Milk: The New Beverage of Choice for Younger Women Who Want to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

From strong bones to healthy teeth, and soft, shiny hair, the vitamins and minerals contained in milk help keep bodies strong and healthy.

And now, new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School suggests pre-menopausal women who consume higher amounts of calcium and vitamin D may lower their risk of developing breast cancer by almost 40 percent. Every year, more than 1 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide, with the highest incidences in the U.S. and the Netherlands.

Dairy products and oily fish like salmon and tuna are some of the best food sources to help you get enough cancer-fighting vitamin D. Dietary recommendations call for people age 50 and under to consume 200 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day. So how much is that? An 8-ounce glass of milk contains 100 IU of vitamin D, so drink two glasses to get enough. Daily calcium intake should be about 1000 mg, which is equal to about 2.5 cups of yogurt.