As a food, yoghurt is a multi-tasking marvel: it works as a breakfast food, a frozen dessert or a dip; you can also use it as a base for smoothie drinks and salad dressings and as a sauce for chicken or seafood. It's packed with calcium and protein as well as magnesium, riboflavin and vitamins B6 and B12 - plus beneficial bacteria that improve digestion and boost immunity.
Be sure to read about calcium supplements later in this chapter. Nutrition experts agree that they're one of the smartest supplements women - and possibly men - can take.
If you love milk, that's great news. It's just another reason to pour some over your morning cereal and end the day with a steaming mug of cocoa
Smart ways
TO EAT MORE Milk and Cheese
FULL-LIFE EATING GOAL: one to two servings a day
Close your eyes and switch to skimmed If you're drinking whole-fat milk, switch to semi-skimmed. If you're already on semi-skimmed, make the move to skimmed. Here's an easy way to make the switch: buy a small container of the next level down, shut your eyes and sip. Creative researchers say that
when thousands of consumers put on sunglasses so they couldn't tell what kind of milk they were drinking, nine out of ten said that they liked the taste of either semi-skimmed or skimmed milk better than that of higher-fat milks. Why it's worth it: each glass of skimmed milk you drink instead of whole milk saves you 5g of saturated fat, a quarter of your recommended daily maximum.
Sip delicious 'hot vanilla' or hot chocolate on a cold morning Mix 250ml of skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, two packets of sugar substitute (or 2 teaspoons of sugar or honey if you prefer) and your choice of 1/4 teaspoon real vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa in a small saucepan or microwaveable container. Heat for about a minute.
Cook with milk instead of water Instant hot cereals and low-sodium instant or canned soups mix easily with milk, which lends extra body and flavour to these quick comfort foods.
Make milk your fast-food drink Most fast-food restaurants sell the skimmed variety in cartons or single-serving bottles.
Order a skimmed-milk cappuccino Skip high-calorie coffee drinks at your favourite coffee shop. Skimmed milk makes cappuccino extra-foamy and fun to sip. Sprinkle with your choice of cocoa powder, cinnamon or nutmeg.
Make a healthy dairy pasta topping Puree fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese and fat-free evaporated milk with lemon juice and rosemary for a light pasta sauce.
Choose guilt-free cheesee... When the full-fat cheese in your refrigerator is all gone, resolve never to buy it again - and check the dairy cabinet for low-fat, cottage and cream cheeses. (They're worth a second look. As with whole-grain pasta, current supermarket offerings are miles better in terms of taste and texture than the first-generation low-fat cheeses is one of the top three sources of artery-clogging saturated fat in our diets. Choose lower fat, and you can keep the flavour and spare your heart.
... Then savour it in small doses. Grate a little over chilli or spaghetti or some veg. Have one slice on your sandwich. Have an individually wrapped piece of low-fat cheese with wholewheat crackers as a snack. As long as you're not worried about your weight or your cholesterol level, a little cheese is very pleasurable and can make all kinds of foods taste even better. But if you are overweight or have high cholesterol, think twice. Cheese is high in saturated fat, and its richness makes it easy to overeat. Each 30g of full-fat cheese has 4 to 6g of saturated fat. How much cheese is that? Something like the amount you'd find melted on a slice of a medium pizza. Going low-fat (or fat-free) and reducing your portions could save you a significant 5g of heart-threatening saturated fat a day.
Choose pizza and other cheesy dishes with less cheese and more sauce and vegetables UK cheese consumption is on the increase, mainly as a result of the cheese used in ready-meals and takeaways.
We eat around 10kg of cheese per person a year in Britain. That's low compared with, say, the French, but most of that 10kg is hard or semi-hard cheeses, laden with fat. Along with an increase, in cream consumption, this means that many of us are losing the benefits of switching from full-fat milk and butter to healthier options. So go for less cheese and healthier low-fat options on your pizza.
Lighten up your Italian cooking Choose light mozzarella instead of standard for half the fat, and reduce the amount of Parmesan you sprinkle on top of dishes.
Use milk or yoghurt as a secret ingredient in soups, desserts and sauces
Smart ways
TO EAT MORE YOGHURT
FULL-LIFE EATING GOAL: five servings a week
Buy one large container of plain yoghurt at a time rather than lots of pre-flavoured small versions. If only shop-brought strawberry yoghurt were just yoghurt with sweetener, more sweetener and a little bit of fruit. All those refined sweeteners double the calories of the yoghurt without any extra nutrition. Instead, buy plain yoghurt and use it creatively in your cooking. If you want to flavour some with fruit for breakfast, add a teaspoon of your favourite jam and some slices of real fruit, then mix it together. It will be equally delicious but far less calorie-heavy than the shop-bought version.
