Examine the food pyramid of milk and dairy
The dairy food pyramid includes: milk, yogurt, cheese, lactose-free milk, fortified soy milk and yogurt. This category does not include foods made from milk that are low in calcium and high in fat, such as cream cheese, sour cream, whipped cream and butter.
Daily consumption of dairy products is essential for the supply of calcium, B vitamins and protein. Milk, yogurt and cheese are the best sources of calcium. The need for calcium continues throughout the life cycle.
Milk and dairy products provide fat, calcium and other nutrients. Most people over the age of two should limit their fat intake and get enough milk at the same time.
How much of the dairy food pyramid is needed daily?
The amount of dairy you need depends on your age, sex, height, weight and level of physical activity. For women, the amount may also depend on whether they are pregnant or breastfeeding.
What counts as a glass in the dairy group?
Generally 1 glass of milk, yogurt or soy milk or one and a half An ounce of natural cheese can be considered as a glass of dairy. The table below lists the specific amounts that are calculated in the dairy group as 1 glass as your recommended daily allowance.
Why is it important to eat / drink dairy?
Dairy consumption has several benefits, the most important of which is to build and maintain strong bones. Foods in the dairy group provide nutrients that are vital to your health and well-being. These nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamin D and protein.
Nutrients
- The dairy group provides many nutrients including calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin D (in products fortified with vitamin D), riboflavin, vitamin B12, protein, potassium, zinc, choline, magnesiumand selenium.
- Calcium is used to build bones and teeth and preserve them with age, and dairy products are a major source of calcium in the diet.
- Many people do not get enough potassium. Potassium-rich diets help maintain healthy blood pressure. Dairy products, especially fortified milk, yogurt and soy milk, provide potassium.
- Vitamin D works in the body to maintain proper levels of calcium and phosphorus and thus helps build and maintain bones. Milk and soy milk, fortified with vitamin D, are good sources of this nutrient. Other resources that can be mentioned are: Some fish like salmon.
- Dairy products that are consumed in a low-fat or non-fat form have very little saturated fat.
Health benefits of using the food pyramid of milk and dairy
Calcium and vitamin D are important nutrients at any age. Dairy consumption generally helps with the following:
- Improve bone health, especially in children and adolescents (when bone mass is built)
- Promote bone health and prevent the onset of osteoporosis in adults, most of whom do not get enough of these nutrients.
For those who prefer to consume dairy products!
For people who choose dairy substitutes, fortified soy milk and yogurt – which contain calcium, vitamin A and vitamin D – are included as part of the dairy group because their nutritional content is similar to milk, yogurt and other dairy products.
Other products sold as “milk” and made from plants (such as almond milk, rice, coconut, oats and hemp) may contain calcium, but are not included in the dairy group, because their food content is not like fortified dairy milk and soy milk.
For those who do not consume dairy, there are calcium options, although they are not part of the dairy group, the amount of calcium absorbed by these foods varies.
- Calcium-fortified fruit juices and calcium-fortified vegetable milks such as rice milk or almond milk and canned fish (sardines, salmon with bones)
- Tofu made with calcium sulfate
- Tahini (butter or sesame paste)
- Some leafy vegetables (vegetables, turnips, spinach, kale, buckwheat)
Prevent osteoporosis
Osteoporosis (thinning of the bones due to loss of calcium and other minerals) can be largely prevented by adequate calcium intake in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Calcium helps build a strong bone structure.
Regular exercise for weight fitness is also important for maintaining minerals in the bones. Continuing to get enough calcium and exercise habits in middle age and older will help maintain strong bones. Postmenopausal women should talk to their doctor about hormone replacement therapy to maintain strong bones and prevent osteoporosis.
lactose intolerance
Some people are unable to digest lactose-containing milk products because their bodies produce little or no lactase. Lactase is an enzyme that breaks down lactose and allows it to absorb milk sugar. People with lactose intolerance can sometimes consume small amounts of milk, yogurt or stale cheese in one meal.
Allergies to milk and dairy products
People with milk allergies or milk intolerances may need to get the calcium they need from green vegetables, bone-cooked fish, tofu, and other calcium-rich foods. Calcium in tablet form may be prescribed by your doctor.
With the research that Vira team has done on milk and dairy products, we try to deliver these important foods, which are very important in the food pyramid, to our dear consumers through smart packaging. The aim is to ensure the health of milk and dairy products by using the Vira smart label, which monitors storage conditions instantly and accurately from production to consumption.