Got milk? If so, you're probably
not drinking enough of it. For maximum
bone-building, adults should get between 1,000
to 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day. But
studies show that most Americans barely get half
of what they need.
The food that delivers the
biggest calcium punch, not surprisingly, is
milk. Milk and other dairy products are loaded
with this vital mineral. Milk is also fortified
with vitamin D, which the body needs in order to
process calcium. Three cups daily of low fat or
nonfat milk, as part of an otherwise healthy
diet, will probably bring your intake to the
recommended minimum. If that sounds like a lot
of milk swallow, add chocolate or strawberry
flavoring to make it tastier. Blend fruit
smoothies using low fat milk or yogurt. Eat low
fat yogurt and cheese. Or mix powdered milk
into your soups. Even people on
weight-reduction diets can afford to increase
their dairy intake of nonfat dairy products.
If you are lactose intolerant,
you can buy lactose-reduced milk. This has the
same amount of calcium as regular milk, and some
types are fortified with extra calcium. You can
also get tablets of lactase enzyme over the
counter, the substance normally present in the
digestive tract, breaks down lactose just before
you eat dairy.
If you're a vegan or otherwise
eat no dairy at all, you need to eat large
portions of non-dairy sources of calcium to
reach the minimum. Veggies that are "high" in
calcium don't have nearly the amounts that dairy
foods do. Tofu is often touted as a good source
of calcium, but this it only true if it's
prepared using calcium-rich ingredients. Read
your food labels carefully for calcium content
and bear in mind that you need to eat greater
amounts of some foods than your milk-drinking
friends.
For more information, see the National Dairy
Council Web site at
www.nationaldairycouncil.org.
Congratulations to the
National Fluid Milk Processors Promotion Board
for a job well done on their "Got Milk?" ad
campaign. I think the promotions serve as an
excellent tool to educate individuals of all
ages, especially the younger population of the
importance of osteoporosis prevention.
The younger population is
highly-influenced by their favorite stars. They
look upon them as role models. And when they
see them in the "Got Milk?" promotions they take
interest in what is being said and they get a
very important message from it. And that
message is now is the time to take steps to
prevent osteoporosis, it is never too early or
too late.
I have to say that my own
personal favorite "Got Milk?" ad is the one with
my favorite musical group, the amazing and
talented Backstreet Boys.
American Council On Science And Health Report
Underlines Nutritional Value, Safety of Milk
Milk and dairy products --
those standbys of the American diet -- have come
under attack over the last decade. Charges that
these products are generally unhealthful and
cause various diseases are typically without
merit.
A new report by the American
Council on Science and Health presents a
scientific, up-to-date portrait of the value of
milk and foods made from it.
Except in cases of milk
allergy (an uncommon problem), cows' milk and
its products are acceptable, nutritious foods
for persons one year of age and older. Milk and
dairy products are good sources of high-quality
protein and several vitamins, and they are the
best food source of the mineral calcium, a
nutrient often not plentiful enough in the
American diet. It is difficult to obtain an
adequate supply of calcium from non-dairy
sources, and it requires heavy reliance on foods
not favored by most Americans.
It is not necessary to
eliminate dairy products from the diet to reduce
dietary fat intake or to solve the problem of
lactose intolerance. Individuals who want to
limit their fat intake can choose low-fat or
fat-free dairy products. Those who need to limit
their lactose intake should select hard cheeses
(which are naturally low in lactose), yogurt
(which is usually well tolerated), or
lactose-reduced milk. Consuming small quantities
of milk may help to increase tolerance of
lactose.
The fortification of milk with
vitamin D has played an important role in the
near-elimination of the dietary deficiency
disease rickets in the United States. Adequate
intake of vitamin D is necessary for the proper
absorption of calcium and the prevention of
osteoporosis. Valid concerns have been raised in
the past about several reports that milk sold in
a specific locality in the contained excessive
amounts of this vitamin due to careless dosing;
however, improved monitoring measures are now in
place.
