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Dairy Council
back to Nutrition

Benefits of Milk & Dairy Nutrients

Nutrients in Milk

Milk contains a variety of important nutrients - it's rich in protein, calcium, iodine, and vitamins B2 and B12. It also provides potassium and phosphorus

Find out more about the benefits of the nutrients in milk and how they contribute to many different functions in our bodies:

Protein

Maintenance of normal bone

Muscle growth

Muscle maintenance

Normal bone growth and development in children

Calcium

Normal growth and development of bones

Maintenance of normal bones

Maintenance of normal teeth

Normal blood clotting

Normal energ–yielding metabolism

Normal muscle function

Process of cell division

Normal neurotransmission

Iodine

Normal growth of children

Normal energy–yeilding metabolism

Maintenance of normal skin

Normal functioning of the nervous system

Normal cognitive function

Normal production and function of thyroid hormones

Vitamin B2

Normal energy–yielding metabolism

Maintenance of normal skin

Normal functioning of the nervous system

Maintenance of normal vision

Normal iron metabolism

Maintenance of normal red blood cells

Reduction of tiredness and fatigue

Vitamin B12

Normal energy–yielding metabolism

Normal red blood cell formation

Process of cell division

Normal immune function

Normal psychological function

Reduction of tiredness and fatigue

Potassium

Normal functioning of the nervous system

Maintenance of normal blood pressure

Normal muscle function

Phosphorus

Normal growth and development of bone

Maintenance of normal teeth

Normal function of cell membranes

Normal energy–yielding metabolism

Children

Milk can make a valuable contribution to meeting children's nutrient requirements.

The following shows the percentage (%) of a primary school child’s nutrient needs* provided by a carton of semi–skimmed school milk (189ml)

Nutrient

  • Vitamin B2

  • Vitamin B12

  • Calcium

  • Phosphorus

  • Iodine

  • Protein

4–6 years

  • 59%

  • 100%+

  • 52%

  • 52%

  • 28%

  • 34%

7–10 years

  • 47%

  • 100%+

  • 43%

  • 41%

  • 15%

  • 24%

* Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI)

Find out more about the benefits of the nutrients in milk for school children

Milk and children

Teenagers

The following shows the percentage (%) of a teenager’s nutrient needs* provided by one glass of semi–skimmed milk (200ml):

Nutrient

  • Vitamin B2

  • Vitamin B12

  • Calcium

  • Phosphorus

  • Iodine

  • Protein

Female 11-14 years

  • 45%

  • 100%+

  • 31%

  • 31%

  • 48%

  • 17%

Male 11-14 years

  • 42%

  • 100%+

  • 25%

  • 25%

  • 48%

  • 17%

*Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for male and females 11–14 years

Nutrient

  • Vitamin B2

  • Vitamin B12

  • Calcium

  • Phosphorus

  • Iodine

  • Protein

Female 15-18 years

  • 45%

  • 100%+

  • 31%

  • 31%

  • 44%

  • 16%

Male 15-18 years

  • 38%

  • 100%+

  • 25%

  • 25%

  • 44%

  • 13%

*Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for male and females 15–18 years

Find out more about the benefits of the nutrients in milk for teens:

Milk and teenagers

Adults

The following shows the percentage (%) of an adult’s nutrient needs* provided by one glass of semi–skimmed milk (200ml):

Nutrient

  • Vitamin B2

  • Vitamin B12

  • Calcium

  • Phosphorus

  • Iodine

  • Protein

Female

  • 45%

  • 100%+

  • 35%

  • 35%

  • 44%

  • 16%

Male

  • 38%

  • 100%+

  • 35%

  • 35%

  • 44%

  • 13%

*Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for male and females 19+ years

Milk and adults

Find out more about the different types of milk and their fat and calorie content.

Nutrients in Cheese

Cheese is a source of essential nutrients. One 30g serving of cheese (such as cheddar) is rich in protein and also contains calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B12.

Protein

Maintenance of normal bone

Muscle growth

Muscle maintenance

Normal bone growth and development in children

Calcium

Normal growth and development of bones

Maintenance of normal bones

Maintenance of normal teeth

Normal blood clotting

Normal energy–yielding metabolism

Normal muscle function

Process of cell division

Normal neurotransmission

Phosphorus

Normal growth and development of bone

Maintenance of normal teeth

Normal function of cell membranes

Normal energy–yielding metabolism

Vitamin B12

Normal energy–yielding metabolism

Normal red blood cell formation

Process of cell division

Normal immune function

Normal psychological function

Reduction of tiredness and fatigue

Nutrients in Yogurt

Yogurt provides several nutrients needed in a healthy balanced diet. A pot of yogurt (150g) is packed full of protein and contains the minerals calcium, phosphorus and iodine, as well as vitamin B2 and vitamin B12.

The table below shows how each of these nutrients contributes to a healthy, balanced diet:

Protein

Maintenance of normal bone

Muscle growth

Muscle maintenance

Normal bone growth and development in children

Calcium

Normal growth and development of bones

Maintenance of normal bones

Maintenance of normal teeth

Normal blood clotting

Normal energ–yielding metabolism

Normal muscle function

Process of cell division

Normal neurotransmission

Iodine

Normal growth of children

Normal energy–yielding metabolism

Maintenance of normal skin

Normal functioning of the nervous system

Normal cognitive function

Normal production and function of thyroid hormones

Phosphorus

Normal growth and development of bone

Maintenance of normal teeth

Normal function of cell membranes

Normal energy–yielding metabolism

Vitamin B2

Normal energy–yielding metabolism

Maintenance of normal skin

Normal functioning of the nervous system

Maintenance of normal vision

Normal iron metabolism

Maintenance of normal red blood cells

Reduction of tiredness and fatigue

Vitamin B12

Normal energy–yielding metabolism

Normal red blood cell formation

Process of cell division

Normal immune function

Normal psychological function

Reduction of tiredness and fatigue

Health Professionals

This section of our website is specifically for nutrition and health professionals to help keep you up to date with the latest nutrition research, particularly in relation to milk and dairy products. You’ll find summaries and presentations from our conferences and events, together with scientific overviews of dairy and health topics.