What is the Health Benefit of Milk?

According to the National Dairy Council, milk is filled with nine essential nutrients that benefit our health:

• Calcium: Builds healthy bones and teeth; maintains bone mass
•  Protein: Serves as a source of energy; builds/repairs muscle tissue
•  Potassium: Helps maintain a healthy blood pressure
•  Phosphorus: Helps strengthen bones and generate energy
•  Vitamin D: Helps maintain bones
•  Vitamin B12: Maintains healthy red blood cells and nerve tissue
•  Vitamin A: Maintains the immune system; helps maintain normal vision and skin
•  Riboflavin (B2): Converts food into energy
•  Niacin: Metabolizes sugars and fatty acids

In healthy individuals who get enough calcium and physical activity, bone production exceeds bone destruction up to about age 30. After that, destruction typically exceeds production. This is sometimes called  “negative calcium balance,” which can lead to bone loss. Women tend to experience greater bone loss than men later in life due to menopause, a condition that lowers the amount of hormones that help to build and preserve bone.The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium for women 19-50 years of age is 1,000 mg daily; for women 51+, 1,200 mg. For pregnant and lactating women, the RDA is 1,000 mg. For men 19-70 years of age, the RDA is 1,000 mg; for men 71+ years, 1,200 mg. [1]