Dairy Food Group
Tyler Billings
Why is the food group important?
We use dairy products in our daily lives. From the cheese you put on your sandwich, to the pudding you had for snack, dairy is almost found everywhere. The dairy food group is important because we get many of our nutrients from milk. We get minerals, vitamins, carbs, fat, protein, and even water. All of these nutrients help us to function and keeps us healthy. Dairy keeps our bones strong, and if we drink enough milk it lessens the chance of developing osteoporosis when we reach an older age.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, also known as the silent disease, is the silent decay of bones. Osteoporosis causes weak bones, calcium loss, and bones tend to break easier. It can actually strike at any age, but more common in older women. But good news is osteoporosis is preventable. You can build your bones healthy while you are young, go on a healthy calcium filled diet, and have a healthy lifestyle.
Other sources of calcium if milk just isn't your thing.
If you don't like the taste of milk or you are lactose intolerant, the good news is you have options. Instead of drinking regular white milk, you can start drinking chocolate milk. You get the same nutrients, and tastes better. You can enjoy a smoothie, or fruit parfait, those yummy snacks are filled with dairy products from yogurt. You may even enjoy oatmeal for breakfast, if made with milk. Another good source of dairy is coffee. If you are lactose intolerant you may drink almond milk, lactose free milk, soy milk, and even cheeses.
Can fruits and veggies be high in calcium???
YES. There are actually many fruits and veggies that you may get calcium from. This is great news for lactose intolerants, or vegans. The highest veggies in calcium consist of broccoli, spinach, beet greens, and collard greens.
Sugar, Jenny. "Got Produce? Fruits and Veggies That Contain Calcium."RSS. Popsugar, 25 Aug. 2014. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.