The event on Monday was the ADADC’s kick off in collaborating with high schools to promote good health in nutrition and physical activity with their “Refuel with Chocolate Milk” campaign, which will include a partnership with the National Double Dutch League and the Public Schools Athletic League, (PSAL) city-wide. Because they are a dairy association, this nutritional seminar focused on the necessity of calcium in dairy products, particularly in chocolate milk.
Andrea Thompson, Vice President of School Marketing for ADADC, says that this will help girls understand the benefits of milk and get them to start choosing nutrient rich foods instead of sugary and energy drinks.
“Teenage girls don’t get the recommended amount of calcium needed for strong bones,” said Thompson. “They often choose beverages that are high in calories and sugar and offer very little nutrition. Low fat chocolate milk not only contains nine essential nutrients, studies show that its unique carbohydrate to protein ratio makes it an ideal beverage to replenish energy and rebuild muscle after exercise.”
Skolnik says that chocolate milk is the ideal recovery drink, not to be exchanged with sports drinks, which are used during the game for instant fluid and carbohydrate intake, and having it within half an hour of your workout actually helps with your workout the next day.
Skolnik compared chocolate milk to other beverages popular among high school girls, most of which consist mainly of high fructose corn syrup, which is indigestible, and water. Even vitamin enhanced waters are not as healthy, she advised, as taking a one-a-day vitamin and drinking water gives the same nutrients without the extra sugar.
She also advised the young athletes on the importance of consistency and quality in their diet. Calcium intake is especially important during the three years within a girl’s first period until age 25, because it can still be absorbed into bones. After that, calcium intake is still important to prevent calcium depletion from bones that have fully formed.
Hampton also advised the girls on consistency and quality, in their technique. The former WNBA gave the girls advice from personal experience on practice and being in a team, saying it’s important to start paying attention to the nutritional and health aspect at this age.
The ADADC also brought in photographers to take photos of the girls in front of a green screen, and superimpose them with milk mustaches onto photos next to celebrities of their choice, similar to the popular “Got Milk?” ad campaign.
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