Employee Assistance Program:

The Benefits of Dairy

Brianna Sommer
Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Student & Dietetic Intern
November 7th, 2018
Presentation Outline
● Sources of Dairy
● Composition of Dairy
● Daily Recommendations
● Health Benefits
● Research Trends
● Dairy Alternatives with Video
● MyPlate Dairy Quiz
● Taste Test!
Presentation Objectives
At the end of this presentation, attendees will be
able to:

1. Recall sources and composition of dairy products

2. Recall daily recommendations of dairy products
with appropriate serving sizes
3. Recall the benefits of dairy consumption
4. Describe current research trends in relation to
dairy consumption
5. Identify best dairy alternatives & non-dairy
sources of calcium
What sources of dairy
can you name?
Sources of Dairy
● Fluid Milk
○ Fat-free (skim) milk
○ Flavored milks
○ Lactose-free milks
○ Low-fat (1%) milk
○ Reduced fat (2%) milk
○ Whole milk
● Cheese
○ Hard Natural Cheeses: Cheddar, Gouda, Mozzarella, Muenster, Parmesan,
Provolone, Romano, Swiss
○ Soft Cheeses: Brie, Camembert, Cottage Cheese, Feta, Ricotta
○ Processed Cheeses: American, Cheese Spreads
Sources of Dairy
● Milk-Based Desserts
○ Frozen Yogurt
○ Ice cream
○ Puddings
○ Sherbet
○ Smoothies
● Yogurt
○ All milk-based yogurts
○ Soy milk yogurt*
● Non-Dairy Calcium Alternatives
○ Soy milk*

* Check label to ensure product is calcium-fortified!

What are fermented dairy products?
● Yogurt
○ Made by heating milk with bacteria
(i.e., Lactobacillus bulgaricus &
Streptococcus thermophilus) and
letting it sit for several hours at a
temperature between 110-115°F
○ Bacteria converts the lactose in milk
to lactic acid, which thickens the
milk to develop tart flavor
● Kefir
○ A sour-tasting drink made from
cow’s milk fermented with certain
bacteria
Dairy Composition
● Solids
○ Lactose (milk sugar)
○ Casein & Whey (milk
protein)
○ Fat
● Water
● Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins & Minerals
● Calcium
● Potassium
● Vitamin D
○ Maintains adequate calcium & phosphorus
levels
○ Milk and dairy alternatives are fortified
Daily Recommendations
One Cup Serving

● 1 cup milk, yogurt, or calcium-

fortified soy beverage
● 1.5 ounces natural cheese
● 2 ounces processed cheese
Why fat-free or low-fat?
● Full-fat dairy products are high in saturated fats and cholesterol
● High saturated fat consumption raises LDL cholesterol
○ Increases risk of coronary heart disease (CHD)
What are the benefits?
Health Benefits
● Bone Health
○ Calcium & Vitamin D
■ Bones and teeth development
■ Maintains bone mass
■ Reduced risk of osteoporosis
● Heart Health
○ Potassium
■ Healthy blood pressure
■ Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
● Muscle Health
○ Protein
■ Builds and maintains muscle
● Lowered risk of type 2 diabetes
What else does
the research say?
Inflammation
● Dairy intake was shown to:
○ Decrease inflammation in the body
○ Increase inflammation for those with a milk allergy

● Products that helped decrease inflammation were

low-fat, high-fat, and fermented dairy
● Main Takeaway:Dairy consumption may help reduce
inflammation related to chronic inflammatory
diseases
Weight Stabilization
● Two conflicting conclusions!
○ Higher dairy intake may lead to lower risk of unhealthy weight gain over time
○ High-fat dairy products are more satisfying, but not suggestive of weight
stabilization

