Nutritional Benefits

"Got milk?" ask the ads. "Do you really need milk?" ask parents. There is a place for milk and dairy products in the American diet, as long as you choose the right kinds. Here are some questions you may have about milk for kids and grown-ups.

Why is milk so good for children? While cow's milk is really designed for baby cows rather than baby humans, it's a nutritional staple in the diet of many cultures. For children who are not lactose-intolerant or allergic to dairy products, milk is one-stop shopping for nutrition. It contains nearly all the basic nutrients that a growing child needs: fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals (except iron). While it is true that most of the nutrients in milk can be gotten easily from other sources, such as vegetables, legumes, and seafood, milk puts them all together in a convenient package. Realistically, children eat or drink dairy products in greater amounts and more consistently than other foods. While whole milk is not the only way to get calcium in a child's diet, it's the most practical way. Good luck serving your child a breakfast of calcium-rich broccoli, kale, and sardines. Specifically, these are the nutritional benefits of milk, per 8-ounce glass:

• Protein: 8 grams.
• Carbohydrates – lactose, 11 grams
• Fat: Depending on what kind of milk you choose (nonfat to whole milk), milk contains anywhere from negligible amounts of fat in non-fat milk to eight grams of fat per 8-ounce glass in whole milk.
• Calcium: 300 milligrams or 35 percent of the RDA for school children. Note that the percentage of calcium absorbed from dairy products is much higher than that absorbed from most vegetables. Milk is fortified with vitamin D, which boosts calcium absorption.
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 8-ounces of milk supply half the RDA for children under three years, one-third of the vitamin B2 requirement for school-age children, and one-fourth the requirement for teens and adults.
• Vitamin B-12: 30 percent RDA for children
• Zinc: one eight-ounce glass, 10 percent RDA for children
• Vitamin D: 25 percent RDA for children and adults
• Vitamin A: 10 percent RDA for children and adults

While milk isn't the perfect food, it still delivers a lot of nutrition in all its various forms, such as cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt. Besides, milk and dairy products are foods that kids will eat and drink willingly. Despite the bad press about milk, it has a lot of good nutritional things going for it.