Over recent years, a push has been made for Americans to consume adequate amounts of protein throughout their day. This can be difficult to do as many Americans live an extremely busy lifestyle, in which picking up breakfast or dinner on the go could almost pass as the standard. So, how exactly are we hitting our protein goals? The answer is milk. A National Milk Producer’s Federation (NMPF) article recently highlighted the impact that milk has been making on recent consumer markets, making it one of the most highly desirable sources of protein.
Consumers are quickly dialing into the ingredients that are found in their milk. On the flip side, they are also diving into the ingredients that make up their plant-based beverages. While milk has a pretty simple ingredient list, our plant-based competitors do not. Consumers are quickly realizing this and are making the switch. “Driving much consumer interest in real milk consumption is the awareness that it’s a protein powerhouse. And that’s only part of the unique package of essential nutrients milk has to offer that leaves overengineered, nutritionally inferior plant-based substitutes in the dust,” NMPF said.
The U.S. has recently seen a 0.6% boost in milk consumption, a first since 2009. While milk prices were significantly cheaper in that year, consumers are drinking more milk because of its nutritional profile. This may seem like a minuscule addition, but it equates to nearly 42.98 billion pounds more consumption. That’s a lot of milk!
Although the rise in fluid milk is based on whole milk consumption, the dairy industry supports whichever type of real milk consumers choose to consume. With that said, the NMPF advocated that, “Whole milk’s popularity shows just how intrinsically tasty dairy is, as well as how much more popular milk could be if it, say, were offered on a school lunch menu to children who drink it at home.”
This idea has been put into action with the idea of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act being formed. If passed, this act would allow whole and 2% milk back into schools, matching what kids generally drink at home.
As consumers are looking to grab hold of more protein and natural foods, it’s safe to say that milk provides just that, along with the dairy aisle’s other extensive lineup, such as cottage cheese, and yogurt. After all, milk is nature’s most nearly perfect food!
