The food group ageing Australians must have in their diet

So they recruited some 7000 residents in 60 aged care facilities, giving half of participants increased serves of milk, cheese, yoghurt and skim milk powder to compare how each group fared. The results were unequivocal ­­– there was a 33 per cent reduction in fractures in the group that had increased dairy.

“The calcium [for bones] was the real wow factor and we’re starting to learn more about the protein and benefits in muscle,” Dr Iuliano says.

“If older adults have better muscle mass and function, they’re less likely to fall, and if the bone is less porous, if they fall, there’s a lower chance of them fracturing.”

At the same time, dairy is a good source of zinc, which is important for our immune system function.

“The immune system is critical now, especially with COVID, so we need to do everything we can to boost its function so that when [aged care residents] have the vaccine, the vaccine can be slightly more effective,” Dr Iuliano explains.

Now Dr Iuliano wants to spread the word about just how powerful dairy is from a young age.

“When children become teenagers and become more independent with their eating, there’s a drop-off in dairy,” she says.

“There was always a misconception that dairy was fattening – but if you [compare] a glass of milk to chips and a burger, there’s way more fat in the chips and burger than the milk. Often these misconceptions come from a lack of rigorous scientific evidence.”

How to eat dairy

Adults aged 18 to 50 should aim for two-and-a-half daily serves of milk, cheese and yoghurt, with adolescents and older Australians needing more serves for building and preserving bone and muscle mass.

Accredited practising dietitian Peta Cullis, director of dietetics at Fuel Your Life, is a big fan of using dairy for workout recovery and for a hunger-suppressing afternoon snack.

“It’s a perfect balance of proteins, which are really easily absorbed into the bloodstream and into muscles after exercise. It’s one of the most hydrating fluids,” she says.

“Even for office workers who struggle at that 3.30pm [energy dip], a cappuccino or a tub of yoghurt is a fantastic choice – it’s convenient and has a low glycaemic index so it has that sensation of making you feel fuller for longer.”

Cullis says a lot of people worry about the sugar content in fruit yoghurts, however she says that if it encourages people – especially children – to eat it, then it’s nothing to stress about.

“I’d much prefer my kids to have a fruit yoghurt than a packet of chips because of the nutrition value,” she says.

“If you can convince your kid to eat plain Greek yoghurt then awesome, but if [they want some sweetness] it doesn’t take away from how nutritious that food is.”

Ultimately, Dr Iuliano says the best way to consume dairy is in the way you like it best.

“If you like yoghurt, then have more yoghurt. If you like cheese, then have more cheese,” she says.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s low fat, regular fat, fermented or not fermented. As long as you enjoy it, that’s what’s going to make you keep eating it.”

Visit dairy.com.au/ageing for more information.