June is National Dairy Month!

Give me a big milk mustache smile if you've heard the phrase "Got Milk?"  Many well-known people have been sporting milk mustaches in magazine ads and TV commercials, trying to get Americans to drink more milk.  June is National Dairy Month and your chance to celebrate healthy, non-fat or low-fat dairy foods!

Unfortunately, many of us don't drink enough milk.  For many Americans (of all ages), soda has replaced milk as the drink of choice.  Comparing the nutrients in milk to those in soda is no contest at all.  Milk gives us calcium, Vitamin D, and potassium to help our bones and teeth stay strong.  Milk also has a protein that helps us build and repair active muscles.  Soda and other sweetened beverages are sometimes called "liquid calories" because they give us nothing but calories!

Dairy foods are part of a healthy diet and one of the five food groups shown in MyPlate.  Low-fat or non-fat dairy is your best choice for milk, yogurt, and cheeses (Cheddar and Swiss are lowest in fat among the many cheeses).  The MyPlate website says that even lactose intolerant people may be able to enjoy smaller portions of dairy foods.

Why not try new dairy foods during National Dairy Month?  If milk isn't part of your day now, add it in small amounts!  Try a new type of cheese.  Give low-fat yogurt a try.  When June ends, keep dairy in your diet all year long!

For more information, visit ChooseMyPlate
For tasty dairy recipes, visit www.eatsmart.umd.edu and look in the recipe box.