1. The Science of Milk A nutrition science education module September 2012

2. Overview The nine essential nutrients in dairy milk make it one of the healthiest foods in the country. But milk protein’s one-of-a-kind relationship with calcium and phosphorus is what makes the beverage so uniquely beneficial to teeth, bones and muscle health.

3. Lesson Components Video The Science of Milk, featuring Dr. Lloyd Metzger, PhD, professor, South Dakota State University Est. Runtime: 3 minutes Study Aids Milk’s Unique Nutrient Package (Fact Sheet) Milk Protein: Nature’s Special Packaging System (Diagram) Activity Multiple-Choice Quiz

4. What You Will Learn At the end of the lesson, students will: –Be aware of all nine essential nutrients in milk –Understand what makes milk protein different from many other proteins in nature –Know the scientific components of a casein micelle –Understand how the human digestive system processes milk protein so the nutrients are easily absorbed directly into the lower intestine

5. Additional Resources International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) idfa.org Midwest Dairy Association (MDA) midwestdairy.com National Dairy Council www.nationaldairycouncil.org US Dairy www.usdairy.com Dairy Makes Sense www.dairymakessense.com