I love dairy—cow’s milk and cheese—but there are so many mixed messages on it being good or bad for me. Is it all about moderation?
You had me at “moderation.” Yes, as with many food decisions we make, having a balance of different nutrients and food groups makes all the difference. Dairy products can be included in a healthy diet; however, there is good evidence pointing toward lower-fat (3 grams of fat or less per serving) rather than high-fat versions of dairy-based items like fluid milk, cheese, cottage cheese and yogurts in the quest for optimal health. Strive for about three servings per day of low-fat dairy or calcium-fortified nondairy alternatives.
Have a nutrition- or diet-related question? Send it to editor@livenaturallymagazine.com.
A registered dietitian with Kroger, Molly Hembree provides private nutrition-counseling services, and has been a public speaker, radio talk-show guest, blog author and TV news presenter for Kroger. She enjoys helping customers simplify the confusing world of nutrition labels, dietary intolerances, weight management and plant-based nutrition.
Dietitian Direct: What Your Health Has Been Waiting For
Have questions on how to eat better? Need help on setting and achieving nutritional goals? Kroger Health dietitians are available to help through Dietitian Direct, a two-way video chat appointment with a licensed and registered clinical nutrition expert. The video chat allows you to work with a dietitian from the comfort of your home, or even via your smartphone if you’re on the go. Eating healthier through better nutrition is an individual journey. No two people have the same needs. “Recently, the public has started to gain awareness about dietitians and how they can bridge the gap between what people know about health and what they actually do in terms of healthy eating behavior,” says Bridget Wojciak R.D.N./L.D. and senior nutrition coordinator at Kroger Health. During your video chat, your dietician wants you to do most of the talking. “In order for us to give you personalized nutrition advice, we have to get to know you as a person,” says Wojciak.
Head to krogerhealth.com/nutrition/dietitian-direct to schedule an appointment.