Make a breakfast smoothie a few times a week It's easy! Blend 225g plain, low-fat, or fat-free yoghurt with a banana, a handful of fresh or frozen berries, a splash of orange juice and a few ice cubes until smooth. An amazing breakfast in a glass. Once you master this basic approach, you can start experimenting with other fruit juices and fresh fruits.
Serve raw fruits and vegetables with a yoghurt-based dip Mix curry seasoning and honey into plain low-fat yoghurt for a sweet and spicy dip for carrots. Or add chopped fresh basil and lemon to yoghurt for a Mediterranean flavour that's great with sliced cucumber and courgette.
Have a yoghurt parfait at snack time or for dessert Layer low-fat or fat-free yoghurt, berries, mandarin oranges and granola or chopped almonds in a pretty wine glass or dessert bowl. It makes a treat worthy of royalty.
Buy frozen yoghurt ice lollices Buy the brand with the least sugar and saturated fat and keep them in the freezer. Or take a carton of frozen yoghurt, then whirl in the food processor with frozen or fresh fruit for a delicious dessert.
Skip yoghurt with built-in toppings Chocolate chips, crunchy biscuit, granola - many yoghurts come with their own fancy mix-ins in a special compartment. Skip these, they only add extra fat and sugar, raising the calorie count of that little tub of yoghurt to way over 200.
Check the calcium count on cultured soya yogahurts Dairy-free soya yoghurts have only the tiniest amount of saturated fat. If you're trying to avoid milk products or just want to get more soya into your diet, consider these products only after you check the calcium content. Many are lower than their made-from-milk cousins. Many are also lower in magnesium, protein and B vitamins.
Make your own cheese It's easier than you think, and you get a low-calorie, cheese-like spread that can be sweetened with honey or spiced up with pressed garlic and herbs as a sandwich spread. Simply line a strainer with paper towels, dump in plain yoghurt and set over a bowl or pot. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, you'll have a whey-like liquid in the bowl and thick yoghurt cheese in the strainer, ready for you to give it your own culinary twist.
Use yoghurt as a topping For example, spoon a dollop onto thick black bean or split pea soup, then sprinkle with black pepper or herbs. You'll never know it's not soured cream.
Be sure to read about calcium supplements later in this chapter. Nutrition experts agree that they're one of the smartest supplements women - and possibly men - can take.
If you love milk, that's great news. It's just another reason to pour some over your morning cereal and end the day with a steaming mug of cocoa
Smart ways
TO EAT MORE Milk and Cheese
FULL-LIFE EATING GOAL: one to two servings a day
Close your eyes and switch to skimmed If you're drinking whole-fat milk, switch to semi-skimmed. If you're already on semi-skimmed, make the move to skimmed. Here's an easy way to make the switch: buy a small container of the next level down, shut your eyes and sip. Creative researchers say that
when thousands of consumers put on sunglasses so they couldn't tell what kind of milk they were drinking, nine out of ten said that they liked the taste of either semi-skimmed or skimmed milk better than that of higher-fat milks. Why it's worth it: each glass of skimmed milk you drink instead of whole milk saves you 5g of saturated fat, a quarter of your recommended daily maximum.
Sip delicious 'hot vanilla' or hot chocolate on a cold morning Mix 250ml of skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, two packets of sugar substitute (or 2 teaspoons of sugar or honey if you prefer) and your choice of 1/4 teaspoon real vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa in a small saucepan or microwaveable container. Heat for about a minute.
Cook with milk instead of water Instant hot cereals and low-sodium instant or canned soups mix easily with milk, which lends extra body and flavour to these quick comfort foods.
Make milk your fast-food drink Most fast-food restaurants sell the skimmed variety in cartons or single-serving bottles.
Order a skimmed-milk cappuccino Skip high-calorie coffee drinks at your favourite coffee shop. Skimmed milk makes cappuccino extra-foamy and fun to sip. Sprinkle with your choice of cocoa powder, cinnamon or nutmeg.
Make a healthy dairy pasta topping Puree fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese and fat-free evaporated milk with lemon juice and rosemary for a light pasta sauce.
