A healthy diet helps promote optimum health by providing the right balance of fat, calories, and vital nutrients. Milk is an important part of a healthy diet for people of all ages. For those who are watching fat and calorie intake, alternatives to whole milk provide many essential nutrients.
Health Benefits of Milk
Milk is one of the most important foods in a healthy diet. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a diet high in milk and milk products helps build and maintain bone mass throughout life. The potassium in milk helps maintain a healthy blood pressure. Vitamin D is needed to maintain proper levels of calcium and phosphorus. Milk is also rich in vitamins A and B12, calcium, riboflavin, niacin, zin, and magnesium.
How Much Do I Need?
The USDA recommends that children ages 2 to 8 consume 2 cups of dairy products daily. For all children and adults age 9 and older, 3 cups is recommended. One cup is an 8-oz. serving. For those who do not like milk, 2 oz. of processed cheese or 1.5 oz. of natural cheese may be substituted for 1 cup of milk.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends whole milk only for children up to age 2 because they need saturated fats for brain development. Low-fat milk -- no more than 2 percent fat -- is recommended for 1-year-olds who are overweight, have overweight parents, or a family history of heart problems. Children older than age 2 should drink reduced-fat milk to get proper nutrients without excess fat.
Nutrition Information
One cup of whole milk contains 150 calories, in contrast to reduced fat milk with 130 calories and fat free milk with only 90 calories. Lower fat milk contains the same 30 percent of the recommended daily allowance of calcium that whole fat milk does. More important than calories is fat -- 1 cup of whole milk contains 5 g of trans fat, which contributes to heart disease. You should choose fat free or reduced fat milk, which has no trans fat. Fat free milk contains more protein than reduced fat or whole milk. Cholesterol is also much lower in fat free milk, only 5 mg compared with reduced fat with 20 mg and whole milk with 35 mg.
Milk Alternatives
If you don't like milk, you can substitute other dairy products for milk. Low fat or no fat cheese and yogurt can serve as healthy snacks or breakfast. If cheese and yogurt aren't appealing, you can substitute other foods that are rich in calcium. Dark, leafy green such as spinach, bok choy and broccoli are good choices. Many food are now calcium-fortified, such as cereals, orange juice, breads and tofu. Milk and milk products are essential for a healthy diet, and can be incorporated into most reduced calorie and low fat diets.
Member Comments