In the 1930s, June was dubbed National Milk Month to try and teach people about dairy and the benefits to drinking milk.

It has since evolved into National Dairy Month, and all aspects of the dairy industry are showcased. However, it’s still important to remember the benefits of eating and drinking dairy products, registered dietitian Amy Pleimling said.

Pleimling works for Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and helps patients learn about healthy eating habits. One of those healthy eating habits is consuming three servings of dairy a day. Dairy has calcium, which is widely known as the vitamin that helps create strong bones. Pleimling said that most milk is fortified with Vitamin D, as well, to help the body absorb all the calcium.

Dairy can come in the form of milk, yogurt and cheese, including cottage cheese but not cream cheese. Cream cheese is a dairy product, Pleimling said, but one would have to eat a lot of it to get the same nutrients that come from other cheeses.

Most of the population isn’t getting enough calcium, Pleimling said. The effects of this aren’t immediate, but show up over time. Not consuming enough dairy can lead to brittle bones, a higher increase of fracture and osteoporosis, Pleimling said.

Consuming low-fat dairy has also been linked to lowering blood pressure and increased weight control, the National Dairy Council said. Low-fat dairy would be skim or 1% milk, and any cheese or yogurt not made from whole milk.

Milk, especially chocolate milk, is also a good post-workout drink. The National Dairy Council touts it as “nature’s sports drink.” Milk has carbohydrates, protein and electrolytes, which can help replenish the body after a one-hour workout, the council said. However, Pleimling warned against getting too dependent on flavored milk.

“Flavored milk can fit into a healthy diet,” she said, but emphasized that it is more of a once and a while thing than a main source of dairy.

Pleimling also said that it isn’t healthy to exclude dairy all together. She said that some fad diets exclude entire food groups, like dairy, and explained that practice isn’t healthy.

“There’s no research,” she said.

For those who are lactose-intolerant, Pleimling said that calcium can be found in non-dairy based milks that are fortified with the vitamin, in other food sources or in a dairy product that doesn’t make the lactose intolerancy flare up.

In addition to providing 90 percent of the daily value of calcium, three servings of milk also provide potassium, phosphorus, protein, riboflavin, magnesium and vitamins A, D and B12.