Cows' milk and its products
are healthful, exceptionally nutritious foods
that play an important role in the American
diet. They should not be eliminated from
government guidelines or programs.
GOT
MILK? GET GOOD HEALTH
New JAMA Study Shows Milk, Cheese and Yogurt May
Help Prevent
Obesity, Type-2 Diabetes and Heart Disease
ROSEMONT, IL., April 23, 2002
– A new study published today in the Journal
of the American Medical Association suggests
that young adults who consume more dairy
products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt,
may be less likely to become obese and
develop the insulin resistance syndrome
(IRS), a key risk factor for type 2 diabetes
and heart disease. These findings are
consistent with a growing body of research
that demonstrates dairy’s role in reducing
the risk of obesity and other chronic
diseases.
The multi-center
prospective study examined the correlation
between dairy intake and IRS, a condition
many Americans don’t know much about, but
which may affect about one in four adults.
IRS, also known as the metabolic syndrome or
syndrome X, occurs when the body’s cells are
resistant to the insulin produced by the
pancreas – which means blood sugar is not
properly controlled and the body may
compensate by trying to produce even more
insulin. In addition to abnormal blood sugar
control, characteristics of IRS include
obesity, high blood pressure and abnormal
blood lipids.
The researchers looked at the eating
patterns of 3,157 African American and
Caucasian young adults, both male and female
over a 10-year period. Two comprehensive
food intake reports were averaged – one
taken at the start of the study and one
taken seven years later – to determine
participants’ habitual intake of dairy
products and other foods.
The results showed that overweight
individuals, regardless of race or sex, who
consumed more dairy products had a lower
risk of developing IRS. While overweight
individuals typically consumed fewer dairy
products than their normal-weight
counterparts, those who consumed the most
dairy products had a 71 percent lower
incidence of IRS than those who consumed the
fewest dairy products. All types of dairy
foods, both reduced and full-fat versions,
provided the benefit. In addition, those who
consumed more dairy foods were more likely
to have healthier eating habits overall with
higher intakes of whole grains, fruits and
vegetables and lower intakes of
sugar-sweetened soft drinks.
Nutrient Package
May Play a Role
While the researchers were unable to explain
how dairy foods impact IRS, they point to
several previous studies linking dairy foods
and dairy food components such as calcium,
magnesium, and potassium to reduced risk of
high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke,
and type 2 diabetes. In addition, they refer
to the growing body of research showing that
dairy food consumption plays an important
role in body weight regulation. The
researchers say that the decrease in milk
and dairy product consumption over the past
few decades, accompanied by an increase of
soda consumption and snacking among children
and teens, may play an important role in the
current epidemics of obesity and type 2
diabetes, as well as in the increase in
heart disease rates.
The DASH studies (Dietary Approaches to Stop
Hypertension) funded by the National Heart,
Lung & Blood Institute, demonstrate that a
dietary pattern that includes at least three
servings of lowfat dairy foods and 8 to 10
servings of fruits and vegetables in the
diet provides heart-healthy benefits
including reduced blood pressure and blood
lipid levels.
“We’ve known for some time that adding more
dairy foods, such as milk, cheese and
yogurt, may help reduce the risk of high
blood pressure, osteoporosis and possibly
even colon cancer,” said Deanna Rose, a
registered dietitian for the National Dairy
Council. “Now we can add to that list the
important role dairy foods may play in
helping control weight and reducing the risk
of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.”
Rose offers
the following tips to help consumers
incorporate more milk and dairy foods into
the diet.
Fruit for Thought – Try
one of the new milk drinks – they come in
fun flavors like banana, strawberry or even
peanut butter!
Cheese Please – Wake up
your favorite vegetable or baked potato by
topping it with shredded cheese.
Snack Right – Mix lowfat
or fat free yogurt, fruit and lowfat granola
for a crunchy treat.
Java Junkie – If you’re a
java junkie, make sure to lap up a latte
instead of a regular old black coffee.
