Chocolate milk is a drink made from regular milk and cocoa, sweetened with sugar or syrup. Some nutritionists have criticized the drink and linked it to childhood obesity. Is it so? Or is this flavored milk still useful for whom? Let's look into this issue. After all, the main consumers of such milk are children and it is important for parents to know whether it is worth buying chocolate milk for their child.
Although a drink like chocolate milk appeared on store shelves relatively recently, it is actually more than 300 years old. This drink was first invented back in the late 90s of the 17th century in Ireland. Unlike cocoa, it was served cold.
Factory versus natural
Despite the fact that today it is not difficult to purchase a ready-made product in the supermarket, a good housewife will always prefer to prepare chocolate milk at home. The factory-made drink has many opponents among doctors and nutritionists, because often, in addition to cocoa, it contains stabilizers, flavors and flavoring additives of artificial origin. Plus, it's usually too sweet.
Having given preference to a natural product, you can always independently regulate its calorie content, sweetness, color, consistency, add various shades of taste and enrich it with original aromas.
Another advantage of home cooking is a wide selection of milk bases. Milk does not have to be cow's milk; goat's or sheep's milk can be used. The product can be of any fat content or low-fat; milk powder is also quite acceptable. Those for whom dairy protein is contraindicated can prepare chocolate milk drinks using soy, pine, coconut or other nut milk.
Creating this delicious treat couldn’t be easier, you just have to decide how to make chocolate milk: based on natural chocolate (black, white, milk) or use cocoa powder. You can add chocolate and cocoa to milk at the same time.
Composition of chocolate milk
Chocolate milk is flavored milk infused with chocolate and added sugar for a sweet taste. Many children choose this over regular milk. Disputes about the benefits and harms of such milk are constantly going on among doctors and nutritionists. Therefore, it is worth considering the composition of this drink in more detail.
Chocolate milk contains many essential nutrients that children require for healthy growth and development, as well as adults to prevent disease including:
Proteins;
Vitamins: D, riboflavin (B2), nicotinic acid (B3), B12, A;
Calcium;
Phosphorus;
Magnesium;
Potassium.
In addition to milk, this drink contains cocoa or chocolate syrup, sugar, and flavorings, usually of artificial origin. Chocolate milk contains two more ingredients that may mean little to the average consumer. These are carrageenan and guar gum.
Carrageenan is a jelly-like substance obtained from red algae and is widely used in the food industry as a thickener and stabilizer.
There is no need to be afraid of guar gum, which is similar in its functions to carrageenan. It is obtained from the seeds of a plant called guar or pea tree.
All these additives are used in the drink in very small quantities and have virtually no effect on the composition.
One of the arguments of opponents of such milk is sugar. It is he who many nutritionists consider responsible for such a huge number of obese children. Yes, if you look at the composition of any manufacturer of such a drink, then of the total carbohydrate content it is sucrose that makes up more than half. This is a big indicator. But in general terms, the calorie content of the product is not that high and amounts to only 70-80 kilocalories per 100 grams. Again, depending on the manufacturer, or rather on the milk that is used to make the chocolate drink.
The second argument not in favor of the drink is lactose. Nowadays, more and more children are lactose intolerant. Scientists attribute this to a deficiency of the lactase enzyme, which is necessary for the digestion of lactose and which many children did not receive enough in infancy.
Milk with natural chocolate
The easiest way to prepare dessert is this way: melt a bar of chocolate in a water bath, after breaking it into pieces; then pour the mixture with warm milk and stir thoroughly, achieving uniform color and consistency.
The ratio of milk and chocolate is your choice, but it will be more convenient to prepare milk with a reserve and introduce it gradually, stirring and achieving the desired consistency of the drink.
Chocolate milk recipe “offers” another one. Following it, prepare:
- 4-5 cubes of white chocolate;
- 3-4 cubes of milk or dark chocolate;
- a glass of milk.
Grind the chocolate using a coarse-toothed grater, combine the chocolate and milk in a saucepan (milk tends to burn quickly - use a thick-bottomed container). Cook the drink over moderate heat, stirring continuously until the chocolate is completely dissolved in the milk.
Using the same set of ingredients, you can modify the recipe: dissolve only white chocolate in milk, and use crushed milk or black chocolate to make an appetizing “hat” for the treat, or vice versa – decorate the drink with coffee-colored white chocolate. Before decorating the drink with chocolate chips, it should be slightly cooled. If you intend to offer a cold dessert, then add the crumbs immediately before serving.
Chocolate milk will taste even more delicate if you add cream to it.
Prepare:
- 50 g each of white and dark chocolate;
- 2 glasses of milk;
- 2 cups cream.
Boil the milk, add the broken dark chocolate and cook, reducing the heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate has melted. Whip the cream and grate the white chocolate using a coarse grater. Pour the drink into cups or heatproof glasses, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with white chocolate.
For a chilled version: cool the chocolate milk drink in the refrigerator, then pour into containers and decorate with whipped cream and white chocolate.
