Preteens and teens need calcium. They also need to drink low-fat milk. If they will only drink chocolate milk, do not discourage it, but try to avoid brands that include corn syrup.

Chocolate contains oxalic acid (a chemical that binds calcium in many plants, such as spinach), which tends to combine with calcium to form calcium oxalate, making it unavailable for absorption. However, milk contains much more calcium than chocolate contains oxalate, so there’s plenty of free calcium left over. In fact, only about 6 milligrams of calcium is tied up out of the 250+ milligrams in the milk.

Bonus idea: Low-fat chocolate milk is better for young athletes during sports than sports drinks! It aids in recovery after intense athletic workouts since it has a combination of protein, fat and carbohydrates.

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