Matt Darnell, sports dietitian for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a member of ADA North East’s 15-member Sports Nutrition Advisory Panel, consisting of key nutrition and fitness experts from across the region. Panel members like Parnell advocate for dairy, recommending it to their clients for its nutritional and health benefits to optimize their athletic performance.

“Dairy plays an important role for many of our athletes throughout the season,” said Darnell. “It is a great source of protein, calcium and probiotics. Whey protein powder is also a common ingredient in our smoothies and recovery shakes.”