Three servings of dairy products per day: That’s the dietary recommendation for people ages 9 and up. Yet 90% of Americans don’t meet that requirement and end up missing essential nutrients. While yogurt and cheese are popular dairy options, many people shy away from drinking milk because of its flavor.
But you can dress up milk so you and your family drink more. Milk is an economical way to add key nutrients to support your health. Be creative and try a variety of frozen, cold or hot milk-based drinks.
How Milk Can Support Your Bone Health
Milk has calcium, vitamin D and potassium – three nutrients of concern that many Americans lack in their diet. Milk also contains ten other essential vitamins and minerals to support your body at every age.
In children, milk supports growth and development. Calcium is essential for building strong bones. And since your body doesn’t produce calcium, you need to get it from foods like milk.
By age 30, your bones reach peak bone mass and are at their strongest. Building strong bones in your youth reduces your risk for osteoporosis later.
After age 30, you begin to lose bone mass as your body breaks down bone faster than it creates new bone. This process speeds up for women approaching menopause. Along with exercise and strength training, milk helps maintain strong bones and prevent fractures.
And milk supports your body in other ways. The potassium in milk controls blood pressure, reducing your risk for high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart disease. Milk also keeps you hydrated, with fewer calories than soda and many juices or sports drinks.
6 Ways To Flavor Milk
Whether you prefer a cold or hot drink, you can enjoy a variety of different flavored beverages that start with milk. Work your way through these options to see what you and your family like best:
- Chocolate milk: Premade chocolate milk or milk mixes may contain up to four teaspoons of added sugar per cup. Reduce sugar by making your own. Mix milk with unsweetened cocoa powder and one to two teaspoons of sugar for a sweet treat. Chocolate milk is also an excellent post-workout beverage. It provides electrolytes, carbohydrates and protein to support muscle recovery.
- Fruit-flavored milk: Packaged strawberry milk mixes also contain extra sugar. But you can make your own strawberry milk with freeze-dried strawberries. Or use freeze-dried apples or other fruits to add flavor and nutrients to your milk.
- Haldi doodh: This hot drink, also called golden or turmeric milk, is an Indian beverage often used to ease cold symptoms. It’s made by heating milk and adding turmeric, cardamom, black pepper, ginger, cloves and honey.
- Mexican hot chocolate: Combine milk with unsweetened cocoa, cinnamon, sugar and a dash of chili powder for a new twist on hot chocolate. Pour it over ice for a refreshing drink in warm weather.
- Smoothies: Pick your favorite fruit and combine it with milk and crushed ice for a tasty smoothie. Add vegetables like carrots or spinach to pack even more nutrients into your drink. There are endless flavor combinations to create a healthy smoothie.
- Spiced chai: This hot drink combines black tea and milk with various flavors. Create your recipe with spices like cardamom, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds and black pepper. Add sweetness with vanilla extract and honey.
You can also add milk to many recipes, including soups, overnight oatmeal and desserts like berry hot milk sponge cake.
Need to find an alternative to dairy milk? Try these options:
- Lactose-free milk: Some people don’t have adequate amounts of lactase, the enzyme that helps break down lactose (milk sugar). People with lactose intolerance experience cramping, bloating and diarrhea after drinking dairy milk. As an alternative option, lactose-free milk products are available with a similar nutritional benefit to cow’s milk.
- Soy milk: Most plant-based “milk” products are poor substitutes for the nutrition found in dairy milk. If you’re following a vegan or vegetarian diet, the closest plant-based substitute is calcium-fortified soy milk.
Get your family involved in finding fun ways to drink more milk and boost overall health for years to come.
To make an appointment with a registered dietitian, call 1-855-434-5483 or visit henryford.com/nutrition.
Bethany Thayer, MS, RDN, is the director of the Henry Ford Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Learn more about Bethany.
