Incorporate dairy foods into diet for good health
June is National Dairy Month so it's a perfect time to talk about the health benefits of consuming milk and milk products.
Diets rich in dairy products help build and maintain bone mass throughout life, which may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Foods in the milk group provide nutrients such as calcium, potassium and vitamin D, which are essential for good health. Calcium is used for building bones and teeth and in maintaining bone mass. Potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure, and vitamin D functions in the body to maintain proper levels of calcium and phosphorous, thereby helping to build and maintain bones.
How many servings should we consume each day? Children ages 2 and 3 should drink 2 cups per day while children ages 4 through 8 should consume 2-1/2 cups, and all people 9 years and older should drink the equivalent of 3 cups per day.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides these tips for incorporating dairy products into our diets:
- Include milk as a beverage at meals. Choose fat-free or low-fat milk.
- If you usually drink whole milk, switch gradually to fat-free milk, to lower saturated fat and calories. Try reduced fat (2 percent), then low-fat (1 percent), and finally fat-free (skim).
- If you drink cappuccinos or lattes, ask for them to be made with fat-free (skim) milk to lower your saturated fat intake.
- Add fat-free or low-fat milk instead of water to oatmeal and hot cereals.
- Use fat-free or low-fat milk when making condensed cream soups (such as cream of tomato).
- Have fat-free or low-fat yogurt as a snack.
- Make a dip for fruits or vegetables from yogurt.
- Make fruit-yogurt smoothies in the blender.
- For dessert, make chocolate or butterscotch pudding with fat-free or low-fat milk.
- Top cut-up fruit with flavored yogurt .
- Top casseroles, soups, stews or vegetables with shredded, low-fat cheese.
- Top a baked potato with fat-free or low-fat yogurt.
For those who choose not to consume milk products, the USDA suggests the following:
- If you avoid milk because of lactose intolerance, the most reliable way to get the health benefits of milk is to choose lactose-free alternatives within the milk group, such as cheese, yogurt or lactose-free milk, or to consume the enzyme lactase before consuming milk products.
- Calcium choices for those who do not consume milk products include: Calcium-fortified juices, cereals, breads and soy or rice beverages; canned fish (sardines, salmon with bones); soybeans and other soy products (soy-based beverages, soy yogurt, tempeh); some other dried beans; and some leafy greens (collard and turnip greens, kale, bok choy). The amount of calcium that can be absorbed from these foods varies.
KAREN THOMAS is a family and consumer sciences educator for Penn State Extension in Lackawanna County.