Dairy & Your Health
Dairy’s health benefits are supported by a robust body of science that continues to grow. Learn more and find up-to-date dairy nutrition facts and educational materials on variety of topics.
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Why Real Dairy?
Real dairy matters for our communities, our health, and our environment. Dairy is undeniably in the DNA of New England. Click around the interactive infographic below to learn about its many benefits.
Dairy milk provides a unique package of 13 essential nutrients.
Click through to learn how each nutrient helps your body.
1
Calcium
Helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth.
2
Iodine
Necessary for proper bone and brain development during pregnancy and infancy; linked to cognitive function in childhood.
3
Niacin
Turns food into energy.
Helps keep nervous system, digestive system, and skin healthy.
4
Pantothenic Acid
Helps your body use carbohydrates, fats, and protein for fuel.
5
Phosphorus
Helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Supports tissue growth.
6
Potassium
Helps maintain a healthy blood pressure and supports heart health. Helps regulate body fluid balance and maintain normal muscle function.
7
Protein
Helps build and repair tissue. Helps maintain a healthy immune system.
8
Riboflavin
Helps body use carbohydrates, fats, and protein for fuel.
9
Selenium
Helps maintain a healthy immune system, regulate metabolism, and protect healthy cells from damage.
10
Vitamin A
Helps keep skin and eyes healthy. Helps maintain a healthy immune system.
11
Vitamin B12
Helps with normal blood function. Helps keep the nervous system healthy.
12
Vitamin D
Helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Helps maintain a healthy immune system.
13
Zinc
Helps maintain a healthy immune system and healthy skin. Supports normal growth and development.
Highlights of dairy's sustainable cycle:
Feeding the cows
Food companies, retailers and restaurants can partner with dairy farmers to recycle food scraps that are inedible to humans, avoiding landfills or incineration.
Feeding the land
Leftover food and food scraps that people don't eat may be recycled into a natural fertilizer for the land through composting and anaerobic digesters.
Reusable energy from cow manure
A dairy cow can produce a lot of manure – a valuable resource. In addition to being a natural fertilizer, anaerobic digester systems allow farmers to convert manure into clean, renewable electricity.
Protecting our soil & water
Dairy farmers use many practices to prevent soil erosion in agriculture-like planting cover crops and manure injection-keeping nutrients in the ground and out of our waterways.
Dairy farms provide jobs and stimulate economic stability in our region, while producing a local food supply for our communities.
The dairy industry in New England supports:
Find the impact in your specific state by using the International Dairy Foods Association’s (IDFA) Economic Impact Tool
1 in 6 Americans faces hunger.
The first step in addressing this issue is ensuring that nutritious foods are available for all.
Real dairy milk is naturally nutrient rich, which non-dairy milks find difficult to match.
According to the experts, eliminating nutrient-rich food groups like dairy may not only be unnecessary, but it could also negatively impact diet and health.
At only $0.26 or less per cup milk is affordable nutrition.
Non-dairy milk can be twice the cost of real milk, at an average price of $0.40 per cup.
Families who buy real dairy milk over non-dairy milk save on average $508 per year.
Few foods deliver milk’s powerhouse of nutrients in such an affordable, appealing and readily available way.
Dairy is the milk in your cereal, the cheese on your pizza, the yogurt in your morning smoothie.
There is something for everyone and several options that work for your lifestyle. Dairy is part of all the things we love to eat and is present during some of the most special moments in our lives.
Dairy milk provides a unique package of 13 essential nutrients.
Click through to learn how each nutrient helps your body.
1
Calcium
Helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth.
2
Iodine
Necessary for proper bone and brain development during pregnancy and infancy; linked to cognitive function in childhood.
3
Niacin
Turns food into energy.
Helps keep nervous system, digestive system, and skin healthy.
4
Pantothenic Acid
Helps your body use carbohydrates, fats, and protein for fuel.
5
Phosphorus
Helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Supports tissue growth.
6
Potassium
Helps maintain a healthy blood pressure and supports heart health. Helps regulate body fluid balance and maintain normal muscle function.
7
Protein
Helps build and repair tissue. Helps maintain a healthy immune system.
8
Riboflavin
Helps body use carbohydrates, fats, and protein for fuel.
9
Selenium
Helps maintain a healthy immune system, regulate metabolism, and protect healthy cells from damage.
10
Vitamin A
Helps keep skin and eyes healthy. Helps maintain a healthy immune system.
11
Vitamin B12
Helps with normal blood function. Helps keep the nervous system healthy.
12
Vitamin D
Helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Helps maintain a healthy immune system.
13
Zinc
Helps maintain a healthy immune system and healthy skin. Supports normal growth and development.
Highlights of dairy's sustainable cycle:
Feeding the cows
Food companies, retailers and restaurants can partner with dairy farmers to recycle food scraps that are inedible to humans, avoiding landfills or incineration.
Feeding the land
Leftover food and food scraps that people don't eat may be recycled into a natural fertilizer for the land through composting and anaerobic digesters.
Reusable energy from cow manure
A dairy cow can produce a lot of manure – a valuable resource. In addition to being a natural fertilizer, anaerobic digester systems allow farmers to convert manure into clean, renewable electricity.
Protecting our soil & water
Dairy farmers use many practices to prevent soil erosion in agriculture-like planting cover crops and manure injection-keeping nutrients in the ground and out of our waterways.
Impact on Local Economy
The dairy industry in New England supports:
Find the impact in your specific state by using the International Dairy Foods Association’s (IDFA) Economic Impact Tool
The first step in addressing this issue is ensuring that nutritious foods are available for all.
Real dairy milk is naturally nutrient rich, which non-dairy milks find difficult to match.
According to the experts, eliminating nutrient-rich food groups like dairy may not only be unnecessary, but it could also negatively impact diet and health.
At only $0.26 or less per cup milk is affordable nutrition.
Non-dairy milk can be twice the cost of real milk, at an average price of $0.40 per cup.
Families who buy real dairy milk over non-dairy milk save on average $508 per year.
Few foods deliver milk’s powerhouse of nutrients in such an affordable, appealing and readily available way.
Dairy is the milk in your cereal, the cheese on your pizza, the yogurt in your morning smoothie.
There is something for everyone and several options that work for your lifestyle. Dairy is part of all the things we love to eat and is present during some of the most special moments in our lives.
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Dairy & Plant-Based Diets
As Americans look to improve their diet, many are seeking plant-based or plant forward diets. Learn more about dairy's essential role in plant-based eating.
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Dairy Milk vs.
Oat "Milk"Oat "milk" may be new to the menu at your local coffee spot, but it’s important to know that it’s not a comparable swap to real milk – especially when it comes to nutrition.
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Know Your Milk
There are real differences for you to consider between milk and non-dairy milk alternatives. Here’s how each drink compares when you read the product label.
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Milk: A Nutrient Powerhouse
It’s hard to get enough nutrients you need without milk in your diet. Learn more about the essential nutrients found in dairy milk.
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Perfect Pairs
Dairy is the perfect pair for so many delicious foods. Try out these pairing ideas at snack or meal time to add more protein and calcium to your diet.
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Explore Our Collection of Recipes
