What is Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk?

Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk is the first fresh milk from Ontario dairy farms with DHA, the omega-3 fatty acid that supports normal development and maintenance of the brain, eyes and nerves from the moment of conception through adulthood.ⁱ

What is DHA?

DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) is a key omega-3 fatty acid.

Omega-3 fatty acids contribute to good health and normal growth and developmentⁱⁱ and must be obtained through our diets.

DHA specifically, supports normal development and maintenance of the brain, eyes and nerves in people of all ages.  

Is DHA a natural nutrient or is it made from chemicals?

DHA is a natural nutrient. 

DHA is the omega-3 fatty acid that supports normal development and maintenance of the brain, eyes and nerves. Good sources of DHA are fish, such as salmon, tuna and halibut.ⁱⁱⁱ Omega-3 eggs also provide some DHA.

And now, thanks to Neilson, you can get some DHA in every glass of delicious Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk.

How much DHA is my family getting and how much do they need?

Nutrition researchers say that Canadians’ intake of DHA is low. Estimates for DHA intakes in Canadian children ages 2 to 4 years of age indicate an average intake of approximately 17 milligrams of DHA per day^iv, while the average North American adult consumes only 78 milligrams per day.^v

The chart below details suggested adequate daily intake levels of DHA (plus EPA) as outlined by The Institute of Medicine (National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A.) and the National Institute of Health.

Higher intakes of DHA are suggested during pregnancy and lactation to provide for normal development and functioning of the brain, eye, and nerve tissue of the fetus and infant.

Health Canada has not yet established Recommended Daily Intake levels for DHA.   

Why has Neilson introduced a milk with DHA?

DHA is the key omega-3 fatty acid that supports normal development and maintenance of the brain, eyes and nerves in people of all ages.  Enriching milk with DHA is a convenient, simple way to allow Canadians to increase their DHA every day!

How does the DHA get into the milk?

Selected Ontario dairy cows are fed a unique diet containing DHA, developed by a team of experts at the University of Guelph, with support from Dairy Farmers of Ontario. The result is pure, fresh, delicious milk with naturally occurring DHA in every glass…

What does Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk taste like?

Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk tastes exactly like other Neilson milks.

Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk is microfiltered to provide that pure, fresh, delicious taste your family has come to expect from Neilson.

Does Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk contain more fat than other milk?

No. The total fat content of Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk is identical to that of regular milk.

One cup (250mL) of 2% Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk contains 5 grams of fat.
One cup (250mL) of homogenized Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM  milk contains 8 grams of fat.

How can I get more DHA into my family’s diet?

Dietitians suggest we eat a balanced diet, sourcing nutrients from a wide variety of foods, and DHA is no exception.

Fish, such as salmon, tuna, halibut and sardines, as well as fish oil capsules, are the primary sources of DHA – however it’s not always easy to get everyone to eat fish or take fish oil capsules.  Omega-3 eggs also provide some DHA. 

Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk, the first milk with 0.02 grams (20mg) of DHA per serving of homogenized milk, is now another convenient way to get some DHA into your family’s diet…  one the whole family will enjoy!

(2% Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk contains 0.01 grams (10mg) of DHA per serving.)  

Is it safe for infants, when they are weaned from breast milk or formula, to drink Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk?

Yes, once your pediatrician has advised that you can begin feeding your child cow's milk, Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk can most certainly be consumed in place of other milk. In fact mother’s breast milk naturally contains DHA, which is passed to the baby during feeding, and in 2003 the Canadian government approved the first infant formula with DHA to be sold in Canada.

So introducing Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk after weaning from breast milk or DHA enriched formula is a good idea because unless your child is eating fish or omega-3 eggs on a regular basis they will likely have very little DHA in their diet, which supports normal development and maintenance of the brain, eyes and nerves. 

Is it possible for a person to consume too much DHA?

DHA is the omega-3 fatty acid that supports normal growth and development of the brain, eyes and nerves in people of all ages. Your body will first use DHA to meet specific needs and then will simply use any remaining DHA for energy in the same way it does for other nutrients we consume on a daily basis.

Canadians consume very low levels of DHA compared to populations that enjoy fish on a much more regular basis. In Japan, for example, the average daily consumption of DHA is estimated to be 400 milligrams per day.  This amount equates to five times the average daily intake of Canadians.  The DHA per serving of Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk is 0.02 grams (20 milligrams) per cup of homogenized milk and 0.01 grams (10 milligrams) per cup of 2% milk. Simply drink and cook with Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk whenever you would typically use regular milk.

ⁱ Youdin, KA., et al. Essential fatty acids and the brain: possible health implications. Int. J. Neurosci., 2000; 18 :383-399
ⁱⁱ Youdin, KA., et al. Op. cit.
New government regulated nutrient content claims. Health Canada has approved this statement for Neilson Dairy Oh!^TM milk.
ⁱⁱⁱ http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/tpo
^iv Holub, BJ. (unpublished) Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph.
^v Raper et al. Omega-3 fatty acid content of the US food supply. J. Amer. Coll. Nutr., 1992; 11:304-308