Flavoured milk is a supermarket chameleon. It can appear in brightly coloured cartons aimed at children, slimline sports bottles for gym-goers, or long-life packs in the pantry. With flavours ranging from strawberry to trusty chocolate and newfangled caramel butterscotch, flavoured milk promises all the benefits of milk, plus a bit of fun. But behind the appealing packaging lies a processed product with ingredients you may not expect.
Flavoured milks come in many forms; but the principles of how they’re manufactured, stabilised and marketed are basically the same. For starters, flavoured milks begin with standardised cow’s milk, often adjusted to a fat content of 1.5% or 2%. The greater the fat content, the creamier the milk drink and the lighter the colour, particularly in the case of chocolate milk. Milk fat also masks flavours such as cocoa, so a chocolate milk based on skimmed milk will taste more chocolaty than its full-fat equivalent. Cocoa or other flavouring agents, sugar, possibly colours, and stabilisers are added to the milk to create the desired taste and texture.
Flavoured milks are pasteurised, ultra-pasteurised, or subjected to ultra-high temperature-treatment (UHT), depending on the intended final product. So, while a refrigerated flavoured milk is pasteurised, which involves heating to around 71-72°C for 15 seconds, a shelf-stable flavoured milk undergoes ultra-high temperature (UHT) processing, where the mixture is heated above 135°C for a few seconds. This kills off virtually all spoilage microbes and enzymes, allowing the product to be stored at room temperature in the pantry for months.
The nutritional content of the two products remains similar, although UHT can slightly alter the flavour and reduce heat-sensitive vitamins, such as B12. Generally, though, both types of flavoured milks retain key nutrients such as protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and several B vitamins.
Unspecified “flavours” on the ingredients list is one feature of flavoured milk that often raises eyebrows. These can be natural, artificial or a blend, and may include dozens of chemical compounds. This vagueness is legal and common in New Zealand and other countries as manufacturers are not required to disclose the exact chemicals used in their flavour formulations. That’s partly due to commercial secrecy and partly because flavours are incredibly complex blends of compounds used in small amounts.
Stabilisers are also routinely found among the ingredients – they keep the flavour particles dispersed evenly and prevent them from sinking. The most common stabiliser used in chocolate milk is carrageenan (stabiliser 407), a gum derived from red seaweed that binds with milk proteins and helps suspend particles. Other stabilisers include sodium phosphates (stabiliser 339), guar gum, and gellan gum.
The sugar content listed on the nutrition information panel of flavoured milk includes lactose, which is naturally found in cow’s milk. Flavoured milks also contain varying amounts of added sugar, depending on the manufacturer. However, it is typically less than the added sugar in a similar-sized soft drink.
Notably, a 2016 review of flavoured versus plain milk consumption in children found that children tend to drink more milk overall when flavoured milk is available, which helps them meet their calcium needs. The review, published in Nutrition Reviews, noted that consumers of flavoured milk also have similar micronutrient intakes to those who drink plain milk, although their energy and sugar intake can vary.
Some studies have explored the potential role of flavoured milk in sports recovery or as a substitute for soft drinks in children’s diets. A 2023 industry-funded review published in Advances in Nutrition claimed flavoured milk improves nutrient intake and may reduce consumption of sugary beverages. However, the authors of this review were employed by the National Dairy Council, a US industry-funded dairy marketing board so, while the findings are worth noting, the potential for bias should be strongly acknowledged.
Whether flavoured milk has a place in your diet depends on the context. It delivers valuable nutrients, especially for people who don’t enjoy plain milk, but also comes with added sugars and processing aids. Understanding what’s in the bottle can help you make informed decisions, without falling into the trap of labelling foods as inherently “good” or “bad”.
