Tito Ipinmoye If you grew up in Nigeria in the 90s or early 2000s, chances are you didn’t learn about milk from a science class. You learnt about it from television. Back then, adverts were part of our childhood. We didn’t reach for a remote every time the commercials came on. We sang the jingles, quoted the catchphrases and years later, many of us can still remember them word for word. For me, one advert stands above the rest. It followed a young Kanu Nwankwo as he dribbled a football through the dusty streets of Owerri on an errand for his mother. He left home with nothing but a football at his feet, dribbling all the way to the market. Just as a tin of milk slipped from the market woman’s hands, he flicked it back into the air with effortless skill. She smiled and said: “Papilo, I know say one day you go make us proud.” As children, we believed her. Not because we understood marketing, but because those adverts made us believe that greatness could begin anywhere. They told us that a boy from Owerri, Nigeria could become one of Africa’s greatest footballers. They told us that ordinary children with big dreams could grow into extraordinary adults. And somewhere between that advert and my mum pouring milk into my breakfast cereal every morning before school, I came to believe two things. The first was that milk helped build strong bones and teeth. The second was that maybe, just maybe, I could become whoever I dreamed of becoming. Years later, after becoming a dietitian, I realised that my childhood understanding wasn’t wrong, it was simply incomplete. Today, conversations about milk have become surprisingly complicated. Social media is filled with conflicting opinions. Some people insist milk is only for children. Others believe it causes weight gain. Some assume all milk is the same, while others believe dairy milk and non-dairy offer identical nutrition. As nutrition professionals, we know that the truth is rarely found in headlines or viral videos. It is found in evidence. So, let’s separate what we know about milk from what we only think we know. What Exactly Is Milk? From a scientific perspective, milk is the natural nutrient-rich fluid produced by mammals to nourish their young during the earliest stages of life. For humans, cow’s milk is the most widely consumed form of dairy milk and has been part of diets around the world for generations. But from a nutrition perspective, milk is much more than its definition. It is a naturally nutrient-dense food that provides a unique combination of high-quality protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, riboflavin and other essential nutrients that work together to support growth, bone health, muscle function, energy production and overall wellbeing throughout life. Unlike many foods that contribute just one or two key nutrients, milk delivers several essential nutrients in one convenient food. This is one of the reasons it has remained a staple in many cultures and continues to play an important role in healthy eating patterns across different stages of life. Yet despite these nutritional benefits, milk remains one of the most misunderstood foods on our tables. Over the years, I’ve heard people say that milk is only for children, that it causes weight gain or that all milk products are the same. Social media has only amplified these conversations, making it increasingly difficult to separate evidence from opinion. So, let’s look at some of the most common myths about milk and what science tells us. Why Milk Matters One of the things I have learned after years of working as a dietitian is that conversations about milk often focus on just one nutrient: calcium. Yes, milk is well known for supporting strong bones and healthy teeth, but that’s only one part of the story. Milk provides a unique combination of nutrients that work together to support the body in different ways. Rather than contributing just one benefit, it supplies several essential nutrients in a single food, each playing its own role in maintaining good health. High-quality protein helps build and repair muscles, organs and other body tissues. It’s essential for growth in children and helps adults maintain muscle mass throughout life. Calcium and phosphorus work together to support strong bones and healthy teeth. These nutrients are especially important during childhood and adolescence, when bones are developing rapidly, but they also remain important throughout adulthood to help maintain bone health. Vitamin B12 plays an essential role in the production of healthy red blood cells and supports the normal functioning of the nervous system. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) helps the body convert the food we eat into the energy we need for everyday activities. Many milk products are also fortified with vitamins A and D. Vitamin A supports healthy vision and the normal functioning of the immune system, while
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