How to make your own chocolate milk?
To enjoy a favorite drink you know from childhood, it is not at all necessary to buy it in a store. And at home you can quickly and easily prepare the “Miracle” - chocolate milk. How to make it yourself? First you need to prepare the necessary ingredients:
- milk – 500 ml;
- cream 10-20% - 500 ml;
- cocoa – 4 tablespoons;
- sugar – 3 tablespoons.
Homemade “Miracle” - chocolate milk - has a simple recipe. It is presented below as follows:
- Dilute cocoa in a small amount of cold milk.
- Bring the remaining milk to a boil, add stirred cocoa to it. Let it boil.
- Add sugar to hot milk. Cool.
- Combine the resulting drink with cream.
- Homemade “Miracle” (chocolate milk) is ready. Served well chilled.
Chocolate milk with cocoa
To prepare this drink, prepare milk, cream and cocoa. Stir cocoa (2 teaspoons) in cold cream (1 glass). Heat milk (1 glass), add sugar (to taste), stir. When the milk boils, reduce the heat and pour in the chocolate cream in a thin stream, constantly stirring the sweet mixture.
Once you've figured out how to make chocolate milk the traditional way, experiment with powdered milk: the drink will turn out just as tasty. And if coffee is one of its components, you can treat yourself to a real culinary masterpiece.
Prepare:
- 250 g milk powder;
- 400 g water;
- 50 g cocoa powder;
- 150 g of coffee (preferably natural, but instant coffee is also suitable);
- 150 g sugar.
Pour cold water over the coffee, boil and add half the prepared sugar, stir. Let the drink brew, then (if you used ground natural coffee) strain. If the component is instant coffee, there is no need for straining.
Combine the powdered milk with the remaining sugar and cocoa, mix and add to the container with the coffee drink (if it has cooled down, heat it up), stirring again. Place over moderate heat and, continuing to stir, bring to a boil.
Chocolate and coffee with milk powder
A delicious chocolate drink can be prepared using milk powder according to the following recipe:
- milk powder – 250 grams;
- water – 400 ml;
- cocoa powder – 50 grams;
- instant or natural ground coffee – 150 grams;
- sugar – 150 grams.
Prepare the drink like this:
- Coffee is poured with cold water, boiled and mixed with half the amount of sugar according to the recipe, and left for half an hour. If the coffee was natural, the composition must be filtered.
- Powdered milk is mixed with cocoa and the remaining sugar and poured into a bowl of coffee, then put on fire and brought to a boil, stirring continuously.
IMPORTANT: You can make a healthy chocolate drink more attractive if you supplement it with fillers such as vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, in the form of seasonings and dry sticks in a glass glass.
Chocolate and cocoa
For chocolate milk, which contains both cocoa and chocolate, you need to prepare a glass of milk and cream, 2 teaspoons of cocoa and 25 g of white or milk chocolate.
Melt the chocolate in a water bath. Bring the milk to a boil, pour a third of it into a separate container. Dilute the cocoa in this part, then gradually add the rest of the milk, stirring constantly. Add melted chocolate. Mix everything thoroughly again - the drink should have a uniform consistency and color.
Benefits of chocolate milk
Recently, chocolate milk has been promoted as a drink for athletes and schoolchildren. Indeed, the workload of both is heavy, and the drink allows you to quickly restore strength. In addition, as the advertisement states, chocolate milk is necessary for children if they do not drink enough regular milk. But you can't always believe advertising. What is the benefit, whether it exists or not?
Many nutritionists consider cocoa the best drink for children. And chocolate milk is the same cocoa, only cold.
Benefits of this drink:
It provides many essential and important nutrients for both children and adults;
It is a liquid and can partially quench your thirst;
Source of protein for muscle recovery;
Carbohydrates provide energy and quickly restore performance.
In addition, it cannot be said that this is a delicious drink, it is easily accessible and can be given to a child or taken with you for a snack.
Milk chocolate
Ingredients:
- Cocoa - 100 gr
- Milk - 1/2 cup
- Butter - 50 g
- Sugar - 1-2 tbsp. l
- Vanilla sugar - 2 g
Melt the butter in a water bath or over low heat.
In a separate bowl, mix cocoa with sugar, add milk, vanilla sugar, mix and pour into melted butter.
Mix the mixture thoroughly, bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat.
Allow the chocolate mixture to cool slightly, then pour into molds and place in the freezer.
After about 2-3 hours, the chocolate will harden and you can taste it.
The dangers of chocolate milk
This chocolate drink made from cow's milk and cocoa is not suitable for everyone. In some people, including children, it may cause an allergic reaction due to individual intolerance to the components of the drink.
High sugar content can also be harmful for people who are or are prone to obesity.
Artificial flavors are also of little use and in some cases can only cause harm.
The disadvantages of such a milk drink include a short shelf life. Therefore, it is better to use it on the same day.
