Eat Dairy and Be Merry!

Why did the cow cross the road???

To get to the udder side!

For  the month of January we are going to be talking all about dairy foods. Read this post to review the reasons dairy is important in our diet!

What do you know about dairy? Do you know about the health benefits? There are enough benefits to give dairy a place on the MyPlate so lets check it out!

There is an extremely important nutrient that you will find in dairy products. And that is:

CALCIUM

99% of the calcium in our body is stored in the bones and teeth. It helps you keep your bones and teeth strong. As you continue to grow and develop through your teenage years, it is especially important that you eat enough calcium!

So how much is enough? Since you won’t be measuring out the calcium in every food that you eat, just remember 3 a day.

If you eat 3 dairy products a day, you will likely meet the needs of your growing body! Common sources of dairy include milk, cheese, and yogurt.

So what are some other benefits of dairy?

Other Benefits

• Protein: 1 glass of milk contains 8 grams of protein, which is comparable to meat! The great thing about milk, however, is that there is less fat content than meat.
• Vitamin D: Most people are not out in the sun long enough every day to get enough vitamin D, but companies actually add Vitamin D to milk to help us make it up! Vitamin D will work with Calcium to keep your bones strong!
• B Vitamins: Dairy products also are a great source of some of the B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, etc.)

Dairy has a lot of vitamins and minerals that help with growth and staying healthy, so make sure you are getting your 3 a day!

Keep an eye on the blog this month to learn more about dairy foods.