GAA stars announced as ambassadors for NDC milk campaign

Three high-profile GAA players have joined up with a National Dairy Council (NDC) campaign to promote consumption of milk.

The campaign will see Kilkenny Camogie player Grace Walsh, Dublin footballer Con O’Callaghan and Limerick hurler Cian Lynch take on the roles of ‘milk ambassadors’.

The campaign is part of a wider campaign backed by the European Milk Forum called ‘Everything starts with Milk’.

Walsh, who works as a nurse at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin, said that it was important to highlight the importance of diet and nutrition, adding that this applies not just to athletes but also for young people who wish to establish their own health goals.

The pan-European campaign is being run to highlight the importance of milk as a dietary building block at all stages of life, the NDC says.

Limerick hurler Lynch remarked: “The important thing for me is a healthy, balanced diet of protein, calcium and vitamin-based foods. I choose milk as my supplement of choice to keep my body in good condition and to stay hydrated after I train.”

The NDC points out that a glass of milk offers an abundance of electrolytes in a fluid form to assist rehydration and provides several vitamins and minerals with important roles for health, including: calcium, phosphorous and potassium for bone health; iodine to contribute to cognitive brain function; vitamin B2 for energy release, and vitamin B12 to support the immune system.

Dublin footballer O’Callaghan said that the campaign is “valuable to anyone who wants to know more about the nutritional benefits of milk…and how it’s such a key component in fueling your body effectively”.

As well as the three GAA players, boxer Kellie Harrington has come onboard as a campaign supporter.