• Nutrients and their roles
• Health benefits

Consult the appendix

Consult the appendix

Numerous health benefits

Much more than you think

Milk, yogurt and cheese promote good overall health. That's why it's important to consume milk products every day and at every stage of life, from infancy throughout adulthood. Several studies have also shown that milk products could contribute to the prevention of certain diseases or conditions such as hypertension, obesity, colon cancer and osteoporosis.

Hypertension

Hypertension is the main risk factor for mortality in Canada, with over five million Canadians affected by this disease.⁴ According to scientific studies, consuming the recommended servings of milk products, as part of a healthy diet also rich in vegetables and fruits, could have significant benefits for lowering blood pressure.

Researchers believe that the beneficial effect of milk products could be due to their calcium, magnesium and potassium content, among other factors.

Healthy weight

Around thirty studies suggest that a diet rich in calcium or in milk products could make it easier to maintain a healthy weight or lose excess weight. In fact, it appears that calcium could make the body use fat as an energy source more efficiently and reduce fat storage in cells. Also, it seems that milk products could achieve this more effectively than calcium supplements, which suggests that other milk ingredients, such as protein, could play an important role, perhaps by reducing appetite.

So, consuming the recommended servings of milk products every day could help you manage your weight in a healthy way.

Colon cancer

Numerous scientific studies suggest that consuming milk and milk products could lower the risk of colon cancer. According to a report published by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research on the role played by diet and lifestyle in cancer prevention, there is enough data to conclude that milk probably helps prevent colorectal cancer.⁵

Further studies are still necessary to determine the precise mechanisms by which milk products and some of their components could reduce the risk of colon cancer. Researchers believe that the nutrients associated with this protective effect include calcium and vitamin D. Other elements may also be involved such as conjugated linoleic acid which is found in milk fat.

Osteoporosis

Vital for healthy bones, the calcium in milk products also contributes to the prevention of osteoporosis. This disease is characterized by low bone mass and the deterioration of bone tissue. As the body's bones become fragile, they also become more likely to be fractured. Bad falls often cause broken hips and wrists, and even fractures of the spine. Osteoporosis can severely reduce one's quality of life, and people who are unfortunate enough to suffer from the disease can even lose their autonomy.

The best way to prevent osteoporosis is to build up and maintain good bone mass, starting in childhood. Numerous studies have shown that a diet high in calcium increases bone mass during growth, slows bone loss during adulthood, and thereby reduces the risk of fractures.⁶

Milk products are a reliable source of calcium and also contain other nutrients that contribute to bone health (for example, protein and magnesium). In addition, the vitamin D added to milk improves the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which are crucial for strong bones.

Are you familiar with calcium bioavailability?

Simply put, it is the amount of calcium in a food that is absorbed by the body. Some foods such as spinach can contain a high level of calcium, but it is sometimes less well absorbed. However, these delicious leafy greens are packed with many other vitamins and minerals that are important for a balanced diet.

Furthermore, according to some studies, the calcium present in milk products could be more beneficial for bone health – and likely even for the prevention of osteoporosis – than calcium supplements.⁷