What Makes Milk so Good for Us?

A simple 8 oz. glass of milk provides the body with 9 essential nutrients; this makes milk one of the most nutrient-dense foods. Being nutrient-dense means that it provides a high level of essential nutrients compared to its calorie level. One serving of milk provides 10% or more of the recommended daily intake for calcium, vitamin D (if fortified), protein, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B12, riboflavin and phosphorus.

As a young boy I know that I was always told to drink milk to make my bones strong because of the calcium in milk. Milk provides about 300 milligrams of calcium per 8 oz serving. A diet that includes three servings of milk each day provides enough calcium and other nutrients that may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis, high blood pressure and colon cancer.

It would be too difficult for the body to obtain the essential amount of calcium that it needs without drinking milk. To meet calcium requirements, the following number of servings of milk per day is preferred: children between 4 years to 8 years is 3 servings, children between 9 years and 18 years is 4 servings, adults between 19 years and 50 years is 3 servings, and adults 50 years and up is 4 servings.

Here are some other interesting facts about milk in regards to its nutrient levels:
Calcium -30% of daily value for body per serving
Vitamin D - 10% of daily value for body per serving
Protein - 16% of daily value for body per serving
Potassium - 11% of daily value for body per serving
Vitamin A - 6-10% of daily value for body per serving
Vitamin B12 - 13% of daily value for body per serving
Riboflavin - 14% of daily value for body per serving
Niacin - 10% dietary reference intake per serving
Phosphorus - 10% of daily value for body per serving