Health & Nutrition
Why is dairy important for your health and nutrition?
Healthy teeth, bones and tummies!
Dairy foods are so important for helping kids grow strong and stay healthy.
Always the overachiever, dairy gives us more than 10 essential nutrients that support healthy blood, nerves, eyes, muscles, and skin. It also helps the body build and repair itself. That’s why the Australian Dietary Guidelines list dairy as a key food group for children.
How dairy helps kids stay healthy
Strong bones and teeth: dairy is full of calcium and protein, which help keep your bones and teeth strong. It also helps protect you from bone problems as you get older.
Muscle growth and repair: the protein in dairy helps your muscles grow and your body heal when you get hurt.
Energy and brain power: dairy gives you the energy you need to stay focused at school and run around at lunchtime!
Healthy tummy: yoghurt has healthy bacteria that help your tummy digest food properly and stay strong.
Fewer cavities: dairy foods like milk and cheese help keep your teeth strong and healthy.
Feeling full: dairy has protein and healthy fats that help you feel full for longer, so you won’t always be hunting for snacks!
How much dairy do I need?
This video explains why dairy is so good for your body and how much you should have each day as part of a balanced diet.
Recommended serves:
- 4-8 years old: 1.5 serves
- 9-11 years old: 2.5 serves
- 12-18 years old: 3.5 serves
One serve looks like:
- 1 cup (250ml) of milk
- ¾ cup (200g) of yoghurt
- 2 slices (40g) of cheese
- ½ cup (120 g) of ricotta cheese
Let’s play!
Explore interactive dairy games, designed to bring learning to life.
Energy for sport and exercise
Let’s learn about carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
If you play sport, eating the right kinds of foods is important to make sure you have enough energy to play at your best, help your tired muscles recover and stay well hydrated.
Carbohydrates give you energy to play and be active. They turn into fuel (called glucose) that your body stores in your muscles. You need carbohydrates to run, jump, and play for longer without getting tired. Milk and yoghurt are good sources of carbohydrates in the form of the natural milk sugar, lactose.
Protein helps build and repair your muscles, especially after exercise. Milk, cheese and yoghurt all contain protein to help you recover from physical activities.
A healthy diet includes moderate amounts of fat from nutrient-rich foods. Fat gives your body energy, especially during long activities. It also helps you stay healthy by giving you vitamins. Healthy fats are found in lots of different dairy products.