Women's Health recently reported on research from Curtin University of Technology in Australia, that found that dieters who ate five servings of dairy a day lost more abdominal fat than those who got only three servings. High levels of calcium, vitamin D and protein found in dairy may assist in increased fat burning, according to the study. To lose weight, consumers can easily work five servings of California dairy into their daily diet.

Here's a sample menu of how you can meet your five a day dairy requirements - don't forget to look for dairy brands with the Real California Milk or Real California Cheese seal:

· Breakfast: 1 cup nonfat milk with morning cereal

· Mid-morning Snack: 1 cup low-fat yogurt

· Lunch: 2 slices Monterey Jack on a ham or turkey sandwich

· Afternoon Snack: 2 cups cottage cheese with fruit or 1 stick string cheese

· Dessert: 1 cup pudding made with low-fat milk

For delicious recipes that feature your favorite dairy products, please visit our recipe selection at http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/recipes or go to the Meals Matter section of the Dairy Council of California's web site at http://www.mealsmatter.org/