Recommended daily intake

For Adults, youth and children: 3 serves of dairy is recommended i.e. milk, yo-
ghurt and cheese. The amount of dairy consumed can vary for different ages.
For example Teenagers need to be consuming more dairy than younger children
because they are at a time of growth. The amount of consumption varies be-
cause children are at a different time in their life compared to adults or people
that are aged 75+.
Active sportsperson
Active sportspeople need to be consum-
ing a healthy nutritious diet especially
containing carbohydrates, protein and
fats. Dairy products can provide many
nutrients needed to be an active person
including protein, carbohydrates, fats
and calcium. Dairy plays an important
role in the diet of an active sportsperson.
Calcium is a must for protecting against
stress fractures consuming low-fat milk
or yogurt and cheese can provide you
with the calcium you need. Dairy prod-
ucts play a big role on providing the
body with the nutrients it needs to be
exercising regularly.
Teenager
Youth is a time of change growth. Teenagers aged 12-
18 are going through a major growth spurt. Calcium is
essential for health bone growth. It is vital that teenag-
ers at this age consume the recommended amount
dairy in order for their bones to grow and strengthen. If
teenagers do not meet the recommended daily intake
for dairy their body will take calcium from the bones to
ensure normal cell function can be carried out, which
can lead to weakened bones which will affect their
growth development.
Infant
Infants over the age of 12months should consume 3 small serves dairy. For any
babies under the age of 12months it is recommended that breast milk is best
and should be consumed and then cows milk formula. Dairy is important for
children of this age because their bodies and their brains are developing and
growing. Calcium is important for healthy bone development and the develop-
ment of strong teeth. Dairy provides the infant with many nutrients and vitamins.
Strawberry Delight
Dairy in a diet
Dairy products play an important role in the diet and provide many different nutrients.
The recommended daily intake for dairy is 3 serves of dairy for adults, teenagers and
children. Three serves of dairy could be milk, yoghurt or cheese. You can simply have
a glass of milk, a tub of yoghurt and a slice of cheese. Although dairy products are nu-
tritious it is important not to eat too much dairy because some products can include a
high percentage of fat content.
Nutritional value
Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt all
provide the following beneficial nutrients:
Calcium - for healthy bones and teeth
Phosphorous - for energy release
Magnesium - for muscle function
Protein - for growth and repair
Folate - for production of healthy cells
Benefits of Dairy
Reduced blood pressure: a diet containing fruit and vegetables, and dairy products and low salt helps re-
duce blood pressure
Healthy teeth: dairy products contain calcium which helps teeth grow and stay strong and healthy.
Reduced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes: research shows that consumption of low fat dairy products can
reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In our survey, we ask the year 5
& 6 class at Derrinallum P-12 Col-
lege, a series of questons on
dairy. The questons included
what does a serve mean, what is
the correct servings of dairy a
day, is dairy healthy & what
foods contain dairy. The outcome
showed that the year 5/6 class
met the average level of
knowledge of dairy for their age.
References
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/
www.dairynutrition.ca/
www.heartfoundation.org.au/