The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend getting three or more servings of dairy products per day, but that’s not because dairy products will help you lose weight. It's because dairy products can be good for overall health.

For example, when dairy is fortified (with vitamins A and D), it is one of the most nutrient-dense sources of calcium, which means that the calcium in dairy is highly “bioavailable” per fairly low calories. (Bioavailable means calcium is available to be absorbed into the body). The glitch is that for those who are lactose-intolerant, calcium may not be as bioavailable. If this is the case, other sources of calcium are needed. (See the table below).

Calcium helps to prevent osteoporosis, and also plays a vital role in nerve and muscle function, clotting of blood, enzyme regulation, insulin secretion and overall bone strength. Most adults need 1000 mg of calcium per day.

Plain, lowfat yogurt with no added sugar or additives is an excellent dairy choice for calcium. The bacteria in yogurt are also beneficial for digestion. For people taking antibiotics, eating some yogurt helps to replenish the friendly bacteria that the antibiotics deplete.

So, if you like eating dairy foods, go ahead and enjoy them as a healthy part of your diet, particularly for the calcium benefits. Just don't be fooled into thinking that glass of milk will miraculously melt away flab!