|
Why are milk products important?
Milk products provide protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Milk, yogurt, and cheese are the best source of calcium. The Food Guide
Pyramid suggests 2 to 3 servings of milk, yogurt, and cheese a day - 2 for
most people, and 3 for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, teenagers,
and young adults to age 24.
What counts as a serving?
1 cup of milk or yogurt
1-1/2 ounces of natural cheese
2 ounces of process cheese
|
Here are some selection tips:
-Choose skim
milk and nonfat yogurt often. They are lowest in fat. -1-1/2 to 2
ounces of cheese and 8 ounces of yogurt count as a serving from this group
because they supply the same amount of calcium as 1 cup of milk.
-Cottage cheese is lower in
calcium than most cheeses. One cup of cottage cheese counts as only 1/2
serving of milk.
-Go easy on high fat cheese and
ice cream. They can add a lot of fat (especially saturated fat) to your
diet.
-Choose "part skim" or low fat
cheeses when available and lower fat milk desserts, like ice milk or frozen
yogurt. |
