Active lifestyles benefit from the nutrients in a healthy, balanced diet

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Active lifestyles benefit from the nutrients in a healthy, balanced diet

Friday, 06 November 2009 05:28

National Post

The old saying assures us "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." But if you really want to prevent or manage the effects of a whole range of diseases, build strong bones and maintain a healthy weight, have a glass of milk with that apple, experts say.

"For thousands of years we have known that milk is a great food," says Dr. Hope Weiler, Research Chair in nutritional development and aging at McGill University in Montreal. "Continuing research reveals more and more benefits of milk and milk products like yogurt and cheese all the time."

Have two to four servings a day of milk and milk products. It can be as simple as an eight-ounce glass of milk, two small 100-gram containers of yogurt and a 50-g piece of cheese half the size of a deck of cards, says Shannon Crocker, a registered dietitian in Hamilton.

More than one-third of children aged four to nine are not getting enough of these, she says. Between ages 10 to 16 years, 61 percent of boys and 83 percent of girls are not consuming the three servings a day.

Milk"s incredible strength as a disease preventer and body builder lies in its 16 nutrients, says Weiler. There are tissue builders, disease fighters, nutrients to lower high blood pressure and prevent colorectal cancer, necessary nutrients to build strong bones and even ingredients that work to control weight. They cover the alphabet from vitamin A to zinc.

The amount of each nutrients varies with the product; milk and some yogurts, for instance, even carry an extra boost of vitamin D, now added by processors to make sure their products pack an extra measure of healthy value.

- ENORMOUS HEALTH BENEFITS EVIDENT

"While there is lots of evidence to show that individually those 16 ingredients are of enormous health benefit, research now seems to indicate that taken together they create a synergy that amplifies their effect," says Dr. Brian Roy, director of the Centre for Muscle Metabolism and Biophysics at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont.

He cites research that shows people who drink milk after working out derive far more benefit than those who consume sports drinks or water. For example, milk drinkers build more muscle mass, have a greater reduction in body fat and show a significant increase in strength.

"The amino acids from the protein in milk stay in the blood stream longer ," he says. "And this helps build muscle mass after exercise. The amino acids from protein in sports drinks peak quickly and then dissipate. Those in milk remain elevated longer."

Milk, which is 90 percent water, is also better at rehydrating the body and restoring fluid lost through sweating, Roy says. Water is simply taken in and then flushed out through the kidneys. Milk, however, has a high level of natural electrolytes that help the body retain fluids.

Studies suggest chocolate milk may be an ideal post-exercise drink. "It provides a near optimal balance of carbohydrates and protein to repair and refuel the body," he says.

While it may seem surprising, milk can even help people lose weight, Roy says. Studies report calcium rich diets can prove effective as a weight loss regime, he says. Those studies have also shown diets rich in milk and milk products provide an extra boost to weight reduction.

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