Milk is very important for a healthy lifestyle. Drinking 2-3 cups of milk every day can help you give your body enough calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, protein, vitamin A, B12, C, and D, and may help lower blood pressure, and reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. [1] X Trustworthy Source Dairy Council of California Resource center focused on providing nutrition education to help consumers make healthy choices about eating and lifestyle habits. Go to source If you're concerned that you're not drinking enough milk, a few simple changes to your daily diet can make it easy to get the nutrients you need.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:
Drinking More Milk
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Drink milk every day. The USDA recommends that both children and adults should drink 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk (or equivalent dairy products) everyday in order to get the calcium and vitamins your body needs.
- Children are encouraged to drink whole milk until age 2 and then switch to 2% milk.
- If you don't like the taste of milk, try adding flavors like vanilla extract, banana extract, or strawberry syrup.
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Add milk to hot beverages. Try adding milk to your coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Milk will make your beverages creamy and smooth while reducing acidity and bitterness. [2] X Research source
- Be aware, though, that adding milk to tea may reduce the benefits of drinking tea. Milk proteins interfere with your body's ability to absorb the beneficial flavonoid antioxidants found in tea. [3] X Research source
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Use non-fat powdered milk. Powdered milk can be added to any recipe that calls for milk, and can be used in coffee as a nutritious, fat-free substitute for non-dairy creamer. You can even add non-fat powdered milk to a glass of milk to double your vitamin intake. [4] X Research source
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Make chocolate milk. For a sweet treat that will satisfy adults and children alike, try making your own chocolate milk at home.
- Mix cocoa powder, vanilla, milk, and sugar to taste. It's a simple, delicious recipe that will satisfy your craving for sweets without all the additives of store-bought chocolate milk. [5] X Research source
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Get creative. You can add milk to various recipes to make the food taste richer and creamier, while giving you an extra boost of vitamins and calcium.
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Try using milk to make smoothies. Adding milk will thicken your smoothie and help you bulk up on vitamins and nutrients. [6] X Trustworthy Source University of California San Francisco Health Center Research hospital associated with UCSF, a leading medical university, providing innovative patient care and public health resources Go to source
- Use a blender to mix ice, fruit, and non-fat or low-fat milk. If low-fat milk isn't thick enough for your smoothie, scoop in some creamy peanut butter for a richer, fuller flavor.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:
Changing Your Diet
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Change your milk. If you're used to drinking whole milk, gradually lower yourself down to skim milk. This will reduce your intake of calories and saturated fat. Step down slowly from whole milk to two percent milk, then down to one percent milk, and finally, skim milk.
- You may want to consider organic milk without added hormones.
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Count calories. While most varieties of milk do come with calories, you can make smart choices or substitutions to accommodate for those calories in your daily diet. Cut out "empty" calories from your diet and drink more milk instead.
- If you're unsure about whether you are getting enough dairy, or worry that you're consuming too much, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about dietary changes you can make for a better-balanced meal plan.
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Choose milk over soda. One twelve-ounce cup of skim milk has fewer calories than most twelve-ounce cans of soda, and delivers vitamins and nutrients that soda lacks. [7] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
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Make milk a priority. Milk and dairy products are essential for delivering the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to stay healthy and strong. You may need to cut out other parts of your diet if you're worried about fat and caloric intake, but milk should be a priority because of its many health benefits.
- Calcium keeps bones and teeth healthy. [8] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- Protein is a good source of energy and builds and repairs your muscle tissue.
- Potassium helps regulate blood pressure and is important for bone and muscle strength. [9] X Research source
- Phosphorus helps strengthen your bones and teeth. It also helps your body filter waste in the kidneys.
- Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorous. [10] X Research source
- Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy red blood cells and helps maintain nerve tissue. [11] X Research source
- Vitamin A helps maintain normal vision and healthy skin, teeth, and tissue. [12] X Research source
- Niacin , a B vitamin, can help regulate your cholesterol. [13] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
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Get your dairy from other sources. If you're worried about adding calories by drinking milk with a meal, try fat-free yogurt as a healthy snack. You can even make a breakfast out of yogurt by adding dry cereal, nuts, and fruit. [14] X Trustworthy Source Dairy Council of California Resource center focused on providing nutrition education to help consumers make healthy choices about eating and lifestyle habits. Go to sourceAdvertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:
Drinking Milk When You're Lactose Intolerant
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Drink a glass of milk with food. Some people who have a hard time digesting lactose (found in dairy products) find that combining milk with food makes it easier to digest. [15] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
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Take lactase enzyme tablets. These over-the-counter pills can be taken right before meals to help your body digest milk and dairy products. [16] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
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Buy lactose-free milk. Some dairies and milk producers add lactase directly to milk, so you can get the taste and nutritional value of milk without the risk of digestive problems. [17] X Research source
- Unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk and rice milk are all great alternatives.
