this post was submitted on 27 Sep 2023
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Is chocolate milk really that much less healthy than regular 2% milk? AFAICT they are basically the same, with the former having an extra 5g or so of added sugar per 8oz glass. It’s much better for you than, say, apple juice which is almost entirely just sugar.
Milk should just not be given to children at all in school. I don’t understand why we can’t have kids drink just fucking water. We shouldn’t be encouraging kids to drink sugary anything. Calcium and protein can come from so many other sources. I never understood milk as a lunch drink option as a kid and I don’t understand it now.
While I support having better access to water for everyone, milk is generally accepted by many kids, even picky ones.
Additionally, milk does provide an opportunity to provide a minimal amount of additional vitamins for growing kids as well, mainly calcium for accident prone kids. This is likely more important for kids who aren't getting fed properly at home. Kids need a ton of energy and chemicals to grow properly, no doubt.
It absolutely is not a superfood. There ain't nothing magical about it, regardless of how many milk commercials you saw growing up. For adults, there isn't much of a benefit unless your body actually needs those vitamins.
Disclaimer: I absolutely detest adults who swear by taking handfuls of vitamins for no reason. Vitamin deficiencies are real and if you have one, you need to be working with a doctor and not with some jackass at a supplement store.
The main thing people get from milk is, depending on the country, vitamin D, which isn't naturally occurring there and is best obtained by just getting some sun, and the fat, which most people cut out of it. Milk's calcium absorption is, at best, around 30% and not a great source of calcium. You get better calcium intake from leafy greens and nuts (~50% absorption). Also, there has not been a definitive link between additional bone density from calcium and brittle bones. Japan and India are still mostly lactose intolerant and have fewer hip fractures than America, which has one of the highest milk intakes in the world. It's more likely manual labor and sunlight is better for bone health.
The idea that milk is healthy is part of misunderstandings that have been taken as fact for decades, but it's not really. It's not junk food... until you start adding even more sugar to an already surprisingly sugary drink.
Quickly found source concerning meta analysis and milk's health benefits