Healthy Dairy Products

According to the USDA/DHHS Dietary Guidelines for Americans, milk and other dairy foods are recognized as one of the five major food groups. They advise Americans to consume 2 to 3 servings per day of dairy foods. Milk has been shown to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, hypertension, and colon cancer. It may help to reduce the risk of kidney stones. Certain cheeses may help to reduce the risk of dental decay. Cheese may also reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as some cancers and heart disease. It is also an important source of calcium. What constitutes a "healthy dairy" product, however, is controversial. Some feel that conventional commercial dairy milk is bad for your health. They say that growth hormones fed to cows to increase milk production, as well as antibiotics fed to them to prevent disease is not good for our health. They also state that pasteurized milk destroys things such as friendly bacteria as well as vitamins B12,Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C.