Milk and dairy products contain valuable nutrients that our bodies need, which is why dairy – along with vegetables, fruit, potatoes, and grains – is a cornerstone of our diet. Dairy is particularly remarkable because of its high concentrations of important nutrients compared to the calories it contains.
Health authorities like the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advise daily consumption of milk and dairy products. In its “Guidelines for a Healthy Diet” published in 2015, the Health Council of the Netherlands confirmed dairy’s key role in our diet and advised that we keep our consumption of dairy at its current levels. “Consume a few portions of dairy, such as milk or yogurt, every day” is the Council’s advice in the summary of its report.
Dairy is an important source of essential nutrients like calcium, vitamins B2 and B12, and high-quality protein. One glass of milk contains significant levels of the recommended daily amounts of vitamin B2 (25%), vitamin B12 (35%), calcium (30%), and phosphorous (30%). This is why the Netherlands Nutrition Centre included milk and dairy products in its widely-known Wheel of Five.
