Are dairy products good for me?

June is Dairy Month


Dairy'S Powerful Nutrient Package Fuels Your Body, Not Just Your Bones

Rosemont, Ill., June 1, 2001 - Get summer started off on the right foot with "3-A-Day" of nutrient-rich dairy foods. From calcium to potassium, dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt contain nine essential nutrients which may help to better manage your weight, reduce your risk for high blood pressure, osteoporosis and certain cancers. Whether it's protein to help build and repair the muscle tissue of active bodies or vitamin A to help maintain healthy skin, dairy products are a natural nutrient powerhouse. Those are just a few of the reasons that you should celebrate dairy this June. The good news about dairy products is in addition to their great taste, research shows dairy may also help to reduce the risk of several diseases:

Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a major public health threat, affecting more than 28 million Americans. One reason why osteoporosis rates are so high is that many people (especially teens, women and the elderly) have critically low calcium intakes. Although dairy products contribute 73% of calcium in the food supply, most people aren't getting enough in their diet. Consuming at least three servings of milk, yogurt or cheese a day is an important step to help build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis.

High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects 50 million Americans and is a major cause of heart disease and stroke. The multi-center DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) study, found that a lowfat diet providing 3 servings of lowfat dairy products and 8 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, significantly lowers blood pressure as much as some medications, especially when combined with a low sodium intake.

Obesity
Lowfat dairy foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese, may help control body fat, according to several studies published in the last year.

Women who consumed the most calcium and ate at least 3 servings of dairy foods per day were 80% less likely to be obese than those with the lowest intake.

Young women (18-31 years) enrolled in an exercise study who had high calcium intakes gained less weight and body fat than those with lower calcium intakes.

High calcium intake was consistently associated with lower body weight across 4 studies conducted in young, middle-aged and elderly women. The tendency of dieters to mistakenly cut milk from their diet for fear of fat, often reducing their calcium intake, may be a contributing factor for their frequent failures at losing weight.

Researchers analyzed the diets of preschool children over a 3-year period and found children with higher dairy/calcium intake, had lower body fat than those children with lower dairy/calcium intakes. These results are supported by a growing body of research on adults showing a connection between dairy food consumption and weight loss.

Colon Cancer
The results of a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine show calcium may help reduce the risk of colon tumors. The addition of 1,200 mg of calcium (the amount found in about four servings of milk, yogurt or cheese) to the diets of high-risk patients reduced the return of single adenomas by 19 percent and reduced the total number of adenomas by 24 percent. These findings are consistent with previous research suggesting that nutrients found in milk and other dairy products may reduce the risk of developing cancers of the colon and rectum. 6

A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association examined the effects of increasing the consumption of dairy foods among 70 people at risk for colon cancer. Significant positive changes were observed in the high-dairy intake group, including a reduction in the growth of abnormal cells. 7

"Whether you are 6, 16, or 60, the nutrients found in milk and other dairy products are critical to good health and the prevention of chronic disease," said Ann Marie Krautheim, a registered dietitian for the National Dairy Council. "For a powerful nutrient punch - dash to the dairy aisle."

Try this great smoothie recipe in honor of June Dairy Month:

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
1 1/2 cups 1% lowfat milk
1 pint lowfat vanilla yogurt
2 ripe bananas, peeled, sliced
1 1/4 cups sliced strawberries
2 tablespoons honey
12-14 ice cubes

In blender jar, combine milk, yogurt, bananas, strawberries and honey; add enough ice to measure 6 cups in blender. Process until smooth, scraping sides as necessary. Garnish each serving with strawberry slice and fresh mint if desired. Makes 5 servings (8 ounces each).

Nutrition Facts per 8-ounce Serving
Calories 196, Total Fat 2.38 g, Saturated Fat 1.37 g, Cholesterol 7.73 mg, Calcium 268 mg, Potassium 589 mg, Protein 8 g, Carbohydrates 37.96 g, Vitamin A 252.42 IU, Vitamin C 29.31 mg, Vitamin D 30.84 IU, Iron 0.45 mg, Sodium 104.21 mg, 25% DV Calcium, 15% DV Vitamin D, 16% DV Potassium, 6% DV Vitamin A

For more information about the importance of dairy products as part of a healthy diet, visit www.whymilk.com.

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References:

1. Sacks F.M. et al. Effects on blood pressure of reducing dietary sodium and dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2001; 344(1): 3-11.

2. Zemel, M. et al. Regulation of adiposity by dietary calcium. The FASEB Journal. June 2000;9:1132-1138.

3. Lin, Yi-Chin, et. al. Dairy calcium is related to changes in body composition during a two-year exercise intervention in young women. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2000; 19: 754-760.

4. Davies, K.M., et al. Calcium intake and body weight. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. December 2000; 85 (12): 4635-4638.

5. Carruth, BR. and Skinner, JD. The role of dietary calcium and other nutrients in moderating body fat in preschool children. International Journal of Obesity 2001; 25: 559-566.

6. Baron J. et al. Calcium supplements for the prevention of colorectal adenomas. The New England Journal of Medicine. 340: 101-107, 1998.

7. Holt, P.R. et al. Modulation of abnormal colonic epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation by low-fat dairy foods: A randomized controlled trial. The Journal of the American Medical Association. 1998: 280, 1074.