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Milk and milk products comprise one of the four basic food groups.

What are milk and milk products?

Milk is the food produced by a new mother to feed her young. Milk and milk products encompass a variety of foods, including human breast milk; milk from cows, goats, sheep, camels, and other animals; hundreds of different kinds of cheese; and yogurt. Milk and milk products make up one of the four basic food groups.

Why are milk and milk products important to nutrition?

Milk is sometimes called the "perfect food." While this is something of an overstatement since milk is lacking in iron and vitamin C, it does contain many other essential nutrients. And for the first few months of human life, mother's milk provides all the nutrients needed by a growing baby.

Milk is the best source of calcium, the mineral needed to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. It is also a good source of high-quality (complete) protein, potassium, phosphorus, and B vitamins. In the United States, most milk is fortified with vitamin D, which is essential to metabolize calcium. Milk sugar (lactose) supplies energy. For the newborn, milk fat is easier to digest than other fats.

How much milk and milk products do I need?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends the following number of servings a day (a serving is 8 ounces of milk or yogurt, 1.5 to 2 ounces of cheese, or 2 cups of cottage cheese):

• Children 9 years and under: 2 to 3 servings.
• Children 9 to 12 years: 3 servings.
• Teenagers: 4 servings.
• Adults: 2 servings.
• Pregnant women: 3 servings.
• Nursing mothers: 4 servings.

What happens if I don't get enough milk and milk products?
A number of other foods can be eaten to supply most of the nutrients found in milk. Calcium is perhaps the hardest to get from other sources, since milk is the most abundant source and the body is better able to absorb milk calcium than that from other foods. A calcium deficiency can lead to rickets in a growing child, and osteomalacia (the adult form of rickets) in older people.

What happens if I get too much milk and milk products?
Overconsumption of any food, including milk, can be detrimental to good health. Whole milk is about 4 percent butter fat, which is highly saturated. Cheeses, especially hard cheeses, are mostly milk fat. Recent studies indicate that milk fat raises blood cholesterol more than any other fat, including palm and coconut oils. It also represents most of the calories found in milk.

Hazards from milk fat can be eliminated or minimized by switching to skim or 1 percent fat milk. Milk also is high in sodium; thus, people on a salt-restricted diet may be advised

to forego milk or to use a special low-salt milk.

A large number of people, especially blacks, Asians, and older people, are unable to properly digest milk sugar, a condition called lactose intolerance. This sometimes can be avoided by eating yogurt instead of milk, or by using special acidophilus milk, in which the lactose is predigested. Babies are sometimes allergic to cow's milk. For these babies, Soy milk is a common alternative. Children who drink large amounts of milk in lieu of other foods are in danger of developing iron-deficiency anemia. Babies and young children who are constantly sucking a bottle, or allowed to fall asleep with a milk bottle, often develop severe decay of their front teeth.

Should I take a milk supplement?
Milk is not absolutely essential to maintain health, thus there is no need to take a supplement. There are concentrated forms of milk for people who need extra calories or nutrients, but the average healthy person does fine with conventional milk and milk products, or with foods that provide comparable nutrients.