Living Nutrition Dairy Month in Full Swing, Deserves to Be Celebrated
Posted on: Friday, 27 June 2008, 21:00 CDT
By Lydia Gehring
June is busting out all over. This favorite line from the musical, "Oklahoma," describes this month to a tee. The flowers are blooming and the corn is nearly knee high, though it isn't even the Fourth of July yet.
National Dairy Month is in full swing. Milk, yogurt and cheese are celebrated during June.
Milk, yogurt and cheese are not just for the young. The prime time to stockpile the body with a lifetime supply of calcium is during the teen years.
An 8-ounce glass of skim milk has only 80 calories and zero grams of fat. That's less than a soda or a juice drink. Low-fat and fat- free milk, yogurt and cheese are just as nutritious as dairy foods made from whole milk; they're just lower in fat and calories. Protein and carbohydrates are the same no matter the color of the cap on the gallon of milk.
A daily dose of dairy is doctor recommended. New research continues to verify that dairy foods affect blood pressure and overall heart health in people after their childhood. Children and adults need three servings each day because of its unique combination of proteins, carbohydrates, calcium and eight other vitamins and minerals.
A daily yogurt is associated with a lower risk of severe periodontal (gum) disease and tooth loss in people who do not smoke. More studies have linked dairy products with asthma. Girls who did not regularly drink milk and were overweight have more than three times greater possibility of having breathing problems.
It's the calcium and protein in milk that helps prevent osteoporosis. Researchers also note that in addition to calcium, milk provides potassium and phosphorus, further enhancing the bone- strengthening effect of dietary protein.
And that's not all -- new findings state that vitamin D, together with calcium, may play a role in reducing the risk of cancer. Increased total dairy consumption may have a protective effect when it comes to breast cancer risk, especially among women between 30- 50 years old.
For men who smoke, a promising new research shows that dairy foods may provide protection against prostate cancer, the most common type of non-skin cancer affecting men. These new studies suggest that a higher intake of dairy foods may help protect current smokers from aggressive prostate cancer.
Gum disease, asthma, bone strength, high blood pressure and cancer -- what else can dairy products do for a body? Drinking low- fat milk after exercise may promote rehydration better than water or sports drinks. Milk is more effective at replacing exercise-induced fluid losses and maintaining hydration in the post-exercise period. Who would have ever thought of that one?
Studies with elderly eaters show that several components of cheese, including the amino acid tyramine, may be responsible for its association with improved cognitive function. Choosing only one ounce of cheese as a daily snack can help your brain think better. Ponder this -- celebrate June by increasing your dairy intake.
Bobbie Randall is a registered, licensed dietitian in Wooster. Contact her at BobbieRandallRD@aol.com
(c) 2008 Daily Record, The Wooster, OH. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: Daily Record, The Wooster, OH
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