OHIO — During National Nutrition Month in March, health experts seek to highlight the importance of making informed food choices.
What You Need To Know
- A glass of real dairy milk has 13 essential nutrients that kids need for growth and development, including eight grams of high quality protein
- Lactose-free milk is still real dairy milk - with all the same nutritional benefits
- Research shows that substituting milk with non-dairy calcium sources like fortified soy milk or leafy greens leads to gaps in other key nutrients like protein, vitamin D, phosphorus, riboflavin, and potassium
Dairy milk continues to be a topic of debate among parents and nutrition influencers. Yet, doctors emphasize essential nutrients found in dairy milk are critical components for a balanced diet.
Spectrum News spoke with Dr. Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP, who is a pediatrician and working mom.
“I think a lot of parents don’t realize that it’s very difficult for their kids to get all the nutrition they need for proper growth and development without real dairy milk in their diet,” said Dr. Altmann. “Alternative milks are just not a nutritional substitute for real dairy milk. It’s not even a one-to-one switch.”
Click on the video box above for the full interview.