Are you contemplating ordering, or having some chocolate milk? Perhaps you’re not sure whether or not to have a soda, instead. Maybe you’re trying to make a health-conscious decision, based on the sugar content of either drink. Nevertheless, you’ll be glad you stopped by here today. Here is all you need to know about the sugar content of chocolate milk vs soda.
So, does chocolate milk have more sugar than soda? Chocolate milk typically has less sugar than soda per serving, unless you are comparing with diet or sugar-free sodas. That being said, the amount of sugar does vary by chocolate milk brand, as well as the soda brand in question.
As you can see, there is no one blanket answer to this question.
But, there is a generalization to take into account. And that is this.
Chocolate milk does contain sugar. And quite a bit of it. Perhaps a lot more than you might have initially anticipated or expected.
As we shall now see in the next few sections – so stick around!
Contents
Sugar Content of Chocolate Milk vs Soda
The average serving of chocolate milk contains contains between 12-24g of sugar. Though, the exact amount does differ by brand and recipe.
For reference, let us look at the sugar content of various popular chocolate milk brands:
Sugar Content of Chocolate Milk
| Chocolate Milk Brand | Sugar Content (Per serving ~250ml) |
| fairlife 2% Chocolate Ultra-Filtered Milk | 12g |
| Great Value 1% Low Fat Chocolate Milk | 28g |
| Horizon Organic 1% Lowfat UHT Chocolate Milk | 22g |
| Yoo-Hoo Chocolate Drink | 19g |
| Crystal Creamery Low-Fat Chocolate Milk | 25g |
Sugar Content of Soda
With this in mind, let us compare these to the following (and most popular brands of soda):
| Soda | Sugar Content (Per 12 Oz Can serving) |
| Coke | 39g |
| Pepsi | 41g |
| Fanta | 43g |
| Dr Pepper | 40g |
| Mountain Dew | 46g |
| Fanta | 44g |
| Sprite | 38g |
| 7 Up | 38g |
As you can see, all of the most popular brands of chocolate milk have less sugar than the most popular sodas.
Do just bear in mind that serving sizes can influence this balance.
Now remember, that zero sugar or diet sodas have 0g of sugar. That’s because they use artificial sweeteners instead.
So chocolate milk will always have more sugar than those, by default.
Is Chocolate Milk High In Sugar?
Chocolate milk can be high in sugar, though it does depend on the brand and recipe. Some brands add sugar, whereas others use sweeteners instead.
Of course, it does ultimately depend on serving sizes too and how much you consume.
Just consider that chocolate milk is mostly made of lactose, and not sucrose (glucose/fructose) like many sodas.
Is Drinking Chocolate Milk Better Than Soda?
Drinking chocolate milk is generally better than drinking soda. Firstly, it contains more nutrition – protin, vitamins and minerals. Secondly, the sugar profile of chocolate milk is considered healthier than the sugars used in soda.
Chocolate milk is abundant in:
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Potassium
- Phosphorous
- Magnesium
All of which you do not get in soda.
In fact, atheletes have been known to consume chocolate milk for recovery purposes.
“After a hard workout, chocolate milk can provide the fluid and nutrients needed to support recovery.”
Health.com
But what about all that sugar.
Well, we’ve already explain that chocolate milk is usually most abundant in lactose sugars.
Lactose is a natural sugar found in milk and dairy products.
Some people do struggle to digest lactose, but for the most part and for those who can tolerate it, lactose is considered a healthier sugar than those found in soda.
Related Questions
Does chocolate milk have more sugar than Sprite?
Chocolate milk does not have more sugar than Sprite unless you are comparing chocolate milk to Sprite Zero, or you are consuming more chocolate milk than Sprite per serving.
How much sugar is in a 12 oz glass of chocolate milk?
The average 12oz serving of chocolate milk contains between 30-34g of sugar, though it does depend on the brand, milk used, and whether additional sugar was added.
Related Chocolate Milk Guides:
- Does Chocolate Milk Have Caffeine?
- Does Chocolate Milk Have Milk In It?
- Salt In Chocolate Milk • Everything You Need To Know •
Hello, I’m Matthew, a candy expert and enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the candy industry. My passion for candy started at a very young age. Since then, I have worked in numerous, large candy stores, and have been fortunate enough to try out hundreds of brands of candies, different types and flavors. In addition to my work, I enjoy sharing my extensive knowledge with others, and decided to create Sugar Stand in order to do so. My mission is to make the world a sweeter place, one candy at a time.