a condition where the body’s sodium concentration levels are diluted as a result of drinking too much water.

Although hyponatremia is usually only seen in endurance athletes engaged in long bouts of intense exercise (ie: triathlon competitions), it can also happen in other situations.

The fact that you “drink water all day” is a bit of a red flag, and here is why:

Since you exercise often, and live in a part of the world that gets extremely high temperatures (although mainly from May to October), you sweat more than a more sedentary individual who lives in a cooler climate.

Remember : sweat is mainly a combination of water and two electrolytes — sodium and chloride.

One of the causes behind hyponatremia is when high amounts of sweat are only replaced with water, and not sufficient sodium.

In fact, research has shown that a mere two percent of overhydration can result in this condition.

Also worth keeping in mind — some individuals’ sweat contains higher concentrations of sodium, which can also increase hyponatremia risk.

The issue here isn’t to increase salt or potassium, but simply to be mindful of excessive fluid intake — both before and during exercise!  By the way, sports drinks contain minimal amounts of sodium that will do absolutely nothing to help prevent this condition.

Since you mentioned twenty-pound weight loss, I would also recommend keeping track of what you eat for three days and then determine how many average calories, milligrams of sodium, and milligrams of potassium you are getting.

It may very well be that apart from overhydrating, your diet is not meeting some of these requirements.

3 Comments You Ask/I Answer, electrolytes, hyponatremia, potassium, sodium, sports drinks, water

My diet is extremely high in sodium.  I’m not proud of it, but it’s the truth.

I would say I get anywhere from 3,500 to 4,000 milligrams of sodium a day, [well past the recommended daily maximum of 2,400 milligrams].  I’ve been eating this way for years.

Whenever I get a physical, my blood pressure does not fall into the “high” range.

Is there any reason why I should try to cut back on sodium?

– Richard (last name withheld)
Norwalk, CT

You belong to the “not sodium sensitive” category.

Roughly half of all adults in the United State do not develop hypertension (high blood pressure) as a result of excess sodium consumption.

So, then, why all the concern about sodium?

Simple — hypertension is simply one of many health consequences of long-term high sodium intakes.

Various recent clinical studies are making it clear that consistently high levels of dietary sodium increase heart disease risk and negatively affect renal (kidney) function.

Foods (and diets) high in sodium are usually low in potassium, a mineral that plays a major role in proper muscle contraction.  Remember — the heart is a muscle!  It is not surprising, then, that insufficient potassium intakes have a negative effect on cardiac health.

in 2004, official potassium guidelines were finally released, recommending a daily goal of 4,700 milligrams.

FYI: this figure is simply a reflection of sodium guidelines, which call for no more than 2,400 milligrams of sodium.  See, the key is to aim for a 2:1 potassium-sodium ratio.  Therefore, a diet that adds up to 3,500 milligrams of sodium a day needs to be offset by approximately 7,000 milligrams of potassium a day (that’s a lot!).

That is why general nutrition advice is to eat as minimally processed a diet is possible.  The more processed a food, the more sodium — and less potassium — it offers.

Since high-sodium diets are usually heavy on processed foods, they tend to also be lacking in fiber, phytonutrients, vitamins, and other minerals.

The fact that your blood pressure isn’t too affected by your high sodium intake does not mean you are scot-free.

1 Comment You Ask/I Answer, cardiovascular disease, fiber, potassium, sodium

Over the past few days, the nutrition blogosphere has fervently discussed the latest controversy — the “Raise Your Hand for Chocolate Milk” campaign.

Led by the Milk Processor Education Program and the National Dairy Council, the program aims to “keep chocolate milk on the menu in schools nationwide”, in light of “lunch advocates [who] are calling [to remove chocolate milk from the lunch line, a decision that could] cause more harm than good when it comes to children’s health.”

The repertoire of widgets, colorful handouts and downloadable documents make it clear that a significant amount of money has been invested in this campaign.

If that wasn’t enough, there is also a partnership with the National Football League and this slick promotional video that features Registered Dietitians and celeb-moms Angie Harmon and Rebecca Romijn vocalizing their support for keeping chocolate milk in schools.

So, what to make of this?

Nutrition professionals across the country have vastly different feelings on the matter.

One side of the debate is succinctly explained in Dr. Marion Nestle’s top-notch blog, Food Politics.

Dr. Nestle states:

“The rationale for the campaign?  If you get rid of chocolate milk, kids won’t drink milk.  You will deprive kids of the nutrients in milk and contribute to the “milk deficit.”   After all, this rationale goes, chocolate milk is better than soda (Oops.  Didn’t we just hear something like this relative to the Smart Choices fiasco?).”

She also adds that this “it’s all about the children!” campaign is about something else — profit.

Specifically, Dr. Nestle states, “schools represent sales of 460 million gallons of milk – more than 7% of total milk sales — [and slightly more than] half of flavored milk is sold in schools.”

Other nutritionists, however, see this campaign as one that takes the important step of “looking at the big picture.”

While they realize chocolate milk is not an ideal beverage, it is a better alternative than sodas or sugar-laden fruit drinks.  If chocolate milk is the only way a child will drink milk, they argue, then it would be a true shame to have it removed from school cafeterias across the country.

I am absolutely torn.

As regular readers of Small Bites know, I have my issues with The Dairy Council.  I find it troubling that, due to their large budget and forceful lobby, they have managed to convince an entire nation that the only way to get calcium in one’s diet is through dairy products.

Approximately three quarters of African Americans and Asian Americans are lactose intolerant; many of them are not aware that calcium is found in broccoli, bok choy, almonds, and chickpeas.  Due to the Dairy Council’s influence, many educational pamphlets fail to mention non-dairy sources of calcium!

In fact, this campaign fails to mention that chocolate soymilk offers the exact same nutrients.

That said, chocolate milk is far from calcium-fortified junk.

Apart from the popular mineral, chocolate milk also offers potassium, magnesium, vitamin D (fortified), riboflavin, and vitamin B12.  It is very different from a calcium-fortified Kool Aid drink.

A standard cafeteria-size carton of chocolate milk contains 12 grams (a tablespoon) of added sugar.  That amounts to 48 more calories than non-flavored milk.  I simply can’t muster much emotion over 48 extra calories (assuming, of course, that chocolate milk consumption is kept to one 8-ounce carton a day).

Similarly, 12 grams of added sugar are not a big deal in a diet that is otherwise not sugar-laden.  Sadly, the average US teenager consumes six tablespoons of sugar on a daily basis!

So, in that sense, since any decrease in added sugar intake is positive, why not slash an entire tablespoon by getting rid of chocolate milk?  Then again, why not focus on the nutrition-void, sugar-filled junk that is also available at school cafeterias?

By the way, what has been missing from a lot of the articles and blog posts I have read is this: a chocolate milk ban is absolutely meaningless if, during their lunch period, students can purchase a bottle of Snapple iced tea (added sugar count: 3 tablespoons!) from a vending machine.

While I very well may eventually take a firm stand either “for” or “against” keeping chocolate milk in schools, I am currently undecided.

For the time being, I want to open the floor for discussion.

What do you think?  Is chocolate milk worth worrying about?  Why or why not?

8 Comments Raise Your Hand for Chocolate Milk, children, chocolate milk, controversies, magnesium, milk, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin D