Happy New Year!

Greetings,

The new year is a time for reflection and resolutions, and I’ve heard many people say that they will use it as an opportunity to begin a more nutritious, well-balanced diet. For the last 97 years, National Dairy Council (NDC) has worked to provide the tools to help Americans build healthier lifestyles that include nutrient-rich milk, cheese and yogurt. In 2012, we will continue to exemplify this commitment to America’s health through:

Healthy Products – The dairy industry is constantly innovating to provide the products people seek for their evolving health and wellness needs. For example, since 2006, U.S. dairy farmers and organizations have worked together to reduce added sugars in flavored milk offered in schools by 38 percent. This innovation has helped make most flavored milk available this school year 150 calories or less per serving – approximately 31 calories more than white milk. Since 2007, we’ve also introduced more than 200 cheeses that are reduced-fat, low-fat or fat-free.

Healthy Planet – The nation’s dairy farm families make an effort to protect the environment and the communities where they live and work. Compared to 1944, U.S. dairy farmers have a 63 percent smaller carbon footprint than they did some 60 years ago.

Healthy People – Since 1915, NDC has been committed to nutrition education and a leader in promoting child health and wellness through programs such as Fuel Up to Play 60 . After just two short years, the program is working in more than 70,000 schools, which represents more than 36 million youth across the country, to encourage the availability and consumption of nutrient-dense foods and access to physical activity in accordance with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

You can find more information here about the dairy industry’s efforts to produce innovative dairy products; help youth make healthy, sustainable changes in schools; and inform consumers about the efforts dairy farmers take to preserve the environment and enhance the communities in which they live. In a time of such progress, I could not be more excited to find out what’s next! I also want to thank all of you for your efforts to improve the health and wellness of this nation – here’s to a great start to 2012.

In good health,
Jean H. Ragalie, R.D.
President, National Dairy Council

Breaking News and Research

Dairy – Affordably Nutritious

Many Americans do not meet calcium, potassium or vitamin D recommendations. While some non-dairy foods can help people meet calcium recommendations, they do not provide the same nutrient package as dairy, and shortages of nutrients such as potassium, protein and phosphorus can occur, according to a new study in Nutrition Research.

In addition to the nutrient powerhouse dairy provides, milk, cheese and yogurt are also easy on the wallet. Another study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition shows that milk products provide 47 percent of calcium, 65 percent of vitamin D and are among the top sources of riboflavin, phosphorus, and vitamin B12, but only contribute 10-13 percent of calories to our diets. They are the lowest-cost sources of dietary calcium and among the lowest-cost sources of riboflavin and vitamin B12 in the American diet.

Want to receive more updates on the latest dairy science? Subscribe to Dairy Research Insights, the Dairy Research Institute’s monthly e-newsletter.

Fuel Up to Play 60

Fuel Up to Play 60 Partners with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move!

Fuel Up to Play 60, Let’s Move! and the Ad Council have partnered together to produce a public service announcement encouraging youth to join the Fuel Up to Play 60 movement. The programs also rally schools to meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Healthier US School Challenge through participation in Fuel Up to Play 60. Sam Kass, Senior Policy Adviser for Healthy Food Initiatives and Assistant White House Chef noted, “Like Chefs Move to Schools, Fuel Up to Play 60 offers resources that align with any school’s unique health and wellness goals. This customization helps make the program successful, and helps make students’ healthy changes sustainable because they address a specific need.”

Learn more about Fuel Up to Play 60 and Let’s Move! working together and get involved by visiting FuelUpToPlay60.com and LetsMove.gov.

Former NFL Player and Bill Ludwig Help Launch Fuel Up to Play 60 in San Antonio

Former NFL player Priest Holmes and Bill Ludwig of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service recently helped launch Fuel Up to Play 60 at Jackson Middle School in San Antonio, Texas. During a school pep rally, Holmes inspired students to be active by “playing 60” and “fueling up” with nutrient-rich foods. Afterwards, students enjoyed lunch from the cafeteria salad bar and milk station and showed off their obstacle course skills. For more on the event, read Ludwig’s USDA Blog post, where he mentions that the Fuel Up to Play 60 message to encourage youth to consume nutrient-rich foods and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day “goes hand-in-hand with our mission at the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.”

A Tailgate Party the Fuel Up to Play 60 Way!

Families from Carrie Busey Elementary School in Champaign, IL celebrated the football season with a Healthy Tailgate Party. University of Illinois athletes joined them as they enjoyed healthy foods, a milk mustache booth and a 3K walk/run.

Parents and district volunteers got involved, making the school-wide party a huge success. University of Illinois football players spoke to the students about the importance of nutrition and physical activity, and students led the athletes in yoga. The event reinforced to staff and students how much fun implementing Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Plays can be. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com for additional ways to get involved and check out the Playbook for interesting Plays, such as the Tailgate Party Play.

More from NDC

New Year, New You?

It’s extremely common – you make a new year’s resolution and by the third week (or perhaps day) of January, you’ve given up. Sound familiar? Instead of losing sight of healthy eating and exercise goals, try these tips to help you keep your resolution year round:

• Be flexible. Don’t think of things as being black and white. Making a pledge to avoid sweets might seem like a grand idea, but you’re likely setting yourself up for failure. Instead, set a goal to limit treats to a couple each week. This approach echoes the latest USDA MyPlate message: “Enjoy food, but eat less.”
• Be reasonable. Transformations take time, but even small changes can make big differences if you’re in it for the long haul. Try taking the stairs when possible, parking in the back of the parking lot and swapping for lower-calorie versions of your favorite foods. For instance, you can use yogurt in place of mayonnaise in many recipes. It is more motivational to reach what you’ve set out to do, so make short-term goals and reward yourself for meeting them – but not with food. Then once you’ve met a goal, alter it to make it more challenging.
• Share your resolution. Tell your friends and family about your resolution or team up with a friend who shares your goals. Either way, this will help keep you accountable and provide needed support. And don’t forget about the power of competition!

Refuel in the New Year with Chocolate Milk

Marathoner and National Dairy Council spokesperson Stephanie Cundith, MS, RD, LD vows to train smarter for her races in 2012 and in a new post on NDC’s blog, The Dairy Report, provides several reasons why fat-free chocolate milk supports her resolution:

• Scientific support – A recent review of research points to chocolate milk as an effective beverage for muscle recovery. Specifically, the review noted that the protein and carbohydrate content of fat-free chocolate milk makes it an ideal choice to support an athlete’s skeletal muscle and whole body recovery following endurance exercise. The review also lists chocolate milk as an effective rehydration source due to its water and electrolyte content.
• Nutritional powerhouse – Chocolate milk tends to deliver more nutrients than other competing sports beverages, including calcium and vitamin D for strong bones, carbohydrates for energy, protein for healthy muscles, and fluid and electrolytes to support hydration.
• Great taste – When compared to other sports beverages, I’ve found there is nothing more satisfying than the refreshing flavor of chocolate milk after a long training run.

Warm Hands and Hearts with Three Cheese Black Bean Chili

You’ll be able to warm the entire family with our delightful Three Cheese Black Bean Chili, perfect for cold winter months. In addition, a serving of this recipe is an excellent source of calcium and fiber, so you’ll feel great about feeding it to your loved ones.

For more recipes, visit the Recipes section of NDC.org.

Three Cheese Black Bean Chili Makes 8 Servings Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 120 min
Ingredients
	2 large onions, diced
	2 tbsp. olive oil
	1/4 cup tomato paste
	1 tbsp. chili powder
	1 tbsp. cocoa powder
	1 tsp. cumin seed
	3 medium carrots, chopped
	2 ribs celery, sliced
	3 small jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
	1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
	2 cups cooked or canned black beans, rinsed
	6-12oz. tomato juice
	1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Mozzarella cheese
	1 cup (4 oz.) reduced fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese
	1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Instructions Sauté onions in oil over medium high heat in large saucepan until translucent; about three minutes. Add tomato paste, chili powder, cocoa powder and cumin, and cook until mixture caramelizes to a dark brown; about ten minutes. Stir in carrots, celery and jalapeños and stir to coat. Add crushed tomatoes and beans. Stir in tomato juice to your preferred consistency. Simmer for at least an hour, but only up to two hours.Preheat broiler. Stir Mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheese into chili and top with shredded Cheddar. Broil until cheese is bubbly; about four minutes. Recipe created by 3-Every-Day™ of Dairy Nutritional Facts (per serving; makes 8 servings) Calories: 300 Total Fat: 14 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 35 mg Sodium: 550 mg Calcium: 35% Daily Value Protein: 17 g Carbohydrates: 28 g Dietary Fiber: 8 g A serving of the chili also provides potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, phosphorus, manganese, molybdenum, iron, vitamin K, thiamin, vitamin B6, magnesium and copper.

Dairy Fact of the Month

In 1856, Dr. Louis Pasteur discovered that heat killed harmful bacteria. Today we use this process, called pasteurization, to make milk safe to drink.