Dairy Goodness
Nourishing The Nation
THE BENEFITS OF DAIRY
Dairy foods provide a unique package of essential nutrients, a source of protein, calcium and a wide range of vitamins and minerals along with a variety of products that form an important part of our diets in the UK.
Perhaps that’s why over 98% of UK households continue to buy milk, with an increase in other important dairy foods like cheese and yogurt in our shopping baskets. Aim for at least three servings of dairy foods (or fortified alternatives) to support requirements for calcium as well as other nutrients – a serving is a 200ml glass of milk, a matchbox sized piece of cheese or a 150g pot of yogurt or fromage frais.
Milk is an important part of the diet at any age. It contains a wide range of different vitamins and minerals.
A 200ml glass of semi-skimmed milk provides a good proportion of our daily requirements for a whole raft of important nutrients including:
Protein
(14% RNI)
Calcium needed for the maintenance of normal bones and teeth
(31% RNI)
Vitamin B2 that helps us get the energy we need from food
(35% RNI)
Iodine important for normal cognitive function
(41% RNI)
Potassium that contributes to our normal muscle function, the normal functioning of the nervous system and the maintenance of normal blood pressure
(16% RNI)
RNI = Reference Nutrient Intake
Dairy products are excellent sources of protein that contain all 9 essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that our bodies need.
Protein is vital for many different functions in the body including the growth and maintenance of muscles and contributing to the maintenance of normal bones.
Did you know there are more than 700 different named cheeses produced in the UK? But no surprise that the most popular is cheddar which accounts for around 50% of all the cheese we buy (Countryside Online 2020).
Cheese is full of essential dairy nutrients providing 28% of our daily needs of Vitamin B12 and calcium in a 30g serve. It is also a source of protein, and can be part of the 3 servings of dairy recommended to include in the diet each day.
Yogurt is a versatile dairy food that can be eaten on its own or used as an ingredient in sweet and savoury dishes. There are lots of options when it comes to yogurts and fromage frais including natural or fruit-based – the choice is yours.
Some yogurts are sweetened with fruit, honey or added sugar but did you know that yogurts contribute less sugar to our diets than you might think. In fact, yogurts contribute less than 12% of free sugars intake to childrens’ diets (Moore et al 2020), and don’t forget that yogurt is also a source of protein and other vitamins and minerals.