### Health Benefits of Low-Fat Dairy Products Low-fat dairy products offer numerous health benefits. Here are some key reasons to include them in your diet: 1. **Calcium and Protein**: Low-fat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and reduced-fat cheese are rich in calcium and protein. For example, a cup of lite nonfat yogurt provides a third of your daily recommended calcium intake and 17% of your daily protein intake. 2. **Vitamin D**: Many brands of low-fat milk are fortified with vitamin D, which is essential for bone health and may help reduce the risk of certain cancers and lower blood pressure. 3. **Bone Density**: Consuming calcium from food sources like low-fat dairy can improve bone density. Studies have shown that dairy consumption can lead to greater increases in bone mass compared to calcium supplements. 4. **Blood Pressure**: Research indicates that people who consume more low-fat dairy are less likely to develop high blood pressure. This may be due to the proteins in low-fat dairy that have effects similar to blood pressure-lowering drugs. 5. **Metabolic Syndrome**: Studies suggest that high dairy consumption is associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, which includes symptoms that increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease. 6. **Weight Management**: There is evidence that calcium from dairy products may help in regulating body weight. Including low-fat dairy in your diet can be beneficial for weight management. For these reasons, aim to include low-fat dairy products like skim or 1% low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, and reduced-fat cheese in your daily diet.