There is often a misconception that dairy products are high in fat and will consequently cause weight gain. Dairy products and particularly milk are a lot lower in fat than you think. Dairy is one of the five core food groups and should be part of a healthy balanced diet.
Consider this:
 |
| Glass of full-cream milk |
Glass of low-fat milk |
Glass of fat-free milk |
Fat Content
|
| Typically 3.4% fat |
Typically 2% fat |
Typically 0.4% fat |
Energy
|
| Typically 650 kJ* |
Typically 520 kJ* |
Typically 365 kJ* |
Milk contains many essential nutrients
Excess fat in the diet is not recommended; however, the body still needs some fat for cell structure, protection of nerves and to absorb and store vitamins A and D. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and when the fat content in milk is reduced, some of the vitamin A is lost. If you are on a kJ-restricted diet, low-fat and fat-free milk can still give you most of the vitamins and all of the minerals with less fat.
* The energy indicated above is the calculated energy for South African milk as determined by independent South African research.
Dairy products contain many nutrients read more about this here.
Get into a routine of having dairy, in fact 3-A-DAY™ every day and spread the word that dairy is actually a lot lower in fat than you think!
References
SOUTH AFRICAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. 2007. Draft Guidelines to the regulations governing the labeling and advertising of foodstuffs, R642 of July 2007.
US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Agricultural Research Service. 1998. USDA Nutrient database for Standard Reference, release 12. Nutrient data Laboratory Home page, http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata (Last update, may 2008).
Smit, L.E; Smith, N; Schönfeldt, H & Heinze, P.H. 1998. The Nutritional content of South African Milk and Liquid Milk products. Dairy Industry Centre, Agricultural –Animal Nutrition and Animal Products Institute, Irene.
Smit, L.E & Schönfeldt, H. 2006. The Nutritional content of South African Milk and Milk products. Dairy Industry Centre, Agricultural –Animal Nutrition and Animal Products Institute, Irene.