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Dairy's Health Benefits
What are the health benefits of dairy foods?
How do dairy foods help build stronger bones?
Should I avoid dairy foods if I'm concerned about maintaining my weight?
How do dairy foods help reduce blood pressure?
How can someone with lactose intolerance still enjoy dairy foods?
How is lactose intolerance different than a milk allergy?

Dairy Nutrition
What nutrients are in dairy foods?
How much calcium do I need?
Why can't I just take a calcium supplement?
How many servings of dairy foods should I eat every day?
What's the role of dairy foods in government nutrition guidelines?
Can I drink soy or rice beverages instead of milk?

Food Safety
How long can you keep milk after the "sell by" date?
How and why is milk pasteurized?
What can I do at home to help protect my family from foodborne illness?
Are dairy foods antibiotic-free?
What can you tell me about rbST hormone and milk?
Is organic milk better for you than regular milk?
Who should I contact if I have questions about food safety?

Recipes and Education Materials
Where can I find recipes using milk, cheese and yogurt?
Where can I find free educational materials that I can use at a school, health fair or community health center?

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Dairy's Health Benefits

Q. What are the health benefits of dairy foods?
A. Studies show dairy foods, when consumed as part of a healthy diet, improve overall diet quality and may help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, hypertension, obesity, colon cancer and metabolic syndrome. The health benefits of dairy foods are so significant that, according to a recent report, daily consumption (3 to 4 servings) by all Americans could lead to a reduction in a healthcare costs of $26 billion in the first year and more than $200 billion over five years.

For more information, see The Benefits of Dairy Foods in Health Promotion and Newer Knowledge of Dairy Foods.

Q. How do dairy foods help build stronger bones?
A. Dairy foods provide a unique mix of nutrients including calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus and protein that contribute to maximizing bone density and slowing age-related bone loss. The positive link between calcium in dairy products and bone health has been established for decades through dozens of clinical studies. In fact, a research review of 138 studies exploring the relationship between bone health and calcium intake, including numerous studies that used dairy products as the calcium source, found overwhelming evidence that lifelong calcium intake is one of the most significant factors for determining risk of an osteoporotic fracture.

For more information, see Dairy's Role in Bone Health and Dairy's Role in Adolescent Bone Health.

Q. Should I avoid dairy foods if I'm concerned about maintaining my weight?
A. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends three cups of low-fat or fat-free milk or milk products every day as part of a healthy diet. The Guidelines also state that adults and children should not avoid milk and milk products because of concerns that these products will lead to weight gain. Together milk, cheese and yogurt provide a unique nutrient package of nine essential nutrients that help Americans improve overall diet quality.

For more information, see Healthy Weight with Dairy and What the Science Says.

Q. How do dairy foods help reduce blood pressure?
A. Dairy foods are among the top contributors of calcium, potassium and magnesium, nutrients that have been shown to help reduce blood pressure. In fact, a large-scale government study called DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) found that a balanced, lowfat diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lowfat dairy foods may help reduce blood pressure as effectively as some medications.

For more information, see Dairy's Role in Managing Blood Pressure and for sample meal plans see DASH to the Diet: Following the DASH Eating Plan and 5 Days of DASH: 15 Meals to Help Ease the Pressure.

Q. How can someone with lactose intolerance still enjoy dairy foods?
A. Lactose intolerance does not mean dairy intolerance. In fact, research shows that most people who are lactose intolerant can enjoy up to two cups of milk a day, particularly if they drink it with meals. Other tips for reducing symptoms include eating aged cheeses that are naturally low in lactose and drinking lactose-free milk.

For more information and tips, see Lowdown on Lactose Intolerance and other resources.

Q. How is lactose intolerance different than a milk allergy?
A. Lactose intolerance refers to symptoms resulting from consuming too much lactose (the sugar naturally found in milk) compared to the body’s ability to break it down by the intestinal enzyme, lactase. Milk protein allergy is a reaction by the body’s immune system to one or more milk proteins. Lactose intolerance generally occurs in adulthood while milk protein allergy is most common in infancy and early childhood. Only about 1% to 3% of the pediatric population is affected by milk protein allergy.

For more information, see Dairy Food Sensitivity: Facts and Fallacies.

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Dairy Nutrition

Q. What nutrients are in dairy foods?
A. Dairy foods provide many essential nutrients and are an important part of a healthy diet. Milk contains a complete package of nine essential nutrients including calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D, protein and potassium.

For more information see Milk's Unique Nutrient Package and Newer Knowledge of Dairy Foods.

Q. How much calcium do I need?
A. Calcium recommendations set by the National Academy of Sciences range from 500 mg to 1300 mg depending on your age. To find out how much calcium you need -- and how many Americans aren't getting enough -- see our Calcium Recommendations Fact Sheet.

Q. Why can't I just take a calcium supplement?
A. The health professional community overwhelmingly agrees that food -- especially food that naturally contains calcium -- is the first priority in meeting calcium needs. The American Dietetic Association, National Institutes of Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics believe that individuals should attempt to meet their nutrient needs through food first.

