Did you know that dairy is considered its very own food group? Yes, along with fruit, vegetables, protein foods, and grains, dairy is one of the five major food groups. My Plate is a helpful tool to help us see what the food groups are and how much from each food group should fill our plates. Dairy is represented by the blue circle on MyPlate.
Dairy Group Includes
A variety of foods fall under the dairy group, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and lactose-free milk. Technically foods such as ice cream, cream, butter, cream cheese, and sour cream are also considered dairy. However, these foods are high in saturated fat (and high in sugar in the case of ice cream) and/or lower in calcium and other nutrients per serving size. Because of this, they are not included in the MyPlate categorization. Additionally, fortified soy milk and yogurt are not technically dairy. However, these foods provide a high amount of calcium and other nutrients, as well as a lower fat content per serving size. Therefore, they are included in this category as milk alternatives.
But, is Dairy Good for my Health? 
In general, it is recommended to consume dairy in low-fat forms. However, eating it with high fat content is OK, if consumed in smaller portions and in moderation. Dairy is one minute good for you and the next minute bad for you, depending on the latest diet trend or recent study.
These foods provide many important nutrients:
- calcium
- vitamin D (in foods that are fortified with vitamin D)
- vitamin A
- phosphorous
- riboflavin
- vitamin B12
- protein
- potassium
- zinc
- choline
- magnesium
- selenium
The calcium and vitamin D:
- Improve bone health especially in children and adolescents, when bone mass is being built.
- Improve bone health and prevent the onset the osteoporosis in adults, most of whom do not get enough of these nutrients.
More recently, fermented dairy has received a lot of attention. Things like kefir, yogurt, and some cheeses are fermented, whereby different strains of lactic acid bacteria, a probiotic, are introduced. These bacteria can transform some components of the milk into new compounds, some of which have prebiotic properties. These probiotics and prebiotics can have health benefits for those who east these fermented foods.
What and How Much Should I Eat or Drink?
Dairy can be an important source of calcium and vitamin D for many people.
- Children ages 1-18 need between 700-1300 milligrams of calcium per day and 15 micrograms (600 IU) of Vitamin D per day.
- Adults need between 1000-1200 milligrams of calcium per day and between 15-20 micrograms (600-800 IU) of Vitamin D per day.
For reference, one cup of vitamin D fortified milk provides about 300 milligrams of calcium and 4.5 micrograms of vitamin D. So, dairy can be one efficient way to get these important nutrients. For more details about how much dairy is recommended, see the table on MyPlate.gov.
Bottom line, eating dairy is a great way to get the calcium and vitamin D you need, among other nutrients. But, if you can’t consume it or choose not to, be sure you choose a variety of other foods providing these essential nutrients or talk with your health care provider about the need for a supplement.
