Dairy-Based Ingredients
Pages 103-110
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/9780913250945.009
ISBN: 0-913250-94-5
Abstract
Topics Covered
- Nutrients in Dairy Products
- Vitamins and Minerals
- Protein Quality
- Milkfat
- Nutritional Concerns
- Milk Allergy
- Food Labeling
Introduction to Chapter
A nutrient is a constituent of food that, on ingestion, is used by the body for growth, maintenance, or repair of tissues. The six categories of nutrients are protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water. Food energy is derived from three nutrients: carbohydrates (4 kilocalories per gram), protein (4 kcal/g), and fat (9 kcal/g). Although vitamins and minerals contribute no calories or energy to the body, they play important roles in regulating various body processes and in forming structural components.
Milk and milk products contribute a significant proportion of nutrients to the human diet. Dairy foods other than butter contribute 75% of the calcium, 33% of the riboflavin, 34% of the phosphorus, 21% of the protein, 18% of the magnesium, 18% of the vitamin B-12, 16% of the vitamin A, 10% of the vitamin B-6, 8% of the thiamin, and most of the vitamin D in the U.S. food supply (1,2). Nearly all milk available in supermarkets is fortified with vitamin A and D to ensure an adequate supply of these vitamins. It is interesting to note that these key nutrients are provided with only 10% of the total calories in the U.S. food supply. Milk and dairy products are recognized as important constituents of a well-balanced, nutritionally adequate diet. In this regard, they complement and supplement nutrients available from grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, meat, seafood, and poultry.
