Make dairy work for you when working it in to your diet

Make dairy work for you when working it in to your diet

June is Dairy Month, and for many people in the Midwest, including dairy in your diet is like breathing - it's automatic and you don't think much about it.

However, for all its nutritional value, there are ways to get what you need in your diet without consuming dairy - especially if you're someone who can't process the lactose or have chosen to exclude animal products from your diet.

Cindy Leuck, a registered dietician with Emplify Health by Gundersen, says many dairy products are a good source of calcium and protein, and, if fortified, Vitamin D. And some dairy products like yogurt and kefir contain cultures that can be good for gut health. With all the different dairy products on the market, there are a few things to consider when deciding what to eat.

"Two of those top considerations for a lot of us are sugar content and saturated fat," Leuck says. "So, if we're looking to choose dairy for the nutrition content, as opposed to choosing a dessert, we want to look for dairy products that don't have added sugar. And then with saturated fat, it's important to think about what the rest of our diet looks like."

According to the newest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, it's recommended that full-fat dairy options be included as part of a balanced diet. They also recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10 percent of total caloric intake.

"Depending on your calorie needs, that could be roughly 20 to 23 grams of saturated fat per day," Leuck says. "The American Heart Association actually recommends even less saturated fat per day, so if you're getting that saturated fat from other sources in your diet, then low-fat or non-fat dairy might be the best choice for you."

Leuck stresses that dairy consumption is individualized and should be based on a well-rounded diet. For some, it may not be an essential part, and the nutrients found in dairy can be consumed in other foods such as beans, nuts, lentils, seeds, leafy vegetables and fortified plant-based beverages.

"All of those foods together can give you the nutrient you get from dairy products," she says.

If dairy isn't a part of your diet for whatever reason, learn more about what your options are for getting what you need by visiting gundersenhealth.org/health-wellness/eat-move/when-you-cant-do-dairy.