Keep eye on the calcium-weight loss connection

What comes to mind when you think of drinking milk? Most of the news about milk and calcium in the past several years has focused on how it keeps our bodies strong and healthy. Calcium, from a variety of sources, is important for building strong bones and teeth, maintaining optimal bone health throughout our lives, and combating osteoporosis or weak, brittle bones. Milk, yogurt and cheese are packed with calcium as well as protein, vitamins, and minerals to keep the rest of our body healthy too.

But a new health benefit has recently hit the press: dairy foods and the calcium they contain may also help in weight loss. You may have seen magazine or television ads about drinking milk to lose weight and the "24/24 Milk Your Diet" campaign (eating 24 ounces of dairy foods every 24 hours), or one of the latest diet books called "The Calcium Key" with the same message.