Published nutrition research on the health and nutritional benefits of dairy proteins continues to rise each year, supporting the benefits of incorporating whey and milk proteins into the daily diet. Protein is an essential nutrient the body needs to build and maintain muscle. Notably, while all animal and most plant foods contain some amount of protein, not all proteins are created equal. Whey and milk proteins are a high quality, complete source of essential and non-essential amino acids naturally found in dairy foods.

Whey proteins stand out as one of the best sources of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), including leucine, which has been shown to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Whey protein contains minimal lactose and is easy to digest and absorb. Read further to discover key areas where U.S. dairy proteins can help support health and wellness and learn how to optimize protein intake with U.S. dairy proteins.