How many servings of dairy do you really need?
Dairy foods have long been enjoyed by many people as part of a well-balanced diet. With their claim to fame often being associated with their importance for bone health, this food group also has many more benefits to offer.
What are examples of dairy?
Dairy foods include milk (fresh, long-life, powdered, evaporated), cheese (hard, ricotta, cottage, feta, soy), yoghurt as well as cream and butter. The Australian Dietary Guidelines refers to dairy foods as ‘the milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives group’ as these are the specific dairy foods that provide the nutrients recommended to be included in a daily diet. Butter and cream are considered discretionary foods as they are lower in nutrients and high in saturated fat. Meaning that when we refer to dairy in this article we will be talking about the milk, cheese, yoghurt and alternatives.
Some of the dairy alternatives include soy, rice or other cereal drinks that include at least 100mg of added (fortified) calcium per 100ml.
How many servings of dairy should you consume per day?
The number of serves of dairy foods per day varies across the different life stages with the range for most people being between 2-3 serves per day. During pregnancy and lactation recommended serves are the same as for a female 19-50 years aged, whereas a female 51+ years requires 4 serves a day as calcium requirements are high and a male 70 years plus requires 3 ½ serves a day.
What does a serving of dairy look like?
A serve of milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives according to the Dietary Guidelines is based on around 500-600kJ:
- 1 cup (250ml) milk
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- 2 slices 940g) hard cheese
- ⅓ cup (120g) ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup (200g) yoghurt
- 1 cup (250ml) soy, rice or other cereal drink with at least 100 mg of added calcium per 100ml
Other foods with a similar amount of calcium as a serve of milk (~300mg) or cheese:
- 100g almonds with skin
- 60g sardines, canned in water
- ½ cup (100g) canned pink salmon with bones
- 100g firm tofu (check label for calcium levels)
What are the benefits of including dairy in your diet?
Dairy foods are rich in calcium, which is essential for strong bones, teeth, blood clotting, nerve system signalling and more. Calcium in dairy foods is readily absorbed and vitamin D often found in dairy foods can increase its absorption.
Despite previous concerns about dairy foods contributing to heart health risks due to its saturated fat content and cholesterol level increases, more recent research has shown a neutral effect on heart health, meaning milk, yoghurt and cheese (not including butter and cream) neither increase or decrease the risk of heart disease and can be eaten as part of a heart healthy diet. The Heart Foundation recommends reduced-fat milk, yoghurt and cheese for people with heart disease or high cholesterol, however without enough evidence to say one is better than the other, they say healthy Australians can take their pick between full-fat or reduced fat milk, yoghurt and cheese products.
Dairy foods also provide protein, important for muscle growth and repair, iodine, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and zinc.
How you can hit your daily dairy intake
It can be delicious and easy to hit around 3 serves of dairy foods a day:
- Start your day with some natural yoghurt and add oats, almonds and fruit, or for a more savoury brekky try sardines on toast.
- Cheese can make a great snack; try a hard cheddar in slices or cubes or some ricotta or cottage cheese for dipping with cut up cucumber and carrot spears.
- Milk makes for the perfect rehydrating drink. After or before exercising, rehydrate with a smoothie or cold glass of milk for a great mix of protein, carbohydrate and electrolytes it provides.
- Make dessert with yoghurt. A nice glass layered with yoghurt, fruit, nuts and seeds not only looks great but tastes great too!
- Top your cauliflower, jacket potato or bowl of pasta with a healthy handful of cheese.
What about dairy alternatives?
Some people choose not to eat dairy foods, or are unable to have dairy products due to an allergy or intolerance. For these people, choosing dairy alternatives that have added calcium is important such as opting for a soy drink or coconut yoghurt that has added calcium.
Remember that dairy alternatives are not a nutritional swap for dairy as they are often lower in calcium, protein and other vitamins and minerals and can be higher in others such as sugar and carbohydrate. Reading nutrition labels and considering your whole dietary intake are important.
If you’re struggling with any nutritional areas, be sure to speak with your healthcare professional for support.
Do you know if your groceries are on track to hit the recommended serves? Find out today with Food Tracker! Food Tracker takes the guesswork out of your groceries by showing you how many serves of Dairy & alternatives you have, compared to the recommended amount. Join for free today.