Harvey milk day

Milk's Makeup
According to the National Dairy Council, milk is filled with nine essential nutrients that benefit our health:

• Calcium: Builds healthy bones and teeth; maintains bone mass
• Protein: Serves as a source of energy; builds/repairs muscle tissue
• Potassium: Helps maintain a healthy blood pressure
• Phosphorus: Helps strengthen bones and generate energy
• Vitamin D: Helps maintain bones
• Vitamin B12: Maintains healthy red blood cells and nerve tissue
• Vitamin A: Maintains the immune system; helps maintain normal vision and skin
• Riboflavin (B2): Converts food into energy
• Niacin: Metabolizes sugars and fatty acids

In other words, milk packs quite a punch when it comes to nutrition—and you don't have to drink a gallon to reap the benefits, the National Dairy Council says. In fact, the council says that just one 8-ounce glass of milk provides the same amount of vitamin D you'd get from 3.5 ounces of cooked salmon, as much calcium as 2 1/4 cups of broccoli, as much potassium as a small banana, as much vitamin A as two baby carrots and as much phosphorus as a cup of kidney beans!

5 Ways That Drinking Milk Can Improve Your Health

Milk has been enjoyed throughout the world for thousands of years (1Trusted Source).

By definition, it’s a nutrient-rich fluid that female mammals produce to feed their young.

The most commonly consumed types come from cows, sheep and goats.

Western countries drink cow’s milk most frequently.

Milk consumption is a hotly debated topic in the nutrition world, so you might wonder if it’s healthy or harmful.

Below are 5 science-backed health benefits of milk so you can decide if it’s the right choice for you.

1. Amazing Complexion

Cleopatra knew what she was doing when she took baths in milk. Milk helps to keep your skin supple, soft, and glowing. This is thanks to the many vitamins and nutrients that are essential to skin health. We’re not saying you need to fill a tub with milk and relax, but drinking at least two glasses per day will provide you with this benefit.

2.Healthy Bones

As mentioned above, milk is rich in calcium, which is essential for growth and the proper development of a strong bone structure. Bone disorders such as osteoporosis can be prevented with a significant daily intake of milk. Children deprived of cow’s milk have an increased chance of suffering from bone fractures when injured, and their healing time will be significantly higher if they don’t have a steady stream of calcium to aid in the regrowth of bone matter. [11]

3. Weight Loss

Studies have proven that women who drink milk daily are more likely to lose weight than women who do not drink milk. If you’re in search of a healthy snack, or fulfilling appetizer, drink a glass of milk. It’s also recommended that you have a glass during dinner or when eating fruit.

4.Skin Care

Have you heard of Cleopatra, the Queen of the Nile? She was considered to be one of the most beautiful women of all time. Well, it shouldn’t surprise you that she had a tradition of taking a milk bath every single day!

She used to mix honey and milk in the bath, which enabled her to maintain soft and beautiful skin. For thousands of years, it has been known to benefit our skin by helping us maintain a fair and smooth complexion. [14] Therefore, milk and its products are used in a number of cosmetic preparations to this day!

It is also good for treating dry skin, so if you have dry skin, apply milk on your face and other affected areas, leave it on for about 15 minutes and then wash it off.

The milk solids nourish and smooth your skin. The lactic acid present in milk is known to aid in removing dead skin cells, thereby rejuvenating your skin and keeping it fresh. Finally, simply drinking it, due to its impressive content of vitamin A, helps to improve skin, particularly since the antioxidant potential of it helps to eliminate free radicals, the dangerous byproducts of cellular metabolism that are partially responsible for premature aging of the skin, resulting in wrinkles and age spots.

5. It's A Good Source of Quality Protein

Milk is a rich source of protein, with just one cup containing 8 grams.

Protein is necessary for many vital functions in your body, including growth and development, cellular repair and immune system regulation (13Trusted Source).

Milk is considered a “complete protein,” meaning it contains all nine of the essential amino acids necessary for your body to function at an optimal level (14Trusted Source).

There are two main types of protein found in milk — casein and whey protein. Both are considered high-quality proteins.

Casein makes up the majority of the protein found in cow’s milk, comprising 70–80% of the total protein content. Whey accounts for around 20% (15Trusted Source).

Whey protein contains the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, all of which are linked to health benefits.

Branched-chain amino acids may be particularly helpful in building muscle, preventing muscle loss and providing fuel during exercise (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).

Drinking milk is associated with a lower risk of age-related muscle loss in several studies.

In fact, higher consumption of milk and milk products has been linked to greater whole-body muscle mass and better physical performance in older adults (18Trusted Source).

Milk has also been shown to boost muscle repair in athletes.

In fact, several studies have demonstrated that drinking milk after a workout can decrease muscle damage, promote muscle repair, increase strength and even decrease muscle soreness (19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).

Plus, it’s a natural alternative to highly processed protein drinks marketed toward post-workout recovery.