Q. How many servings of dairy foods should I eat every day?
A. No matter what your age, dairy's nutrients are an essential part of promoting good bone health and good overall health. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 3 servings of lowfat or nonfat milk and dairy products every day as part of a healthy diet.

See the Dietary Guidelines page for more information, as well as a meal plan to help you follow the recommendations.

Q. What's the role of dairy foods in government nutrition guidelines?
A. Dairy foods have a powerful package of essential nutrients. For that reason, the dairy foods group has long been a critical building block of the food guidance system and nutritional guidance for all Americans.  For more information, see Dietary Guidelines & Food Guidance System.

Q. Can I drink soy or rice beverages instead of milk?
A. No, soy and rice beverages don't stack up to milk. They naturally contain very little calcium, only about 10 mg per serving. Even when soy and rice beverages are fortified to the same level as milk, the body absorbs that calcium only 75% as efficiently as milk, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Further, a study published in Nutrition Today found that much of the calcium in calcium-fortified soy and rice beverages settles to the bottom of the containers, even after vigorous shaking. The study concluded that milk is the most reliable source of calcium.

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Food Safety

Q. How long can you keep milk after the "sell by" date?
A. If properly cared for, milk generally stays fresh for 2 to 3 days after the "sell by" date. For tips on preserving the safety and quality of milk, see the Milk Fact Sheet. For information and tips on other dairy products see the Fact Sheets on cheese, yogurt and other cultured dairy products, ice cream, butter and cream.

Q. How and why is milk pasteurized?
A. All milk intented for direct consumption should be pasteurized - it's a matter of food safety. Pasteurization is a simple, effective method to kill potentially harmful bacteria without affecting the taste or nutritional value of milk. With standard pasteurization, milk is heated to a temperature of at least 161 degrees Farenheit for not less than 15 seconds, followed by rapid cooling. The Newer Knowledge of Dairy Foods contains additional information on pasteurization.

Q. What can I do at home to help protect my family from foodborne illness?
A. Individuals and their actions at home play an important role in food safety. To help prevent foodborne illness, food safety experts recommend the following four simple steps:

• CLEAN: Wash hands and surfaces often with hot, soapy water.
• SEPARATE: Don't cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
• COOK: Cook to proper temperatures; don't rely on color alone. Remember to use a food thermometer to check if food is done. Thorough cooking is the most important step in preventing foodborne illness.
• CHILL: Refrigerate promptly. Growth of harmful bacteria can be slowed or stopped by refrigeration or freezing. The refrigerator temperature should be kept at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezer should remain under zero degrees Fahrenheit at all times.

Q. Are all dairy foods antibiotic-free?
A. Yes.  In fact, numerous safety measures are in place to help ensure that antibiotics don't enter the milk supply. For example, a sick cow that is being treated with antibiotics is taken from the milking herd, treated and not put back into the herd until her milk tests free of antibiotics. Additionally, every tank load of milk is strictly tested for antibiotics. Any tanker that tests positive is disposed of immediately, never reaching the public. For more information on milk safety regulations and procedures, see the Dairy Food Safety fact sheet.

Q. What can you tell me about the rbST hormone and milk?
A. All milk, including human breast milk, contains hormones that are digested just as other proteins are digested. While some cows are treated with hormones that are produced by biotechnology, known as recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST), studies show there is no significant difference between milk from cows that receive hormones and cows that don't.

The safety of milk from cows treated with rbST has been affirmed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), World Health Organization (WHO), American Medical Association (AMA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Dietetic Association (ADA) and regulatory agencies in 30 countries.

For more information on rbST, refer to the Dairy Food Safety fact sheet and rbSTFacts.org.

Q. Is organic milk better for you than regular milk?
A. It's great to have choices in the marketplace, but there is no difference in the safety or nutrition of organic dairy products compared with conventional dairy products.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees national standards that food labeled "organic" must meet.  According to USDA, organic food is not safer or more nutritious than conventionally-produced food.  Organic food differs from conventionally-produced food in the way it is grown, handled, and processed.

For more information on organic foods, refer to the Organic Milk FAQ, USDA's Certified Organic Program or American Council on Science and Health.

Q. Who should I contact if I have questions about food safety?
A. You can "ask Karen," the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service virtual representative. This virtual representative is ready to answer questions from the public on a variety of food safety topics. You also can refer to the government website www.foodsafety.gov.

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Recipes and Education Materials

Q. Where can I find recipes that feature milk, cheese and yogurt?
A. You can find many delicious recipes featuring milk, cheese and yogurt on our websites 3aday.org and ilovecheese.com.

Q. Where can I find free educational materials that I can use at a school, health fair or community health center?
A. We have many free nutrition education materials that you can download. Additionally, the Nutrition Explorations website has a catalog of materials as well as useful information for educators and school foodservice professionals. Finally, your local dairy council is also a helpful resource for information and materials.

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