Milk is a nutritionally dense food that is a particularly rich source of calcium. Calcium helps build strong bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis as you get older. Milk is an especially important part of a child's diet due to the fact that children's bones are growing at a rate far exceeding that of an adult. According to Milk Matters, a branch of the National Institutes of Health, children need about three or four glasses of milk per day to ensure they're getting the calcium their bodies need. Milk offers more than just calcium for healthy bones, it also offers a host of other essential vitamins and nutrients.
Calcium
A single 8-oz. glass of milk provides about 30 percent of your daily value, or DV, of calcium, according to the National Dairy Council. Aside from strengthening your bones, calcium supports healthy teeth, plays a role in nerve and muscle functions, and aids in the blood-clotting process. Milk has a high biological value, meaning it absorbs efficiently in your intestines. For instance, calcium gets absorbed about 10 times more effectively from milk than it does from spinach, according to Milk Matters.
Vitamins
Milk is a rich source of several essential vitamins, including vitamin D, A, B-12 and riboflavin. An 8-oz. glass of milk provides about 25 percent of your DV for vitamin D, 10 percent for vitamin A, 22 percent for vitamin B-12 and 26 percent for riboflavin. Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium in the body. Vitamin A has many functions in the body, including maintaining healthy eyes and skin, regulating cell growth and maintaining a healthy immune system. Vitamin B-12 is necessary for the functioning of red blood cells in the body. Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B-2, helps convert food to energy in the body.
Protein
An 8-oz. serving of milk delivers about 8 g protein to your body, which is about 16 percent of your DV, according to the National Dairy Council. It's a complete protein source, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids your body can't produce on its own. Protein has many functions in the body, but its primary purpose is to support cell and tissue growth. If you're looking to build muscle, milk should be a staple beverage in your diet.
Types of Milk
The three main types of milk are whole, low-fat and fat-free, also known as skim. Milk Matters states that children between the ages of 1 and 2 should drink whole milk because the fats in milk are beneficial to this age group. After age 2, low-fat or skim milk is the better choice. All types of milk contain all of the previously mentioned vitamins and nutrients. The main difference between the three types of milk is the fat content. Whole milk contains about 8 g fat per serving, low-fat milk has 2.5 g fat and skim milk contains no fat.
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