Dairy Health
The milk and products thereof are rich and balanced foods owing to the energy, carbohydrates, proteins and main micronutrients, such as calcium and vitamins B, A and D, they normally provide.
The dairy consumption is indispensable at any age, but is especially necessary in the growth phase, from children to teenagers and adults up to 25 years old.
The calcium in the milk is the responsible for some of the beneficial properties of dairy products:
- An optimum intake of calcium during the first three decades of life is fundamental to acquire a strong and healthy bone mass and to prevent the onset of osteoporosis at older ages.
- There are scientific studies that describe an inverse relationship between the calcium consumption and the amount of body fat in children. The higher the calcium consumption, the lower the risk of obesity in the adolescent and adulthood.
- The consumption of dairy products is associated with lower figures of cholesterol in child population.
Regarding the Vitamin D, its advantages are also essential at any age:
- One of its main functions is to regulate the calcium flow to the bones, thus, if there is a lack of Vitamin D and the process is not carried out in the finest manner, we can end up having a weakening and bowing of the skeletal system, which could trigger malformations such as rickets.
- The low levels of Vitamin D are associated with an increase of infectious diseases, in particular respiratory illnesses such as the flu or pneumonia. The Vitamin D participated in the activation of the T cells, which play a crucial part in the fight against infections.
On the other hand, the milk protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of the muscle mass and of the bone structure. The bioavailability of the milk protein is even higher than the one in the meats or fishes; this means that it is more easily absorbed by the body and more efficient when building tissues and bones.
Collectives, such as pregnant women, sportsmen or people who carry out vigorous exercise, and adult women are groups who require an extra consumption of dairy, with the objective of increasing the calcium and vitamin D3 intake.