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Try other dairy products. If drinking milk is not an option, opt for other milk products, like yogurt or cheese. Even though these foods are still made with milk, they may be easier to digest. [18] X Trustworthy Source National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Health information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to sourceAdvertisement
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow many glasses of milk should you drink a day?Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Claudia specializes in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss. She works at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences center, and has been working there since 2015. Before her current role, she worked as a Clinical Nutrition Manager at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she completed her 1200 hour dietetic internship. She received a BS in Nutrition Sciences from Southeast Missouri State University.The recommendation is to drink 2-3 glasses per day. Or, you could eat dairy foods instead.
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QuestionWhy you should drink milk every day?Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Claudia specializes in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss. She works at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences center, and has been working there since 2015. Before her current role, she worked as a Clinical Nutrition Manager at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she completed her 1200 hour dietetic internship. She received a BS in Nutrition Sciences from Southeast Missouri State University.Low-fat milk is a source of calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, protein, and vitamins A, B12, C, and D.
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QuestionIs it bad to drink a gallon of milk in one day?Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Claudia specializes in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss. She works at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences center, and has been working there since 2015. Before her current role, she worked as a Clinical Nutrition Manager at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she completed her 1200 hour dietetic internship. She received a BS in Nutrition Sciences from Southeast Missouri State University.Yes, that is too much milk in one day. A serving of milk is 8 ounces and you shouldn't have more than 3 servings per day.
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Tips
- Milk is not intended to replace food in your diet, as you need the nutrients from solid foods to survive. Instead, milk should be part of a balanced diet that includes protein-rich foods like meat or lentils, starch and grains like bread or rice, and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. [19] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to sourceThanks
- Some consumers may prefer purchasing organic milk to support sustainable farming practices. [20] X Research source
- Organic milk comes from cows that were not given antibiotics, so it doesn't contribute to the growing problem of bacterial resistance.
- Organic milk is very high in conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), an important healthy fat that has been shown to have links to reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes. [21] X Research source
Thanks - Pregnant people should drink milk, because the baby needs the calcium that is found inside the milk. But make sure that if you are pregnant you are only drinking pasteurized milk. [22] X Research sourceThanks
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Warnings
- Do not substitute ice cream for milk, because of fat and sugar content.Thanks
- Do not drink milk if you are lactose intolerant, vegan or both.Thanks
- Never drink unpasteurized milk, especially if you are pregnant. Drinking unpasteurized milk may expose you to listeria, a type of bacteria that can be fatal. You should also avoid cheeses that are made out of unpasteurized milk. [23] X Trustworthy Source US Food and Drug Administration U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health Go to sourceThanks
- Be aware that if you start drinking more milk, it will add to the amount of fluid you currently drink. If you already drink 10 cups of water and juice, generally you should not add 4 cups of milk on top of that. Try to cut a bit of the regular water out of your diet to make some space for the milk that you are adding to your diet.
- Do not replace healthy foods that are mandatory in your diet with milk. Milk is only healthy to a certain extent; doing that would be unhealthy and not recommended. Remember that while milk has protein, 8g is not enough to replace a protein source in a meal. View the protein in milk as bonus protein or protein that you consume in addition to the protein in your meal.
- Talk to your doctor before attempting any dietary changes.
Thanks
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References
- ↑ http://www.healthyeating.org/Healthy-Eating/All-Star-Foods/Milk-Dairy.aspx
- ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/25/coffee-milk-right-wrong_n_5525743.html
- ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/science/2007/jan/09/medicalresearch.medicineandhealth
- ↑ http://agr.wa.gov/FoodProg/docs/NonfatPowderMilk.pdf
- ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/26/chocolate-milk-recipe-homemade_n_2760250.html
- ↑ http://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/healthy_ways_to_increase_calories_and_protein/
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/drinks.html
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calcium-supplements/art-20047097
- ↑ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287212.php
- ↑ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161618.php
- ↑ http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-taking-vitamin-b12-7266.html
- ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002400.htm
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/niacin/art-20046208
- ↑ http://www.healthyeating.org/Milk-Dairy/Nutrients-in-Milk-Cheese-Yogurt/Yogurt-Nutrition.aspx
- ↑ http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_Am_I_Pregnant/hic_Good_Nutrition_During_Pregnancy_for_You_and_Your_Baby/hic_Increasing_Calcium_in_Your_Diet_During_Pregnancy
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lactose-intolerance/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20027906
- ↑ http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/differences-between-regular-lactosefree-milk-3178.html
- ↑ http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestive-diseases/lactose-intolerance/Pages/facts.aspx
- ↑ http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/Healthyeating.aspx
- ↑ http://www.nbcnews.com/id/14458802/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/organic-milk-are-benefits-worth-cost/#.VXieblxViko
- ↑ http://www.dairynutrition.ca/nutrients-in-milk-products/fat/what-is-cla
- ↑ http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/milk-and-dairy-products-advice-for-children-and-pregnant-women
- ↑ http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/consumers/ucm079516.htm
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