Idaho Dairy Council

To a Healthier You with 3-A-Day of Dairy

Women's Health

Women are at unique risk for various nutrition-related diseases and conditions because of their specific dietary needs. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 3 cups a day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products (i.e., yogurt, cheese). This advice is especially important for women. Women's low consumption of dairy foods reduces their intake of essential nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D and may contribute to their risk for various diseases or disorders that can affect the length and quality of their lives. More…

Nutrient-Rich Diets

Eating right helps you feel great and stay healthy so you can live well, but sometimes it's hard to know what advice to follow or how to get started.

The Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition Web site offers fast and reliable information to help you eat the nutrient-rich way-that means getting the most vitamins, minerals and other nutrients-but not too many calories-from the foods you choose. The information here is based on nutrition guidelines from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) MyPyramid.

This site gives you the tools, tips and tactics you need to adopt a healthier eating plan, without a lot of time, but with a lot of great taste.

Start exploring the nutrient-rich way of eating now and check back for regular updates!

Whey

Whey protein is a high-quality protein derived from cow's milk. Compared to many other proteins, on a gram-to-gram basis, whey protein delivers more essential amino acids to the body and is absorbed quickly and efficiently. More…

Stronger Bones

Milk, cheese and yogurt provide a unique nutrient package. Studies to show dairy foods improve overall diet quality and offer benefits beyond bone health, including helping to prevent osteoporosis, reducing the risk of hypertension and assisting in weight loss.

No matter what your age, the calcium that comes from milk and dairy products is an essential part of promoting good health as well as good bone development and maintenance. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends three servings of milk and dairy products a day as part of a healthy diet. More...

Weight Management

Enjoying three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt as part of a nutrient-rich, balanced diet may help to maintain a healthy weight. Nutrient-rich dairy foods are a core part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Enjoying three cups of milk or milk products every day as part of a healthy diet as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines improves the overall nutritional quality of the diet, whether you are dieting or not. More...

Cancer

Some studies have shown that dairy foods may help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, including breast and colon. Preliminary research suggests that several components of dairy foods may have anti-cancer properties, including calcium, vitamin D, sphinglolipids, and a type of fatty acid known as CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). More...

Dental Health

Studies suggest that cheese can protect teeth against cavities. More...

Diabetes

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Associaiton found that higher dairy consumption among overweight young adults may protect against the development of obesity and insulin resistance syndrome, and may reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. More...

Lower Your Blood Pressure with Dairy

Is your blood pressure on the rise? Research shows that you can take matters into your own hand and start lowering your blood pressure with a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy such as milk, cheese and yogurt. This dietary approach is known as the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) The DASH diet has recently been shown to be even effective in keeping blood pressure low in growing children. More...

New Report Projects More than $200 Billion in Healthcare Cost Savings from Simple Diet Change

Increasing dairy intake each day could lead to a reduction in chronic disease risk and treatment costs. A recently published report suggests that eating 3 - 4 servings of dairy each day as part of a healthy diet could lead to healthcare cost savings of more than $200 billion over five years, and $26 billion in the first year alone. The report, which takes into account approximately 100 studies spanning two decades, is one of the first to analyze how small diet changes may contribute to significant healthcare cost savings and a healthier population. More...