Choose guilt-free cheesee... When the full-fat cheese in your refrigerator is all gone, resolve never to buy it again - and check the dairy cabinet for low-fat, cottage and cream cheeses. (They're worth a second look. As with whole-grain pasta, current supermarket offerings are miles better in terms of taste and texture than the first-generation low-fat cheeses is one of the top three sources of artery-clogging saturated fat in our diets. Choose lower fat, and you can keep the flavour and spare your heart.
... Then savour it in small doses. Grate a little over chilli or spaghetti or some veg. Have one slice on your sandwich. Have an individually wrapped piece of low-fat cheese with wholewheat crackers as a snack. As long as you're not worried about your weight or your cholesterol level, a little cheese is very pleasurable and can make all kinds of foods taste even better. But if you are overweight or have high cholesterol, think twice. Cheese is high in saturated fat, and its richness makes it easy to overeat. Each 30g of full-fat cheese has 4 to 6g of saturated fat. How much cheese is that? Something like the amount you'd find melted on a slice of a medium pizza. Going low-fat (or fat-free) and reducing your portions could save you a significant 5g of heart-threatening saturated fat a day.
Choose pizza and other cheesy dishes with less cheese and more sauce and vegetables UK cheese consumption is on the increase, mainly as a result of the cheese used in ready-meals and takeaways.
We eat around 10kg of cheese per person a year in Britain. That's low compared with, say, the French, but most of that 10kg is hard or semi-hard cheeses, laden with fat. Along with an increase, in cream consumption, this means that many of us are losing the benefits of switching from full-fat milk and butter to healthier options. So go for less cheese and healthier low-fat options on your pizza.
Lighten up your Italian cooking Choose light mozzarella instead of standard for half the fat, and reduce the amount of Parmesan you sprinkle on top of dishes.
Use milk or yoghurt as a secret ingredient in soups, desserts and sauces
Smart ways
TO EAT MORE YOGHURT
FULL-LIFE EATING GOAL: five servings a week
Buy one large container of plain yoghurt at a time rather than lots of pre-flavoured small versions. If only shop-brought strawberry yoghurt were just yoghurt with sweetener, more sweetener and a little bit of fruit. All those refined sweeteners double the calories of the yoghurt without any extra nutrition. Instead, buy plain yoghurt and use it creatively in your cooking. If you want to flavour some with fruit for breakfast, add a teaspoon of your favourite jam and some slices of real fruit, then mix it together. It will be equally delicious but far less calorie-heavy than the shop-bought version.
Make a breakfast smoothie a few times a week It's easy! Blend 225g plain, low-fat, or fat-free yoghurt with a banana, a handful of fresh or frozen berries, a splash of orange juice and a few ice cubes until smooth. An amazing breakfast in a glass. Once you master this basic approach, you can start experimenting with other fruit juices and fresh fruits.
Serve raw fruits and vegetables with a yoghurt-based dip Mix curry seasoning and honey into plain low-fat yoghurt for a sweet and spicy dip for carrots. Or add chopped fresh basil and lemon to yoghurt for a Mediterranean flavour that's great with sliced cucumber and courgette.
Have a yoghurt parfait at snack time or for dessert Layer low-fat or fat-free yoghurt, berries, mandarin oranges and granola or chopped almonds in a pretty wine glass or dessert bowl. It makes a treat worthy of royalty.
Buy frozen yoghurt ice lollices Buy the brand with the least sugar and saturated fat and keep them in the freezer. Or take a carton of frozen yoghurt, then whirl in the food processor with frozen or fresh fruit for a delicious dessert.
Skip yoghurt with built-in toppings Chocolate chips, crunchy biscuit, granola - many yoghurts come with their own fancy mix-ins in a special compartment. Skip these, they only add extra fat and sugar, raising the calorie count of that little tub of yoghurt to way over 200.
Check the calcium count on cultured soya yogahurts Dairy-free soya yoghurts have only the tiniest amount of saturated fat. If you're trying to avoid milk products or just want to get more soya into your diet, consider these products only after you check the calcium content. Many are lower than their made-from-milk cousins. Many are also lower in magnesium, protein and B vitamins.
Make your own cheese It's easier than you think, and you get a low-calorie, cheese-like spread that can be sweetened with honey or spiced up with pressed garlic and herbs as a sandwich spread. Simply line a strainer with paper towels, dump in plain yoghurt and set over a bowl or pot. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, you'll have a whey-like liquid in the bowl and thick yoghurt cheese in the strainer, ready for you to give it your own culinary twist.
Use yoghurt as a topping For example, spoon a dollop onto thick black bean or split pea soup, then sprinkle with black pepper or herbs. You'll never know it's not soured cream.
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