THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF MILK

Do you know that milk is a near perfect food source loaded with nine essential nutrients needed daily to keep bodies healthy and strong. Milk and dairy products are so important that they are one of the four major food groups. It is recommended that we try to get at least two serves of dairy each day (substitute with a high-calcium soy alternative).
Milk is an essential source of calcium and calcium intake is essential to developing the strongest bones we can when we are growing ( up to our mid-20s) and also to maintaining their strength throughout their lifetime. Calcium is stored in bones, so if we don’t get enough calcium, these stores are used for other essential functions, and our bones can be weakened.
A 250ml glass of whole milk provides around 290mg of calcium; reduced-fat and super-trim milks around 350-375mg; and calcium-fortified milks range from 400-500mg. Check the label of your favorite milk to see how much calcium it has.
Children 1-3 years need 500mg of milk each day. Girls and boys 9-13 years need 1,000-1300mg daily same as women 19-50 and men 19-70 years.
Milk contains protein, riboflavin and vitamin B12. But the most important thing about milk is that it is very high in calcium compared to other foods, so milk is the easiest way to get the calcium your body needs.
There are also range of milks with added vitamins and minerals aimed at people at different life stages.
Flavored milks can be a useful way of getting kids to drink milk, but be aware they do have added sugar and therefore extra energy.
Milk is a good source of nutrients and energy for toddlers, but they shouldn’t have too much or they won’t have capacity in their small stomachs for other foods they need to balance their diet. Think of milk as a food rather than ‘just a drink’.
Unlike other high-energy drinks, it provides a range of vitamins and minerals and it’s filling. People who drink sweetened carbonated drinks often add extra kilojoules to their diet without realizing it because these drinks don’t make them feel full. The moral is this: If you are hungry drink milk, if you are thirsty, drink water.