Tag: dairy nutrition policy

The Fight for Flavored Milk

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

I recently had a conversation with a concerned parent telling me that chocolate milk is “bad for you” and we should not be giving it to children in schools. I understood where the parent was coming from — parents today are bombarded with conflicting nutrition advice and wanting to limit how much sugar our kids consume is a sensible instinct. As a parent myself, I share it.

That same week, the Wall Street Journal published an article about how school districts across the country are struggling with students drinking record numbers of high-caffeine energy drinks.

I know that nutrition, especially involving American kids, is a hot button issues these days, and it’s one that people care deeply about. They deserve clear information to help them make good choices. It’s frustrating to me that flavored milk is getting a bad rap when so many children are drinking beverages with known stimulative effects, artificial additives, and minimal nutrition. So, I wanted to step back and ask a simple question: what are the facts?

It is an indisputable fact that flavored milk — at any fat level — provides the same 13 essential nutrients as unflavored white milk. Children who drink flavored milk consume more milk overall and have higher intakes of vitamin D, calcium, potassium, and other nutrients. And studies show flavored milk consumption is associated with better overall diet quality without any adverse effect on weight.

Milk is good for you.

Flavored milk is also good for you.

It seems so obvious to me.

But no matter how much we share the science backing up flavored milk, it is consistently criticized and called “unhealthy.” Why? According to critics, that’s easy: Added sugars. 

FDA says that consuming too much added sugar can make it difficult to meet nutrient needs while staying within calorie limits. The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans take a more aggressive stance on limiting added sugars than in previous years, stating that each meal should contain no more than 10 grams of added sugars. And because the food served in school meals must follow the dietary guidelines, flavored milk and yogurt are at risk of being severely restricted or removed from school meals entirely.

But flavored milk contributes just four percent of added sugars in the diets of children ages 2 to 18. Moreover, dairy processors have voluntarily cut added sugars in flavored milk in schools by 57 percent since 2006. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, 37 fluid milk processors made the Healthy School Milk Commitment, agreeing to provide flavored milk cartons with no more than 10 grams of added sugar per 8-ounce serving. Currently, flavored school milk on average has only 7 to 8 grams of added sugar per serving, lower than ever before.

This matters because of what children actually drink. Roughly seven percent of fluid milk sales in the United States is school milk, and about two-thirds of that is flavored milk. Studies have shown that food waste in schools is reduced when flavored milk is offered, and kids consistently choose flavored milk over unflavored milk. A carton of milk that gets finished delivers far more nutrition than one that ends up in the trash.

Demonizing flavored milk because of a few extra grams of added sugar is, in my book, missing the forest for the trees. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said in a policy statement: “a beverage such as flavored milk provides a good example of the balance needed to limit added sugars and yet promote nutrient-rich foods.”

And that’s the key. Balance. What the anti-added sugars argument is missing is that, unlike many other sugar sweetened beverages, flavored milk is jam-packed with nutrients that all humans, especially kids, need for growth and development.

Unfortunately, the anti-added sugars rhetoric may be winning right now in Washington.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Administration in July submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a proposed rule for aligning Child Nutrition Program requirements with the recommendations in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. There is a strong chance from what we have heard that this rule will lower the added sugars limits in the school lunch and breakfast programs, including very specific limits for flavored milk and yogurt.

Currently, flavored milk in schools can have no more than 10 grams of added sugars per 8 fluid ounces. Even in the unlikely event that those limits stay the same, the aggressive stance in the new dietary guidelines of no more than 10 grams of added sugars per meal would force schools to choose between serving flavored milk and having any added sugars at all in the other foods served.

If such a reduction means that milk’s obvious nutritional benefits end up in the garbage, then we have failed at the very purpose of providing nutritional guidelines in the first place.

A chocolate milk mustache is better than no mustache at all.
 

