M Is For Milk, Of Course

Today, my friend and Midwest Dairy Registered Dietician, Alex Larson is going to explain why milk is such a powerhouse.
Take it away Alex!

Count on the Value of Milk
By Alex Larson, MS, RD, LD  
June Dairy Month is a good time to remember why we can feel confident serving our families three servings daily of nutritious, delicious and affordable dairy products.
Skim milk, 2% and whole milk have a unique combination of nine essential nutrients that include calcium, protein, potassium, as well as vitamins A, B 12 and D -- essential nutrients many Americans lack in their diets.

Non-dairy drinks can’t compete

Non-dairy drinks are fortified and must add vitamins and minerals to mimic the nutrition of milk. So when comparing milk to plant-based beverages, it’s easy to see why health professionals encourage three daily servings of milk.

Compare milk’s naturally occurring nutrients to what non-dairy drinks must add.

A serving of milk packs more nutritional value than non-dairy drinks, making it a financial and nutritional bargain.

Dairy makes sense

Milk is an excellent value when you consider the price and nutrition offered in a single serving. Here is a list of the foods you would have to eat to receive the same nutritional benefit as an 8-oz. serving of milk:

1 cup kidney beans (phosphorus)
3-1/2 oz. cooked salmon (vitamin D)
2 baby carrots (vitamin A)
One small banana (phosphorus)
2-1/4 cups broccoli (calcium)
1 cup raw spinach (magnesium)
1/3 cup almonds (riboflavin)

Combined, these foods total approximately 580 calories and cost about $7.25.

Whereas an 8-oz. serving of fat-free or low-fat milk is only 80 and 100 calories respectively, and costs around $.25 per serving.

Add dairy to your diet 

• In addition to being affordable and nutritious, dairy is delicious. Try these easy tips for adding dairy products to your meals and snacks.

• Make morning oatmeal with milk instead of water. Or “wow” your family with oatmeal crème brulee.

• Use milk as an ingredient in soups and smoothies like the blues buster smoothie

• Help tired muscles recover post-workout with a glass of chocolate milk

• Lactose intolerant? Try lactose-free milk. You’ll still receive the nutritional benefits of dairy.

• Make milk your family’s staple mealtime beverage.

• Try chocolate or other milk flavors – they have the same nine essential nutrients as white milk

• Use milk in your hot cocoa or coffee. Try this delicious hazelnut café-au-lait.

During June Dairy Month and all year long, we can feel good serving our families three daily servings of dairy knowing it’s nutritious, delicious and affordable.

 

Q Is For Quarter

It's June Dairy Month! The barn doors are open, 

so join me on my daily A to Z journey 

to learn more about dairy. 

  Q Is For Quarter

Great-grandpa Schaar jingled when he walked. His pockets were always full of quarters. As children, whenever Sara and Michael saw him, Grandpa Schaar handed each of them a shiny quarter. Now to you and me, a quarter may not even be worth bending over and picking up if spotted on a sidewalk, but to young Sara and Michael it was like being presented a hundred dollar bill! As children, they were always saving-up for something that was extravagant, (at least in the eyes of a child). Those quarters were always well spent.

We as adults can spend our quarters wisely too. 
Look what 25 cents can buy you! 
 

I like a good deal, a bargain. Don't you? 

I think milk is one of the best bargains around. At about 25 cents a glass, milk is a nutritional bargain! Thinking back to N Is For Nine you know milk is packed with lots of essential nutrients, so why wouldn't you choose milk over other beverages that cost the same or more, and give you less? 

As Sara and Michael grew bigger, so did Great-grandpa Schaar's financial gifts. Quarters soon became dollar bills, and dollar bills paved the way for five dollar bills! Five dollars; that's 20, eight ounce glasses of milk! Money well spent! 

For more good MOOS, I mean NEWS, visit Dairy Makes Sense.

 

Dairy On My Plate

When I was younger and learning about eating well, I learned about the Food Pyramid, a pyramid shaped guide of healthy foods divided into sections to show the recommended intake for each food group. In 2011 the Food Pyramid was replaced by My Plate, the current  nutrition guide published by the United States Department of Agriculture, depicting a place setting with a plate and glass divided into five food groups. Three servings of dairy was part of the Food Pyramid and continues to be a part of My Plate.

Why am I telling you something you may already know? This week an article has appeared on NBC News.com where Dr. David Ludwig, a Harvard pediatrician, argues against the need for 3 servings of dairy in the diet. He specifically calls out flavored milk and yogurts and cites that people can get adequate calcium intake from a variety of other foods in the diet, specifically leafy greens. Both Dr. Greg Miller of National Dairy Council and Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom, a certified nutrition specialist and NBC News and diet and health editor, present a more balanced approach. 

As for me and my family, we will continue to choose 3 Every Day to improve our overall diet, get more nutrients and improve bone health. Dairy will always be on My Plate.

I encourage you to read M Is For Milk and N Is For Nine to help you form your own decision on this topic. We may not all agree, but lets agree to be informed before making a decision on this topic.

 

N Is For Nine

I'm taking you on a journey from A to Z through the land of dairy! 

There's no need to pack your bags, just come along! 

  N Is For Nine

 Milk has nine essential* nutrients.

White or flavored- all milk contains all nine essential nutrients! 

What do they do?

• Calcium- Helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Reduces the  risk of osteoporosis.
• Vitamin D- Helps absorb calcium for healthy bones.
• Phosphorus- Helps strengthen bones and generate energy in the body's cells.
• Riboflavin- Helps convert food into energy.
• Protein- Helps build and repair muscle tissue.
• Vitamin B-12- Helps maintain healthy red blood cells and nerve cells.
• Potassium- Helps regulate the balance of fluids and plays a role in maintaining a normal blood pressure.
• Vitamin A- Helps maintain normal vision and healthy skin.
• Niacin- Helps bodies digest carbohydrates and fatty acids.

So whether you are big or little, young or old, drink up! They're called essential for a reason!

 * Essential nutrients- nutrients necessary for normal body functions, but they cannot be produced by your body.

 Learn more about dairy at Dairy Makes Sense

 
I am making a commitment to share as much as I can with you each day this month, about the life of our dairy farm family including what we do, how we share our passion for dairy, and dairy foods we enjoy.

 See you here tomorrow...O is for Outing.