● Main Takeaway: Dairy consumption may indirectly help people move

towards their natural healthy weight
Digestive Health
● What are probiotics?
○ Foods, beverages, and supplements containing specific
strains of live bacteria
● Research:
○ H. pylori infection improved through probiotic-containing
yogurt ingestion
○ Kefir components help improve the composition and function
of the digestive tract
● Main Takeaway: Probiotics found in dairy products
are essential for healthy function and composition of
the digestive tract
What have you heard
about dairy
alternatives?
Are Milk Substitutes Healthier Than Cow’s Milk?
Dairy Alternatives
● Soy Milk
● Coconut Milk
● Almond Milk
● Cashew Milk
● Hemp Milk
● Flaxseed Milk
● Rice Milk
● Plant-based Yogurt &
Cheeses
Non-Dairy Sources of Calcium
● Calcium-fortified juices, breads, cereals, rice milk, & almond milk
● Canned fish
● Soybeans, soy products, and some other beans
● Some leafy greens
High Calcium Low Oxalate Vegetables
● Calcium does not absorb well from food high in oxalates (oxalic acid)
○ High Oxalate Vegetables
■ Spinach, Rhubarb, & Beets
○ High Calcium/Low Oxalate Vegetables
■ Collard Greens, Turnip Greens, Bok Choy
■ Kale, Broccoli, Dandelion Greens
■ Mustard Greens, Okra, Chinese Cabbage
 MyPlate Dairy
Let’s put your
Quiz
new knowledge
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/quiz
to the test!
References
1. Dairy group food gallery. USDA MyPlate Website. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/dairy-group-food-gallery. Updated October
4, 2018. Accessed November 1, 2018.
2. All about the dairy group. USDA MyPlate Website. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/dairy. Updated August 10, 2018. Accessed
November 1, 2018.
3. Milk Chemistry. Cheese Science Toolkit Website. https://www.cheesescience.org/milk.html. Accessed November 1, 2018.
4. Nutrients and health benefits. USDA MyPlate Website. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/dairy-nutrients-health. Updated June
26, 2015. Accessed November 1, 2018.
5. U.S. Dairy Export Council. Dairy Proteins (Whey & Milk). Think USA Dairy Website. http://www.thinkusadairy.org/nutrition.
Accessed November 1, 2018.
6. Bordoni A, Danesi F, Dardevet D, et al. Dairy products and inflammation: A review of the clinical evidence. Crit Rev Food Sci
Nutr. 2017;57(12):2497-2525.
7. Pahwa R, Jialal I. Chronic Inflammation. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing; 2018.
8. Rautiainen S, Wang L, Lee I, Manson JE, Buring JE, Sesso HD. Dairy consumption in association with weight change and risk
of becoming overweight or obese in middle-aged and older women: A prospective cohort study. Am J Clin Nutr.
2016;103(4):979-988.
9. Jones KW, Eller LK, Parnell JA, Doyle-Baker PK, Edwards AL, Reimer RA. Effect of a dairy- and calcium-rich diet on weight
loss and appetite during energy restriction in overweight and obese adults: A randomized trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013;67:371-
376.
References
10. Bourrie BCT, Willing BP, Cotter PD. The microbiota and health promoting characterics of the fermented beverage kefir. Front
Micobiol. 2016;7:647.
11. The Nutrition Source. Yogurt. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Website.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/yogurt/. Accessed November 1, 2018.
12. Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Minute: What is kefir? YouTube Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvOTShbyFxA.
Published July 12, 2018. Accessed November 1, 2018.
13. BBC Earth Lab. Are Milk Substitutes Healthier Than Cow’s Milk? YouTube Video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUpQpWxMYtk. Published January 19, 2017. Accessed November 1, 2018.
14. All Silk Products. Silk Website. https://silk.com/products. Accessed November 2, 2018.
15. Non-dairy sources of calcium. USDA MyPlate Website. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/dairy-calcium-sources. Updated
October 4, 2018. Accessed November 1, 2018.
16. Quiz Table of Contents. USDA MyPlate Website. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/quiz. Accessed November 1, 2018.
17. Treatment for Osteoporosis: Nutrition. National Osteoporosis Foundation Website.
https://www.nof.org/patients/treatment/nutrition/. Accessed November 1, 2018.
Taste Test!
Questions?
Thank you for listening!