10 tips for choosing better dairy products

This is an automatically translated article.

Dairy products are important in building strong bones and teeth. Choose healthy dairy foods with a focus on low-fat dairy, low-sugar milk,...

1. What is the demand for milk of each person?

Dairy group includes fresh milk, yogurt, cheese and soy milk. They provide calcium, vitamin D, potassium, protein and other essential nutrients for good health. Each person should prioritize choosing low-fat or fat-free milk to reduce the amount of calories and saturated fat put into the body.
So how much milk should each person use each day? Older children, teenagers and adults need 3 cups of milk a day. For children 4 - 8 years old, 2.5 cups / day. Children 2 - 3 years old need 2 cups/day.
How is the unit of milk cup calculated? 1 cup milk = 1 cup yogurt = 1 cup soy milk = 42g natural cheese = 56g processed cheese.

2. Reveal 10 tips for choosing healthy dairy foods

2.1 Skip the fat

Drinking fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk will be the healthiest choice. If a person is drinking whole milk, it is advisable to gradually switch to lower-fat varieties. This change will help cut the amount of saturated fat and calories out of milk. Meanwhile, it does not reduce the amount of calcium or other essential nutrients present in milk.

2.2 Increase potassium and vitamin D, reduce sodium

Each person should choose fat-free, low-fat milk or yogurt instead of cheese. Raw milk and yogurt are high in potassium and lower in sodium than most cheeses. In addition, most milk and yogurt are rich in vitamin D.

2.3 Adjusting the diet

Use fat-free or low-fat milk with cereal and oatmeal. Fruit salads should be served with baked potatoes and topped with low-fat yogurt instead of higher-fat cheeses like sour cream (12-16% fat).

2.4 Choose low-fat cheese

There are many types of cheese that are high in saturated fat. Users should pay attention to choose cheese labeled reduced fat or low fat. You can try different cheeses to find the one you really like, which is low in fat.

2.5 Should cream cheese be used?

Cream cheese, cream and butter do not belong to the dairy food group. They are high in saturated fat and have little or no calcium. Therefore, it is best to limit this food group.

2.6 Changing the cooking ingredients

For recipes that use sour cream, users can try replacing it with plain yogurt. For ice cream, try substituting fat-free condensed milk. As for cream cheese, try substituting low-fat or fat-free ricotta cheese. Using low-fat ingredients is healthier.

2.7 Limit dairy foods with added sugar

Milk and flavored yogurts, frozen yogurts and puddings can have quite a bit of added sugar. Therefore, it is best to use dairy products with little or no added sugar to protect health more effectively.

2.8 About the use of caffeine

Can add calcium and caffeine in the morning. Making or buying your own coffee, latte or cappuccino with fat-free or low-fat milk is a healthy choice.

2.9 For people who can't drink milk

If lactose intolerant, users can try yogurt, lactose-free milk or soy milk to supplement calcium for the body. In addition, some green leafy vegetables are also rich in calcium and the body can absorb calcium from them easily. This is an option for people who can't drink milk.

2.10 Take care of yourself and your family

Parents should drink milk and eat dairy foods so that their children see that this food group is very important for their health. Dairy products help build the growing bones of children and adolescents and maintain bone health into adulthood.
Dairy foods are good for everyone's health. However, it is necessary to choose dairy products according to the recommendations to best protect the health of themselves and their loved ones.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference: choosemyplate.gov