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Newer Knowledge of Dairy Foods
Milk
Specific Health Benefits of Milk
The following specific health benefits of milk have been noted:
- Intake of fluid milk has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, hypertension, and colon cancer (see Dairy Products in Human Nutrition).
- Drinking milk may help to reduce the risk of kidney stones. A recent epidemiological study of more than 81,000 women with no history of kidney stones links intake of nonfat milk with decreased risk of colon cancer.
- Milk intake may help to reduce the risk of tooth decay by acting as a substitute for saliva. In addition to providing moisture which helps clear cavity-promoting substances (e.g., simple sugars such as sucrose) from the oral cavity, milk buffers oral acids, reduces the solubility of tooth enamel, and helps to remineralize tooth enamel.
- Consuming chocolate milk improves children's nutrient intake. Moreover, there is no scientific evidence that chocolate milk, because of its sugar content, contributes to dental caries. On the contrary, because chocolate milk is liquid and cleared relatively quickly from the mouth, it may be less cariogenic than other sugar-containing foods (e.g., raisins, candy) that adhere to tooth surfaces. Also, several components in chocolate milk, such as cocoa, milk fat, calcium, and phosphorus, may protect against dental caries.
- There is no scientific evidence that intake of recommended servings of dairy foods such as milk contributes to overweight. Weight loss is achieved by reducing total caloric intake and/or increasing physical activity. For individuals concerned about reducing their body weight, milks (and other dairy foods) of different calorie content are available ( Table 13: PDF 48k ). The U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Dietary Guidelines for Americans cautions that even people who consume lower fat foods can gain weight if they eat too much of foods high in starch, sugars, or protein.
References
Miller, G.D., J.K. Jarvis, and L.D. McBean. Handbook of Dairy Foods and Nutrition . 2nd ed. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, 1999.
Curhan, G.C., W.C. Willett, F.E. Speizer, and M.J. Stampfer. Beverage use and risk for kidney stones in women. Ann. Intern. Med. 128 : 534, 1998.
DePaola, D.P., M.P. Faine, and C.A. Palmer. Nutrition in relation to dental medicine. In: Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease . 9th ed. M.E. Shils, J.A. Olson, M. Shike, and A.C. Ross (Eds.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Williams & Wilkins, 1999, p. 1099.
Garey, J.G., M.M. Chan, and S.R. Parlia. Effect of fat content and chocolate flavoring of milk on meal consumption and acceptability by schoolchildren. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 90 : 719, 1990.
Grove, T.M., J.T. Heimbach, J.S. Douglass, E. Doyle, D.B. DiRienzo, and G.D. Miller. Nutritional contributions of flavored milks and alternative beverages in the diets of children. FASEB J. 12(4) : A 225, 1998.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans . Fourth edition. Home and Garden Bulletin No. 232. Washington, D.C.: USDA/DHHS, 1995.
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