2.    Milk is packed with potassium.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a cup of 1 percent milk contains 366 milligrams of potassium. The body needs this electrolyte for many functions.

So just why do we need potassium? For starters, potassium builds proteins and muscle. In addition, the heart needs it to control electrical activity. Plus, potassium is needed both to use and break down carbs, grow, and control the body’s acid-base balance.

Not getting enough potassium increases the risk for hypokalemia, which causes muscles to become weak and the heart to malfunction. Plus, blood pressure may rise.

3.    Milk is loaded with protein.

According to Eating Well, just one cup of milk can give you 16 percent of the protein you need in a day. Protein is considered the building block of life, making them essential to health.

The real question is why do we need protein? According to Authority Nutrition, the body uses proteins to make four components: muscles, tendons, organs and skin. Plus, the body uses proteins for other functions, including enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters and even molecules.

Add that to the fact that animal proteins are special in an important way. They are said to provide all of the essential amino acids that the human body needs. Some of these essential acids aren’t made by the body, which means that we need to get them through foods -- like dairy products.