Childhood obesity is a problem in this country.
That's why the federal government along with local school systems have been looking at ways to cut calories and provide healthier lunches to their students, including salad bars, cooking from scratch, and healthier drinks. But one drink in particular is creating a lot of controversy.
Chocolate milk has always been sort of the bad boy of the lunchroom.
High in fat, calories and sugar, the average 8 ounce carton once carried about 29 grams of sugar, and around 200 calories.
So a lot of public school systems have been taking it off their shelves in order to fight childhood obesity.
But some students in Cabell County, West Virginia weren't buying it.
"The kids boycotted the milk," says Director of Food Services Rhonda McCoy.
And because they were not drinking any type of milk, they weren't getting the proper nutrients, such as vitamin a, d, calcium and potassium.
"White milk, it doesn't satisfy my taste buds," says seventh grader Austin Cooper.
The USDA is telling schools that serve flavored milk that it should be fat free and lower in calories.
Many dairy processors have substituted the high fructose corn syrup with regular sugar.
But doctors say sugar is sugar.
"In our research laboratories have done studies that show high fructose corn syrup and sucrose, regular table sugar are metabolically and from a health standpoint, identical," says Cardiologist Dr. James Rippe.
But for most kids and their parents, cutting fat and revising the formula seems to work.
Cabell County put a non-fat version back on their shelves.
They felt flavored milk was a better alternative than no milk at all.
That's why the federal government along with local school systems have been looking at ways to cut calories and provide healthier lunches to their students, including salad bars, cooking from scratch, and healthier drinks. But one drink in particular is creating a lot of controversy.
Chocolate milk has always been sort of the bad boy of the lunchroom.
High in fat, calories and sugar, the average 8 ounce carton once carried about 29 grams of sugar, and around 200 calories.
So a lot of public school systems have been taking it off their shelves in order to fight childhood obesity.
But some students in Cabell County, West Virginia weren't buying it.
"The kids boycotted the milk," says Director of Food Services Rhonda McCoy.
And because they were not drinking any type of milk, they weren't getting the proper nutrients, such as vitamin a, d, calcium and potassium.
"White milk, it doesn't satisfy my taste buds," says seventh grader Austin Cooper.
The USDA is telling schools that serve flavored milk that it should be fat free and lower in calories.
Many dairy processors have substituted the high fructose corn syrup with regular sugar.
But doctors say sugar is sugar.
"In our research laboratories have done studies that show high fructose corn syrup and sucrose, regular table sugar are metabolically and from a health standpoint, identical," says Cardiologist Dr. James Rippe.
But for most kids and their parents, cutting fat and revising the formula seems to work.
Cabell County put a non-fat version back on their shelves.
They felt flavored milk was a better alternative than no milk at all.
