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Nutrition & Product Information
American Council on Science and Health: What's the Story? The Role of Milk in Your Diet
The Bottom Line
Except in cases of milk allergy (an uncommon problem), cows' milk and its products are acceptable, nutritious foods for persons one year of age and older. Milk and dairy products are good sources of many nutrients, and they are the best food source of the mineral calcium, a nutrient often not plentiful enough in the American diet.
Most of the health concerns that have been raised about cows' milk appear to be based on misconceptions or incomplete understanding of the facts. There is one important, scientifically justified health concern about milk, however the fact that many children and adolescents are not drinking enough of it. In the past few decades, children's milk consumption has gone down, while their consumption of other beverages has gone up. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans call for three servings of milk or other dairy foods daily for older children and adolescents (ages 9 and up), but young Americans in this age group are currently averaging only about two servings per day.
To make sure that the children in your family are drinking enough milk, it's a good idea to always serve milk as the mealtime beverage. Also, since children imitate adults, it helps for all family members not just the children to drink milk with their meals.
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