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SACRAMENTO, CA—June 26, 2008 – To help Californians lead healthier lifestyles—by making healthy choices from all of the food groups—Dairy Council of California addresses common misconceptions about milk and dairy foods.

"Conflicting information can cause many consumers to wonder if milk and dairy foods are healthy options," said Andrea Garen, registered dietitian and project manager with Dairy Council of California. "By addressing some of these concerns, we hope to renew consumers’ confidence in milk and dairy foods, which are naturally nutritious and contribute to overall good health in a number of ways."

Concern: Weight Control
The best way to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is to consume fewer calories than needed for daily activities and exercise. Many dairy foods are available in reduced-fat, reduced-calorie varieties that offer the same important package of nutrients like calcium, vitamin D and potassium as the full-fat products. Additionally, new research shows that dairy proteins, especially whey, excel in building muscle and reducing fat.

Concern: Lactose Intolerance
Several major medical and health organizations including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee, American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Medical Association advise that lactose intolerance, or the inability to digest the naturally occurring sugar in milk, is well managed by adjusting dairy food choices and eating patterns.

To enjoy dairy foods without discomfort:

• consume smaller amounts of milk at one time
• drink milk with meals or snacks, or try flavored milk
• choose naturally low-lactose dairy foods, such as cheese or yogurt
• look for lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk

Concern: Flavored Milk
Flavored milks contain the same important package of nutrients, like calcium, vitamin D, potassium, magnesium and high-quality protein, as regular milk. While the added flavoring can increase the calorie content of the milk by about 60 calories, studies show that this does not have an adverse impact on health. In fact, research published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found no significant difference in added sugar intake between groups of children who drank flavored versus plain milk, and body mass index (BMI) measures of milk-drinking children were either comparable to or lower than those of children who did not drink milk. Flavored milk is also better tolerated by people with lactose intolerance.

"The Dietary Guidelines for Americans identify milk and dairy foods as good sources of calcium and potassium, two nutrients of concern lacking in the diets of most Americans," said Garen. "Consumers can feel good about enjoying dairy foods as part of a healthy diet."

For further information on dairy foods, please visit www.dairycouncilofca.org. For articles on family nutrition, meal-planning tools and dairy-rich recipes, please visit www.mealsmatter.org, a free consumer website sponsored by Dairy Council of California. Healthy Eating Made Easier.

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