Gregg Doud

President & CEO, NMPF

 

Three-a-Day Dairy Important to a Healthy Life, National Medical Association Leader Says

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

With the dietary guidelines for American Scientific Advisory Committee reviewing the science for the upcoming 2025 guidelines, better nutrition for diverse American communities is getting a lot of attention. Dr. Priscilla Mpasi, a Philadelphia physician and board member of the National Medical Association, said dairy’s essential to support in the dietary recommendations the guidelines make, given its importance to nutrition in families with diverse backgrounds.

“The science is very clear about the health benefits, from birth to our senior population,” said Mpasi, a primary care pediatrician, in a Dairy Defined Podcast released today. “The recommendations have been three servings of dairy a day, and we’re hoping it stays at three servings of dairy a day.”

Mpasi also addresses misperceptions regarding lactose intolerance, misinformation on dairy among consumers, and the contrasts between dairy and plant-based beverages.

You can find and subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts, under the podcast name “Dairy Defined.”

Media outlets may use clips from the podcast on the condition of attribution to the National Milk Producers Federation.

Dairy Diversity Ready to Grow

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

It might sound crazy to think that a product that’s already in 94 percent of U.S. households has room to grow, but the numbers indicate it’s true. Here’s what we’re talking about:

This comes from a study done by the International Food Information Council, supported by NMPF and the International Dairy Foods Association, on consumption habits among diverse U.S. populations. What’s striking is that, even though self-reported lactose intolerance among non-White populations runs at roughly 30 percent (according to the same study), clear majorities among Black, Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander populations haven’t even tried milk that addresses that intolerance, forgoing an option that provides 13 essential nutrients. And presumably, some of those non-milk drinkers are in that 6 percent who don’t have it in their refrigerators.

(And conversely, some of that 94 percent must include lactose-intolerant consumers. Are they taking lactase pills to aid in digestion? Are other household members the milk drinkers? There’s still much to know.)

The point is this: At a time when the committee drafting recommendations for the next Dietary Guidelines for Americans is looking at nutrition science and contemplating recommendations that are appropriate to the lived experiences of a wide range of Americans, it’s important to meet people where they are. For the overwhelming majority of them, that means a place where they have milk in the fridge. Those who aren’t there are in a place where awareness of the numerous ways to benefit from dairy nutrition, regardless of lactose tolerance, isn’t what it needs to be.

That suggests a need to double down on offering dairy’s benefits in a way that’s tailored to the needs of individual communities. It means listening to communities that value dairy and wish it could be offered more readily, in more accessible forms. It means serving that 94 percent of households with milk — and using the tools available to raise that percentage. It emphatically does not mean de-emphasizing dairy as a critical nutritional option for all Americans — or even worse, suggesting it be replaced by sources that aren’t nutritionally equivalent.

NMPF has a call to action that dairy advocates can use to help get this message across. Public health, and the best public health guidance, is important to all Americans. And dairy is ready to provide high-quality nutrition that’s affordable and accessible to all.

 

Milk Serves Americans Well, Lipps Says

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The federal government is seeking comments related to the next iteration of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as it reviews the science behind healthy eating, with a plan expected next year. Dairy has always had a central role in proper nutrition, and newer science reinforces that. That doesn’t mean the process is easy, two experts said in a Dairy Defined podcast released today.

“One of the biggest distinguishing factors in this year’s advisory committee is a focus on using a health equity lens to ensure that the committee considers factors such as socioeconomic position, food security, race, and, or ethnicity and culture,” said Brandon Lipps, who during his time as USDA deputy undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, oversaw the writing of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services. “With products like milk that have so many available nutrients, we can serve Americans so well. And we need to make sure that the committee thinks about the basics when they’re talking about that.”

Lipps, co-founder of Caprock Strategies, was joined by NMPF Director of Regulatory Affairs Miquela Hanselman in the podcast. You can find and subscribe to the Dairy Defined podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify under the podcast name “Dairy Defined.”

Media outlets may use clips from the podcast on the condition of attribution to the National Milk Producers Federation.

