What’s Missing from Your Family’s Diet?

Help your family get their milk mustaches on and “pour one more” to get enough important nutrients each day.

A recent study called “What America’s Missing,” conducted by the government’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, revealed 90% of Americans fall short on 11 key nutrients in their diets. Three key nutrients included in the 11 were calcium, potassium and Vitamin D.

According to registered dietitian Elisa Zied, MS, RD, CDN and author of Feed Your Family Right! and Nutrition at Your Fingertips, “The nation’s nutrient shortages are directly linked to the under-consumption of the specific foods and beverages that supply these nutrients, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat milk.”

The three nutrients – calcium, potassium and Vitamin D have very key properties such as:

• Calcium – helps the body maintain strong teeth and bones
• Vitamin D – improves the absorption of calcium into bones
• Potassium – regulates fluid levels in your body

Milk contains all three of these nutrients. According to Zied, most Americans only get one glass a day, falling two glasses short of the amount necessary to get the daily quantity of 9 different nutrients, including all three of these. (Kids age 8 and under only need two glasses).

“Milk, in particular, is something that’s likely already in your refrigerator,” Zied said. “So it’s not too difficult to think about adding just one more serving a day. Also, the idea of ‘pouring one more’ can be accomplished in several ways – whether you’re filling up a glass with low-fat or fat fee milk, adding it to cereal or oatmeal, drinking a latte or making a smoothie.”

Zied says just one more glass a day closes the gap on 10 of the 11 nutrients that upwards of 280 million Americans are missing. It completes the requirement for calcium, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.

So “pour one more” for your family or find a creative way to weave in some more milk each day for a healthier family. For further ideas, tips, recipes and more information, visit WhyMilk.com.