Milk & Dairy – Providing Essential Nutrients for a Healthy Diet
Getting the necessary essential nutrients in our diet is something many of us struggle with daily. Remember growing up and mom telling you to “drink your milk before leaving the table.” Milk is back in the news and it is no surprise that milk is still a good go to drink. Along with milk is of course cheese and products containing either or both.
Milk Takes the Lead in Health Must Have
Milk is an important part of our healthy diets and contains 16 important nutrients that not only support healthy bones and teeth. Those 16 nutrients also contribute to normal growth and proper body function from infancy to adulthood. Maybe mom was right and we should be drinking our milk.
Studies have shown the important of milk or milk products in our daily diets. Milk products can reduce the risk and contribute to the prevention of certain diseases or conditions such as:
- Hypertension
- Obesity
- Colon cancer
- Osteoporosis
Consuming the recommended servings of milk products, as part of a healthy diet also rich in vegetables and fruits, could have significant benefits for lowering blood pressure.
Research has also shown that consuming the recommended daily intake of calcium can help with controlling and maintaining your weight. Milk products have proven to be more effect when compared to calcium supplements, suggesting that various other milk components like protein, may assist in the reduction of appetite and overall hunger. The average adult is actually only consuming one serving of milk products and not the recommended 2 to 3 servings of milk products every day.
16 Essential Nutrients and What They Do for Your Body
Since we’ve been discussing the essential nutrients our bodies need we couldn’t not tell you what exactly these 16 nutrients are. We’ve taken the time to explain to you what each nutrient does for our bodies; which in turn assists with a healthier life.
Calcium
- aids in the formation and maintenance of strong healthy bones. Without healthy strong bones, our bodies slowly diminish in strength; in turn causing excessive health problems as we grow older.
Folate
- aids in red blood cell formation.
Niacin
- aids in your normal growth, and is a factor in the conversion of food into energy and tissue and formation as well as your bones.
Pantothenic acid
- also factors in the conversion of food into energy and tissue formation, including bones.
Potassium
- aids in the correct functioning of nerves and muscles.
Protein
- helps build and repair our bodies tissues, including muscles and bones, as well builds antibodies which fights infection.
Selenium
- factors in the correct functioning of the immune system, due to its antioxidant effects.
Thiamine
- releases energy from carbohydrate and aids normal growth.
Vitamin B6
- factors in the conversion of food into energy and tissue formation, including bones.
Vitamin B12
- aids also in red blood cell formation.
Zinc
- also factors in tissue formation, including bones, and converting food into energy.
Essential Nutrients Improving Your Health
As you can see, milk and dairy products contain a lot of important nutrients that we should be consuming on a daily basis. By consuming the daily recommended amount you are decreasing your chances of unwanted health ailments that could not only be life threatening but have a major impact on your overall life. Incorporating dairy into your regular diet is very simple with the wide variety of products available on the market today.
Lactose intolerant? There are many solutions for you to still get your necessary milk and dairy. It is time to get back your health, get the necessary essential nutrients for a healthier life and drink your milk for a healthier you!