Nutrition Tip - Grocery Store Series: Dairy

Grocery Series: Dairy

Milk isn’t as simple as it used to be. The milk man delivering your fresh milk every week is no longer the norm. Today you have to walk into the grocery store and choose from a large variety of milk types: cow’s milk, organic milk, almond, soy, hemp, lactose-free, and many more. Taste preferences and diet restrictions can help narrow your options, but it can still be a tough to decision to make. Here are some tips for choosing the right milk option for you in addition to the other foods in the dairy department like cheese, yogurt, eggs, and butters.

• Milk and Milk Alternatives – choose reduced fat or skim/nonfat whenever possible. If lactose is an issue for you or you are vegan/vegetarian, almond and soy milks are a good alternative. Watch out for flavored types like vanilla soymilk or sweetened almond milk, as they can be loaded with added sugars. Always choose an unsweetened, unflavored version. Look for calcium, vitamin D, and protein content. Choose milks that are higher in these nutrients so you get the most bang for your buck.

   

• Cheese – biggest concern with cheese is sodium. The more processed cheeses will be higher in sodium: American, provolone, cheddar, parmesan, and feta. Go with regular, full-fat cheese or cheese made with part-skim milk. Avoid the fat-free cheeses. It is usually just a chemical hurricane. Simply watch your portion sizes and stick to just 1-2 oz. at a time.

   

• Yogurt – choose plain, nonfat or low-fat yogurt. Avoid the flavored yogurts due to the high amount of sugars present in these yogurts. Flavor them yourself with honey, fruit, granola, etc. You will save on a lot of added sugars. Refer to my previous post about yogurt for a more detailed description on yogurts.

   

• Eggs – for the most part, all eggs are alike. Be careful of bogus claims made on egg cartons about being “organic,” “cage-free,” or “free-range.” Sometimes these aren’t regulated at all and companies can put whatever they want on the labels. Do your own research on the company to really find out what their farming practices are. The only government regulated label is the green USDA organic label on foods. Look for that label on your egg cartons to be sure it is organic. Organic eggs must come from free-range, uncaged hens that are fed an organic diet free from pesticides and fertilizers. And lastly, don’t worry about the color of the egg. There are no significant nutritional differences between the colors.

Butter and Margarine – the continuing battle. What’s better? Go with traditional butter, in small amounts of course. Use whipped butter to cut back on calories. Avoid margarines with lots of Trans fats (hydrogenated oils) in them. These are dangerous for your health and should be avoided at all costs. There is some margarine that is ok to use, just read your ingredient lists and look for those without hydrogenated oils and lots of chemicals.[email protected]