Articles by Sharon Gerdes

Most health professionals continue to recommend lower-fat milks, despite growing evidence for whole milk.

Retail sales of plant-based milk alternatives have reached $3.1 billion dollars in the United States and $20.9 billion worldwide. Yet, there’s no disputing the power of nutrients found in real dairy milk. In fact, real dairy milk contains nine essential nutrients, including 8 grams of protein; while almond milk, the most popular milk alternative, contains only 1 gram.

Protein plus added ingredients for mobility, blood-glucose control, and immune support help seniors navigate the challenges of aging.

Higher diversity is the hallmark of a healthy gut microbiome. 

Supplementing a plant-based diet with dairy protein increases muscle synthesis.

Immune health will continue to drive food and beverage purchases in 2022.

In 2021, 72% of consumers were trying to limit or avoid sugar entirely, according to a survey by the International Food Information Council (IFIC). Consuming less sugar will likely remain a key consumer goal in 2022.

At the recent 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, the United States announced that it would join the international Global Methane Pledge, which aims to limit methane emissions by 30%, compared to 2020 levels, by 2030. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that the U.S. dairy industry is already tackling.

Americans are snacking more often. The NPD Group notes that U.S. consumers added 25 between-meal snacking occasions per capita in the five years ending in 2020 (from 505 occasions in 2015 to 530 in 2020).

Across the globe, 400 million children consume a meal at school daily. These meals provide more than just good nutrition; in many underdeveloped countries, school lunch is an incentive for children to attend school.