Dairy foods are a safe, wholesome and great source of essential nutrients. Dairy foods have been known to be a very important part of overall health. Milk, cheese, and yogurt contain high-quality protein, calcium, vitamin D and more making it an essential food to be added in our daily diet. I recently attended a webinar on “Importance of Dairy” and learned so much more about Dairy. Milk is an excellent source of Calcium, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, and a good source of Protein, Vitamin D, Phosphorous, Vitamin A, Niacin, and Pantothenic acid.
Research has indicated that eating nutritious dairy foods improves bone health, especially in children and adolescents. It has also been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and lower blood pressure in adults. Let me highlight some benefits here:
Bone Health: Dairy is an excellent source of essential nutrients that help support bone health. Bone requires a variety of essential nutrients for growth and maintenance. Calcium intake positively affects bone mass and is crucial in childhood and youth for correct bone development. Studies have shown that bone loss is reduced and there is an improvement in muscle mass and strength with adequate dairy intake.
Heart: As we all know Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US and research has concluded that dairy consumption is not linked to a higher risk of CVD and also helps to lower the risk for stroke. Low- fat and fat- free dairy foods have been part of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) and also the American Heart Association (AHA) dietary recommendations.
Blood Pressure: High blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for heart disease, congestive heart failure, and stroke. A reduced-fat diet which includes up to 3 servings of dairy foods has been proven to lower elevated blood pressure.
Remember every glass of milk should be an 8-ounce glass and it provides nine essential nutrients which are very important for our body to function properly. Milk and water are go-to beverages for 1-5 years old.
I love to learn and always curious to know interesting facts about foods and one of them is how Milk gets to our table and I would like to share with all of you:
All Dairy foods labeled or not are required by the FDA to be free of antibiotics. Standard Operating procedures (SOPs) are required by the FDA. Tons of checkpoints are in place as milk moves from farm to dairy case. Cow care is the number one priority for farmers. Farmers have to participate in the FARM (Farmers, Assuring, Responsible, and Management) program.
Some facts about Dairy’s contribution to sustainability
- Milk is produced in every state.
- Milk travels 300 miles and 48 hours from farm to store.
- The dairy community supports nearly 3 million jobs & contributes $625 billion to the U.S. economy every year.
- 95% of dairy farms in the U.S. are family-owned and operated.
- 37 million dairy farms globally are led by women.
