Mad Debating over Flavored Milk!

Wow, the debate is fierce! I mentioned in my first blog post that I recently did an interview with the San Antonio Express-News on the topic of flavored milks. Should kids drink it or avoid it? Well, the story ran in Sunday's edition and can be viewed at mysanantonio.com. You'll find it very interesting to see a specific comment after the article on a quote that was specifically from me. What I told the reporter is that we agree with the ADA Total Diet Approach Position Paper where there are no "good" or "bad" foods. We look at eating patterns rather than one single food. The USDA's Food Guide Pyramid allows for a small amount of discretionary calories (an avg of 12-16% of total calories) in a person's diet. This allows for flexibility in an individual's eating patterns to allow for some added sugars and at the same time, the ability to achieve all vitamins and minerals through a well rounded diet. I stressed that we encourage nutrient-rich eating overall and by that I mean getting the most 'bang' for your calorie buck. If a child drinks milk with added sugars, the parent needs to figure that into their daily eating pattern. In my practice, I am very concerned about calcium and Vitamin D intakes among children and adolescents, so we need to allow for some flexibility in order to achieve their needs. Balance and moderation is the key.

The problem with my quote is that it was not expanded upon like I did above, and they may not have given enough information for the angered reader. People, we have got to have a moderate approach to food if we are going to be successful in our individual lives and the lives of our families! Truth be told, I do not typically serve flavored milk at my home. My children drink white milk happily, and it's the drink of choice at most of our meals. However, my kindergarten daughter reports that she chooses strawberry milk when she purchases her meals at school about 2-3 times per week (other days she brings her lunch with white milk to drink). This helps in naturally balancing out her discretionary calories. I am happy to report that she also tells me that she often eats the vegetables that are served to her as well! Again, it goes back to modeling good eating behaviors and serving a variety of foods in the home. When your child is free to choose on their own, most likely it will be much like the foods that they are used to eating at their home. So, chill out...with some white, chocolate or strawberry milk. Just keep it balanced.