Is Milo Good for Kids?

It grinds our gears when processed foods are dressed up as health foods and marketed to kids. 

Each week, we are going expose one of these and break down some of the marketing hype.

This week it’s Milo’s turn. 

"Since 1934, MILO® has been giving active kids what they need to get the most out of every day!"

 But what actually is Milo®️. 

It was originally designed as a cheap tonic for children who were malnourished in the Depression. 

Obviously, Nestle has done a rebrand and it is now marketed as an energy supplement for active kids. 

Milo®️ is a highly processed, high carbohydrate, high sugar, flavour enhancer fortified by vitamins.
Ingredients: Extract of Malt Barley Or Malt Barley and Rice (Total Extract 38%), Milk Solids, Sugar, Cocoa, Minerals (Calcium, Iron), Maltodextrin (Corn), Vitamins (C, B3, B6, B2, D, B12), Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin) Contains Gluten, Milk and Soy.

Milo®️ is 60% carbohydrate and 45% simple sugars. In each glass of milk, you are adding 3 teaspoons of sugar. 

Make no mistake - Milo®️ is not healthy.

But malt kinda sounds healthy, right? 

Nope, malt is processed barley that makes is sweet. 

Maltose from malt is a sugar- it’s fuel. 

Sucrose from cane sugar is fuel.

Lactose from milk is fuel.

In fact, all carbohydrates are fuel.  

Your child will get all the fuel they need from milk without all the sugar.

Children do not need Milo®️ to be active. It will not help them be active

Milo®️ has weaselled its way into kids’ sport. 

Milo®️ Cricket, Milo®️ Little Aths, Milo®️ Auskick

Milo®️ has a picture of a sporty kid on the front of every single one of its products.

Milo®️ wants to be associated with the health benefits of sport and exercise. 

So what’s the message here?

“If your child eats Milo®️, they will get the energy they need to become sporty”.

“Aren’t Nestle a great company for promoting kids sport?” 

“If your child eats Milo®️ and doesn’t do sport, well then it’s your fault (or the child’s fault) if they gain weight because really it’s all about sport” 

Actually, for Nestle, it’s nothing to do with sport. It all about selling products and they want their sugary product associated with kids sport. 

What about the addiction side of sugary products? 

It is now well known that sugar is addictive. The earlier children are exposed to sugar the more they are to be addicted. 

Does Nestle take any responsibility for this? 

No, they don’t!

On their website, they have a section - 

"The Importance of Kids Health."

Interestingly, they have decided to use a photo of 3 cute kids holding tomatoes, oranges and kiwi fruit as the banner on the page.  

No processed Milo®️ products anywhere near any kids on the page…

Because Milo®️ is not healthy!

If Nestle were so concerned about children’s health would they be making and selling these snack bars?

Look at all the ingredients! This product is full of sugar, emulsifiers, processed vegetable oils. 

But Nestle continues to market Milo®️ as giving active kids what they need. 

Active kids need whole foods, as close to nature as possible, not cheap, nasty, chemical sugary junk, dressed up health food. 

Nestle and Milo®️ are not interested in our kids’ health. They are interested in selling products and making money.

Milo is junk. #Callitout 

At Real Life Medicine, we believe that food is medicine. Real Food is the key to our health. If you are insulin resistant, have type 2 diabetes or have central obesity, then low carb real food is the lynchpin to reclaiming your health.  

If you want help with this, then this is what we do. Day in, day out. 

Myth-busting, helping you unlearn old advice and reprogramming new habits.

Helping people and their families reclaim their health. 

Take care, wonderful humans!

With love and good health,

Dr Mary and Dr Lucy  xx

Dr Mary Barson and Dr Lucy are the co-owners of Real Life Medicine. They help women who have been on every diet under the sun, improve their metabolism and learn mindset skills, so they can achieve optimal health and long lasting weight loss. With this comes increased energy, vitality and confidence. You can avoid chronic disease and stop living life on the sidelines!