Milk has long been recognised for its high calcium content, but many people don’t know milk also provides a significant portion of the vitamin B12, iodine, riboflavin, phosphorous and potassium Australians need to consume in their daily lives. Milk also has protein, vitamin A and zinc – adding up to a whole lot of goodness in a single glass. As opposed to alternative ‘milks’, traditional dairy comes naturally with all of those nutrients, there is no need for us to add any nutrients to provide health benefits. For example, in order to get the same amount of calcium as found in one 250ml glass of milk, you would need to eat 32 brussels sprouts or 21 cups of raw chopped spinach – we reckon having a glass of Bannister Downs milk is a good idea, which at the very least, involves much less chopping!

Though traditional dairy has not been linked to weight gain or obesity, those wishing to opt for a low-fat dairy option such as our All Lite Milk, are not missing out on any naturally occurring nutrients – we only take out a small amount of cream and leave all the goodness and flavour during our minimal intervention processing system.

Doctors, dietitians and health industry experts acknowledge traditional dairy is an important part of a balanced diet, as it forms one of the five essential food groups recommended by the Australian Dietary Guidelines.  In fact, the current Australian Dietary Guidelines acknowledge that the consumption of dairy products like milk is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, some cancers and type two diabetes. Milk also has nutrients which are beneficial to teeth and bone health and has been recommended alongside water as one of the preferred drinks for growing children by the Australian Dietary Guidelines.

Many Aussies are actually not getting enough serves of dairy a day, with about 8 out of 10 adults failing to get their recommended intake.

Even though many Australians recognise the importance of calcium and other nutrients present in dairy, concerns often arise over the ethics of enjoying a glass of traditional cow milk. We can assure you, our dairy is committed to operating at world class standards of animal welfare and environmental sustainability so you can enjoy your daily serves of Bannister Downs Dairy products with confidence.

Milk Nutrition Facts

According to the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (published June 2013) milk and dairy products constitute real and unique sources of micronutrients, which have generated extensive investigations for more than 60 years.

Key points of this article include:

• Milk and dairy products are unique micronutrient combinations with recognised health benefits.
• The concentration, chemical forms, and location of different minerals are relatively well known and described. For example, Ca is present in dairy products in different forms: free, associated with citrate, inorganic and organic phosphates, and free fatty acids.
• Milk and dairy products are excellent sources of Ca, P, Mg, Zn, and Se.
• The concentration of vitamins in milk and dairy products is variable and depends on several factors such as biosynthesis, animal feeding, physicochemical conditions (heat, light, O2, oxidant agents), and analytical methods for their determinations.
• Vitamins A, D, E, and K are mainly located in the lipid phase and vitamins of group B and C in the aqueous phase.
• Milk and dairy products are excellent sources of vitamins A, B1, B2, and B12.

For the full article:
Milk and Dairy Products: A Unique Micronutrient Combination

Please read more about Our Ethical Milk and Modern Farming practices. You can also learn more about the Australian Dairy industry by visiting www.dairy.com.au. 

Dairy study hoping to establish formal link between animal care, high levels of vitamins and minerals

Researchers are hoping a new study of the milk produced by several Western Australian dairies may help establish a formal link between healthy livestock and healthier produce.

Staff from Murdoch University examined the milk from six WA dairy farms, assessing levels of vitamin B12, B2, calcium, and a protein called lactoferrin, among others.

Associate Professor Vicky Solah said Bannister Downs Dairy in Northcliffe had the highest level of B12 and also ranked in the top two for calcium levels.

Dr Solah believes farm management and herd behaviour play a major role in overall milk quality.

"I think the management of the farm is really important for all sorts of quality aspects," she said.

"Healthy cows produce a good product … and the cows there don't produce a huge volume per day."

"Also the understanding that they do low, slow pasteurisation, I think that's also a good thing."

Dr Solah said most dairies pasteurised at 72 to 80 degrees Celsius, while Bannister Downs pasteurised at 66.6C for five minutes.

Bannister Downs managing director Sue Daubney said the results, and the potential for additional study, were exciting.

"Ever since we started producing our milk we've been curious to find out if there is something different or special about it and, if so, get to the bottom of it," she said.

Read the full article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2023-08-03/scientists-compare-vitamins-and-minerals-in-milk-from-wa-dairys/102659496

The importance of Lactoferrin:  “Lactoferrin has been shown to be involved in several physiological and protective functions, including regulation of iron absorption in the bowel; antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities, which are the most widely studied function to date.”

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5198036/