Study Reveals Reasons Why Some Americans Lack Adequate Dairy Nutrition, Offers Roadmap to Better Diet Quality

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Many Americans recognize dairy as a cornerstone of a healthy diet but continue to fall short of recommended daily intake as endorsed by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. An in-depth consumer survey released today by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) and supported by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), explores barriers to dairy nutrition among Americans and how to remove them.

The report provides a roadmap for how industry, government, and health and nutrition groups can improve awareness of and access to lactose-free milk and dairy products; expand understanding about dairy’s nutritional value; and work with the dairy industry to extend shelf life and improve the value of dairy purchases to consumers.

The report draws on the beliefs, behaviors, and perceptions of Black, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Non-Hispanic White consumers toward dairy.

Key Data Points:

  • Missed Opportunities for Lactose-Free: Nearly two in three Americans say they’ve never consumed lactose-free milk (64%), lactose-free flavored milk (76%), or other lactose-free dairy products other than milk (68%). The rate of non-consumption is more than half among Latino, Black, and Asian/Pacific Islander communities, indicating low awareness among groups that report higher rates of lactose sensitivity.
  • Affordability a Leading Factor for SNAP and Non-SNAP Households Alike: Approximately 30% of all races and ethnicities at all income levels cite affordability as a reason for consuming milk.
  • Expiration Dates and “Passive Avoidance” Top Barriers: Concern about spoilage before it’s used (19%), is a leading reason consumers avoid milk. Meanwhile, 37% of respondents cited no specific reason for limiting dairy consumption, suggesting “passive avoidance” that could be overcome with greater media, healthcare, and community outreach. Self-reported lactose sensitivities also contribute to higher levels of avoidance.
  • Taste and Health Top Purchase Drivers, Cheese Reigns Supreme: Cheese is the most frequently consumed dairy product (90% weekly), followed by butter (85%), milk (75%), and yogurt (60%). Consumers overwhelmingly rank taste as the main factor for purchasing cheese, yogurt, and milk, followed by dairy being a good source of protein. Health benefits cited include bone health as the most recognized (90%), and other advantages including immune system support (65%) and heart health (54%).

Spotlighting a Disconnect Between Perception and Consumption

The “Exploring Fluid Milk & Dairy Food Consumption Patterns to Improve Diet Quality & Nutrition Equity” study reveals a disconnect between consumer perception and actual dairy intake. While a strong majority (78%) of Americans believe dairy is essential, many are not reaping its benefits.

“Good nutrition is the foundation of health and wellness for adults and children across all demographics, and dairy is a crucial part of a healthy diet beginning at a very young age,” said Michelle Matto, MPH, RDN, associate vice president of regulatory affairs and nutrition, IDFA. “This survey shows how consumers value dairy for nutrition and taste but may lack adequate information about or access to the types of dairy that are right for them and their families. It demonstrates that dairy will need to expand its partnerships with communities of color, with health and nutrition experts, and with policymakers to remove barriers preventing Americans from getting adequate dairy nutrition, including high quality protein, calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and health benefits including better bone health and lower risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

Moving Forward

The survey shows the clear need for greater educational efforts, said Miquela Hanselman, director of regulatory affairs for NMPF.

“The IFIC research puts data behind both the importance of dairy nutrition and the need for better education about what dairy options are available and what benefits they provide,” Hanselman said. “With discussion of the next Dietary Guidelines under way, it’s important that this information be communicated clearly and forcefully to all who may benefit, from consumers who need dairy nutrition to policymakers who determine federal programs.”

The IFIC research underscores the importance of targeted outreach programs to improve overall diet quality and achieve greater nutrition equity.

“While dairy is a chronically under consumed food group among many Americans, BIPOC and SNAP-eligible households may benefit most from hearing more about the health benefits associated with consistent dairy consumption. Education and outreach efforts tailored to increase awareness and availability of lactose-free dairy foods and beverages, in addition to emphasizing dairy’s benefits beyond bone health for everyone, present new opportunities,” said IFIC President & CEO Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN. “Increased dairy consumption among all populations can positively contribute to improved diet quality and nutrition equity — availability, accessible, and affordability — goals that support enhanced health for all Americans.”