Celebrate National Dairy Month!

National Dairy Month began in 1937 as National Milk Month. Originally, National Milk Month was used to promote drinking milk and was later changed to National Dairy Month to incorporate other dairy products.

With nine essential nutrients, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, protein, vitamin D, vitamin A, Vitamin B12, riboflavin, and niacin, dairy is a nutrient powerhouse.

• Calcium: maintain healthy bones and teeth
• Potassium: regulates body’s fluid balance and maintains normal blood pressure
• Phosphorous: strengthens bones and generate energy
• Protein: repairs muscle tissue and generates energy
• Vitamin D: helps absorb calcium and enhances bone strength
• Vitamin A: maintains normal vision and skin and helps bones grow
• Vitamin B12: maintains healthy red blood and nerve cells
• Riboflavin: converts food into energy and maintains normal eyesight and healthy skin
• Niacin: digests sugars and fatty acids

Eating dairy products can reduce your risk of high blood pressure, bone disease, fractures, and cavities. It may improve sleep quality, alertness as well as rebuild muscles after physical activity and prevent muscle cramping. Dairy products help you maintain healthy hair, skin, and nails, too!

Frederick County is Maryland’s largest dairy-producing county. The county’s 103 dairy farms and over 14,200 milk cows help to provide one-third of the state’s milk production.