The summer Olympics are nearly upon us and an Illinois non-profit is promoting the benefits of milk for athletes.

June was National Dairy Month and the theme for this year coincides with the Olympics and the benefits of dairy for athletes. Monica Nyman with the St. Louis District Dairy Council highlights some of the benefits of milk for athletes.

According to Nyman, chocolate milk also contains the same 13 essential nutrients as regular milk, making it an important part of an athlete's training.

The summer sports season is in full swing with young athletes involved in summer teams, high school scrimmages and workouts and much more. Nyman points to chocolate milk's carb-to-protein ratio helps to replenish energy stores that are lost during exercise and helps to rebuild and repair muscles. 

Milk contains 13 essential nutrients. This includes calcium to help keep bones strong, protein to help build muscle, vitamin D, phosphorus, B vitamins, potassium, and more. Milk is also the main ingredient in dairy foods, creating a variety of delicious and nutritious foods for all consumers

Nyman reminds the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 3 servings of dairy every day. 90% of Americans do not get enough dairy in their diet.