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Milk and milk products can help you attain and maintain a healthy weight: According to over 30 studies, milk products could play a role in losing and maintaining weight. In fact, studies reveal milk products, as part of a low-calorie diet, may help you lose weight or prevent weight gain.

What the research reveals: Current research does not spell out the exact role milk products play in weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. However, it seems calcium, particularly that found in milk products, encourages the body to use fat as a source of energy, reducing the storage of body fat. The calcium in milk products appears to be much more effective than the calcium in supplements, which suggests other components in milk products, like protein, could also play a role.

Milk and milk products are a nutritious choice: Milk and milk products naturally provide 15 nutrients essential for normal growth and the maintenance of good health. Not only that, milk's high level of easily absorbed calcium and vitamin D content (which also helps the body absorb calcium) make it the fastest, most efficient way to get enough calcium, and an important factor in healthy bones and teeth.

Recommended servings: The latest statistics indicate the majority of Canadians do not consume the recommended number of servings of milk products per day, which vary by age:

Children aged 2 to 8 years: 2 servings a day
Teens aged 9 to 18 years: 3 to 4 servings a day
Adults aged 19 to 50 years: 2 servings a day
Adults aged 51 years and up: 3 servings a day

What is a serving of milk and alternatives? Although it is unnecessary to precisely measure all the foods we consume, it is important to roughly know what a serving looks like in order to meet our requirements for calcium and other essential nutrients. One serving is:

1 cup (250 mL) milk
¾ cup (175 mL) yogourt
50g (1½ oz) cheese

Different types of milk are equally nutritious: Whether you choose skim, 1% or 2%, whole, lactose-free, chocolate, or powdered milk, all provide essentially the same quantities of vitamins and minerals, with only the fat content changing.

Chocolate milk - as nutritious as white: Store-bought chocolate milk includes cocoa powder and a small amount of sugar added to white milk; some dairies may also add small amounts of other natural ingredients or flavourings to enhance the taste or texture. At home, the sugar amount varies according to your preference.

A boost for kids' nutrition: Research shows kids who drink chocolate or flavoured milk consume fewer soft drinks and fruit-flavoured drinks than those who don't. As a result, the former group benefits from higher intakes of calcium and phosphorus - two key bone-building nutrients.

Adults' energy boost: Chocolate milk is a healthy energy provider. Here's why:

Most chocolate milk is low in fat, usually made from 1% milk
Since milk is 87% water, chocolate milk hydrates the body and quenches thirst
After physical activity, chocolate milk helps replenish the body's energy stores, as well as build and repair muscle

Yogourt : As a snack, dessert, or sauce, yogourt stores well and can be enjoyed in a wide variety of ways. A brief comparison with other nutritious foods shows how nutrient-rich yogourt really is:

A single ¾ cup or 175 mL serving of 2-4% m.f. yogourt contains:
As much protein as a large egg
As much calcium as five medium sardines
Half the cholesterol of 100 g of cod
More potassium than an orange
More thiamin and riboflavin than a slice of 100% whole wheat bread
As much vitamin A as a peach
A lot less fat than ¼ lb lean ground beef
As much magnesium as 125 mL green peas

Canadian cheese is a world favourite: While Canadian cheddar continues to be much sought after, a variety of other national cheeses have won numerous prizes, most notably at the prestigious World International Cheese Competition in Wisconsin. Perhaps the highest honour was attained in 1986, when a Canadian cheddar made by Ault Foods Ltd. was declared the World's Finest Cheese.

As waves of immigrants began arriving in Canada during WWII, the demand for feta, edam, mozzarella, and provolone grew. And where there's a demand, there's the ingenuity and will to meet it. Canadian cheese-makers, including many from Europe, soon mastered the necessary techniques. Today, "ethnic" cheeses are enjoyed by all Canadians, regardless of background.

Cheesy, tasty, and easy: Cheese is like food from heaven. With a wide variety of flavours to suit every person, occasion, recipe, and craving, it's no wonder there are so many cheese lovers out there!

Including cheese in your daily diet will help you attain the recommended daily servings, and spice up your meals. Tips for daily consumption can be found on www.dairygoodness.ca.

Cheese is also well-tolerated by people with lactose intolerance - mozzarella and aged cheeses like cheddar, Swiss, blue, and brie contain almost no lactose... so you can enjoy them every day!