There are many reasons to drink milk. It could be improving bone health, improving heart health, reducing obesity risk, and more.
Drinking a glass or two of milk a day is one of the best ways to get ready-made calcium and vitamin D in your diet to help you build and maintain strong bones. However, the benefits of drinking milk go far beyond your bones and teeth. That’s because milk is rich in 13 essential nutrients, including vitamin B12, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin A, zinc, and selenium.
“I recommend milk to anyone looking to add more protein and vitamins like vitamins A, B12 and D to their diet,” says Carly Knowles, MS, RD, registered dietitian and doula. “My personal favorite and preferred milk is Organic Valley’s Grassmilk whole milk because of the health benefits of the extra omega-3 fatty acids (healthy fats) and CLA content due to the fact that their cows spend more time outdoors than organic standards 50%.”
Here are the core nutrients for a glass of 1% milk:
- Calories: 100
- Protein (grams): 8
- Carbohydrates (grams): 13
- Gram Fat (g): 2.5
- Saturated Fat (grams): 1.5
- Calcium: 30% of Daily Value
- Vitamin D: 25% daily
Not only is milk a nutritional powerhouse, it has countless health benefits, from improving bone health to helping maintain a healthy heart, boosting your athletic performance, and even helping reduce your risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Read on to learn more about how and how to eat healthy and don’t miss out on eating habits to lose belly fat as you age, dietitians say.
There’s no reason to pay top prices for pre-workout and post-workout drinks when you can simply enjoy milk and get similar performance-enhancing benefits.according to Jordan Mazur, MS, R&Ddirector of performance nutrition for the San Francisco 49ers, “Real milk and dairy products have a powerful nutritional mix, containing 13 essential nutrients such as high-quality protein, calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin D, and are ideal for flexitarian and vegetarian dietary patterns. friends, and provide nutrients that are difficult for athletes to consume but important to support performance and recovery.”
Mazur puts milk on the athlete’s training bench because it helps active individuals meet the three R’s of recovery: rebuild, recharge, and rehydrate. It’s also one of the most affordable sources of calcium, vitamin D, and other essential micronutrients that athletic-minded individuals need to be at their best. In addition, numerous studies have been conducted on whey and casein (the two main proteins in milk) to help build muscle mass and promote recovery.


Many studies report that people who drink milk and dairy products have a lower risk of high blood pressure. The overall nutritional profile of milk, including calcium, potassium, and other micronutrients in milk, helps maintain healthy blood pressure. Studies have shown that those who prefer more dairy and milk have less of a rise in systolic blood pressure over time.
A meta-analysis analyzed the results of many studies in which 45,000 subjects and 11,500 high blood pressure cases reported that dairy consumption was associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure. The association was more pronounced with low-fat dairy products than with full-fat foods. Additionally, the acclaimed DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) diet calls for 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy products (like milk) along with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to lower blood pressure.


Can you really “milk”? Research shows yes.
The high-quality protein in milk can help increase satiety and reduce hunger and appetite, thereby reducing overeating and cravings for sweets and other carbohydrate-rich foods.In a review article published in Nutrition Research ReviewThe protein in milk enhances satiety more than carbohydrates or fat, and the whey and casein proteins in milk can help regulate food intake, lower blood sugar levels, and may help reduce body fat by promoting fat burning, researchers have revealed .
Drinking a glass of milk before meals can provide additional weight loss benefits.In another study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Subjects who consumed whey protein before a meal consumed fewer calories during the meal and had a lower glycemic response to the meal.


An article published in Nutrition Journal It has been found that people with prediabetes or at high risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent diabetes by including low-fat dairy products in their daily meal plan. Among the 639 adults who were followed for nearly a decade, those who reported adding more low-fat dairy to their diets were significantly more likely than those who reported consuming less than half a serving of dairy, the study reported. Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. every day. Those who reported drinking low-fat milk reduced their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 41 percent.
Adding a serving or two of milk to your meals and snacks is a great way to improve your overall health and well-being. Since milk is affordable and versatile, you’ll never tire of adding healthy milk to your diet.
Julie Upton, MS, RD, CSSD
Julie Upton is an award-winning registered dietitian and communications specialist who has written thousands of articles for national media outlets including The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report and USA Today.read more