Nutrient Contribution
The contribution of milk products (milk, yogurt and cheese) to the daily nutrient intake of Canadians is divided as follows.1
- Calories: 13 %
- Proteins: 20 %
- Fat: 18 %
- Vitamin D: 60 %
- Vitamin B12: 31 %
- Riboflavin: 30 %
- Vitamin A: 23 %
- Calcium: 53 %
- Phosphorus : 29 %
- Zinc: 18 %
- Potassium: 17 %
- Magnesium: 14 %
An American study (n=18,000) evaluated the impact of milk products on nutrient intakes in the U.S.2 Intakes of all micronutrients examined (with the exception of vitamin C, of which milk products are not a source), were higher with increasing quartiles of total intakes of milk and milk products. Subjects who met or surpassed the "adequate intake" for calcium consumed more servings of milk products every day, than those who did not:
- 1,8 servings of total milk products,
- 1,4 servings of milk,
- 0,4 servings of cheese.
Individuals who got their calcium from sources other than milk products failed to meet the nutrient profile of those who consumed milk products.2
In addition to more calcium, higher intakes of milk products were associated with significantly higher intakes of several nutrients.2
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Zinc
- Iron
- Vitamin A
- Riboflavin
- Folic Acid
Choosing a variety of milk products also contributes significantly to the nutrient profile.3 Women who consumed an additional daily serving of milk products improved the nutrient quality of their diet, and those who also consumed an additional type of milk product improved it even more.3
References
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Statistics of the Canadian dairy industry (PDF). 2007.
- Weinberg LG et al. 2004. Nutrient contributions of dairy foods in the United States, continuing survey of food intakes by individuals, 1994–1996, 1998. J Am Diet Assoc 104:895-902.
- Foote JA et al. 2004. Dietary variety increases the probability of nutrient adequacy among adultsJ Nutr 134:1779-1785.
Nutrients in Milk Products Keywords
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