In the global quest for health and fitness, one major battlefield seems to have been ignored – the dairy section of your grocery aisle. Here's a little heads up. You may have been prescribed a glass of milk at dinnertime during childhood, and for good reasons too. Growing bones need nutrients, and dairy delivers - ideally at the prescribed amount of three cups every day. However, reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveal that about nine out of ten Americans aren’t meeting this required intake. And no, spoonfuls of cream cheese, sour cream, or butter don't count.

Giving you the plain, honest truth, not all dairy products are created equal. While your regular cream-slathered everyday varieties are unfortunately short in the nutritional sector, certain supercharged dairy products, like milk, cheese, and yogurt, boast of a nutrient-packed lineup like calcium, phosphorus, vitamins A, D, and B12, protein, potassium, riboflavin, magnesium and more. And then there's the showstopper - ultra-filtered milk.

Registered dietitian Jamie Nadeau argues that ultra-filtered milk is the healthiest choice due to its nutritional density. This power-packed dairy product has the water, lactose, minerals and water-soluble vitamins removed without altering the protein ratio, leaving you with a creamy, lactose-free, nutrient-rich version of your everyday milk - only it's fortified and infinitely better.

Fairlife 2% milk, a popular brand of ultra-filtered milk, boasts of 4.5 grams of fat, 13 grams of protein, 6 grams of sugar, 380 mg of calcium and 200 IU of vitamin D – a clear winner when compared to the regular 2% milk which contains 5 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, 12 grams of sugar, 250 mg of calcium, and 60 IU of vitamin D. There’s just no arguing with the numbers.

If plant-based milk is more your style, soy milk offers the closest nutritional similarity to dairy. Just watch your labels - some brands sneak in a ton of added sugar. Stick to options that are fortified with calcium and vitamin D for an effective nutrient payoff.

The bottom line? Milk is good for you, but not all milk is created equally. Choose wisely and let's leave the butter binging to armchair nutritionists.