How Your Body Grows

Your body needs nutritious foods to grow and stay healthy. Nutritious foods also give you energy for learning and playing.

Milk is rich in protein and calcium which is needed during childhood and teen years to help build strong bones and build the muscles children need to develop fully.

Milk is natural with no additives and is a major constituent of any healthy diet. Dentists and dieticians agree that the best drinks for children are water and milk, particularly between meals. Water quenches thirst, but it can't provide the wide range of nutrients found in milk.

Your bones are growing right along with you. Your "growth spurt" typically starts around 11-13 years of age, and the "spurt" is usually done by the time you're 15 -19 years old. Nearly half of all bone is formed during these years! But even after your bones have stopped growing in length, they are still growing strong "inside." That's why you need to continuously pack your bones with calcium to help make them as dense and strong as possible throughout your life.

Milk is the best natural source of calcium and a big percentage of your recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals: protein, calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin, vitamin D and vitamin B-12.

Why are these nutrients important?

Carbohydrates - Major source of energy. All food provides energy, which is measured in kilocalories or kilojoules. Our body burns this energy all the time to keep us functioning properly.

Protein - This is needed for the growth, maintenance and repair of our body tissues (e.g. hair, skin and muscles) and in the production of enzymes and hormones. It is rich in amino acids such as lysine and tryptophan which are essential amino acids as the body cannot manufacture them.

Fat - Fat contains the fat-soluble vitamins A and D. Fat also supplies essential fatty acids and increases dietary palatability.

Calcium and Phosphorus - These are minerals which work together to keep our bones and teeth strong (growth, development and maintenance). They have a role in blood clotting, muscle contraction and enzyme secretion. Our body absorbs the same amount of calcium from one 200ml glass of milk as from four servings of broccoli.

Vitamin A - This vitamin occurs in two forms: preformed as retinol and carotene (found in fruit and vegetables) which are also converted to retinol in the small intestine. Vitamin A has roles in healthy vision, bone growth and reproduction. It also helps regulate the immune system, which is important to prevent and fight infections. Inadequate amounts of vitamin A can cause vision impairment, especially at night. Although not found in skimmed milk, milk and milk products contributed 14% of preformed vitamin A in the last national survey of British adults.

Vitamin D - Required for the absorption of calcium and therefore important for the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth.

Riboflavin - Required to help growth and to help the body release energy that food supplies. Milk and milk products contributed more than a quarter of riboflavin intake in the British diet. Riboflavin is important for the health of the cells of the intestine and is important in iron absorption.

Vitamin B12 - This is essential for our growth and the formation of red blood cells and for our nervous system.

Be Active!

Bones become more dense (or thick) with exercise. So make sure that you pick a hobby you like to do, whether that's soccer, dancing, biking, walking or even in-line skating. Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes at least three times a week will make your bones rough and tough and it's FUN!

You're never too young (or too old) to benefit from drinking Milk.

There are many great reasons to get enough calcium in your diet and this never stops. This essential mineral is needed to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Adequate dietary calcium is the best insurance against osteoporosis and it also helps prevent or control high blood pressure.

Milk and Heart Disease

Milk plays a key role in any diet by providing essential vitamins and minerals in the most natural manner. Furthermore the calcium content of milk that helps build and maintain healthy bones also has a role to play in the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure, a major contributor to heart disease and coronary failure.

High blood pressure affects over 10 million people in the UK. The higher your blood pressure, the greater your risk of stroke, heart attack and heart failure.

If you would like to know more about high blood pressure and heart disease, call the Jersey branch of the British Heart Foundation helpline, tel: (01534) 483626