June is a month to celebrate all things dairy. Did you know that dairy, especially milk, can benefit your health? There seems to be this rumor associating milk and dairy consumption with weight gain. This isn’t true. Yes, consumed in excessive amounts- drinking milk will result in weight gain. In fact, anything in excessive amounts will make you gain weight.
Here are five dairy-based facts to help you celebrate Dairy Month!
1. Buying organic milk is better for you. Organic milk is very high in conjugated linoleic acids (CLA). CLAs are important healthy fats that has been proven to have been linked to reduced heart disease and diabetes. The May 9th issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health reported that dairy products that are low in fat, including milk, is shown to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes (in men).
2. Milk offers tons of vitamins! Including; Calcium: Keeps bones and teeth healthy; helps your body maintain bone mass, Protein: A good source of energy: builds and repairs your muscle tissue; good after work-outs, Potassium: Helps you keep a good blood pressure, Phosphorus: Helps strengthen your bones and gives you energy, Vitamin D: Helps your body maintain your bones, Vitamin B12: Helps maintain healthy red blood cells and helps maintain nerve tissue, Vitamin A: Helps maintain the immune system; helps maintain normal vision and good skin, Niacin: Improves your metabolism; have a glass before doing aerobics. [
3. Milk helps your heartburn. Heartburn is caused a lot of the time by acidity, which is naturally relieved by drinking milk.
4. The lactic acid found in milk aids in removing dead skin cells, and therefore keeps your skin clear and rejuvenated.
5. Recent studies performed by the Ben-Gurion University has shown that including more calcium in your diet may lead to continuous weight-loss. Drinking 12 ounces of milk every day assists the loss of more than 12 lbs on average, while people who only consume a cup of milk a day lose on average 7 lbs.
June is a great time to evaluate how much dairy you should be consuming based on your lifestyle, weight loss goals and specific health issues.
Odom Health & Wellness employs Maggie Eaton, RD, LD,. She is great when it comes to helping clients realize what they are doing wrong and right when it comes to their diet. Please contact Maggie if you would like a full nutritional assessment.