Dairy Facts and Myths

Despite a wealth of scientific evidence on the health benefits of dairy, there are still a number of commonly held misconceptions.

We want to help you cut through some of the myths about dairy and provide the facts about why dairy is so good.


Milk contains many nutrients

With 15 essential nutrients in milk, a balanced dose of dairy can help strengthen bones, boost your immunity, support a healthy heart and could even help you drop some kilos.


Milk and health concerns

Sometimes dairy has been unfairly blamed for causing all sorts of problems. Milk contains many essential vitamins and minerals to help support a healthy, well balanced diet.


  • Heart disease: There are a number of factors which can increase your risk of heart disease including inactivity, smoking, being overweight and a poor diet, high in fat and excess calories. Consuming low fat dairy products such as trim milk and reduced fat yoghurts as part of a varied healthy diet means that there is a way for everyone to enjoy the goodness of dairy. 

  • Asthma: While infants with allergies may be more likely to develop asthma later in life, research has illustrated that dairy products do not cause a person to become asthmatic. The most common cause of asthma is allergens in the air such as dust, pollen and mites.  Food is not a common trigger; in fact data indicates that only 2.5 per cent of the population suffering from asthma is triggered by food and drinks. 

  • Weight problems: Maintaining a healthy weight can be hard and there are many reasons why we gain weight. But essentially weight gain occurs when you eat more food than your body needs and unused energy (calories from food) is stored as body fat. Along with regular exercise, choosing reduced fat or low fat dairy varieties, which are lower in calories, can help adults to enjoy a healthy balanced diet.

  • Lactose intolerance: Lactose is the carbohydrate present in milk.  Normally lactose is digested by the lactase enzyme in the gut. Some people have lower levels of the lactase enzyme and are unable to break down all the lactose from their diet. Lactose intolerance is not an allergic reaction to dairy, but can result in uncomfortable tummy pains, bloating or diarrhoea. Most people can still enjoy the goodness of a serve of dairy by choosing foods with lower levels of lactose such as hard cheeses or yoghurt.