Some things are just better together. Hall and Oates, peanut butter and jelly, dinner and a movie; you get the idea. Pairing plant-based foods and dairy foods is another great combination.
They work together to get nutrients most people miss out on.
Fortunately plants are “in” these days. Have you heard of a plant-based diet?
Oddly, there is no specific definition for “plant-based diet.” Some people think of it as vegetarian or vegan, while others define it as having plant foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts) as the base of their diet while still enjoying animal products.
For many years health professionals have recommended eating more plant-based than animal-based foods. Our country’s recent interest in good nutrition has finally brought this trend into popular culture. This is a good thing.
No matter how you define a plant based diet it is definitely a good idea to consume more plant-based foods. Here’s why.
A whopping 87% of Americans fail to get enough vegetables and 76% don’t eat adequate amounts of fruits. (Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020). Eating more plant-based foods is about as important as increasing physical activity (something else we, as a whole, also lack).
Please don’t misunderstand, while there is an emphasis on plant-based foods, that definitely does not mean that animal foods are unhealthy or less nutritious. In fact, dairy milk is far nutritionally superior to plant and nut-based milk alternatives (think oat, rice and almond).
Dairy foods provide nutrients that Americans don’t get enough of — calcium and vitamin D. Calcium and vitamin D work together to strengthen bones, along with other health benefits. Why is this important? Well, for example, over 50% of Caucasian women over 50 have low bone mass, putting them at risk for fractures and other skeletal-related illnesses.
In addition, dairy foods are a good source of protein, a nutrient low in plant foods.
Here’s a little lesson about protein:
Protein is made up of 22 amino acids that every healthy body needs. Of these 22 nine are essential. This means that the body can’t make them so it is essential that we get them from foods. As far as protein quality, foods are classified as “complete proteins” if they contain all nine essential amino acids. They are “incomplete” if they don’t contain all of the essential amino acids. Variety in your diet will ensure that you get all what you need.
Complete Proteins include:
- Meat (beef, pork, lamb)
- Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck)
- Fish and seafood
- Dairy (milk , cheese, yogurt)
- Soy foods
- Quinoa
Incomplete Proteins Include
- Nuts and Seed
- Grains
- Vegetables
- Pulses (beans and peas)
As shown above, dairy foods are complete proteins. New research shows that as we age it’s helpful to have more protein to maintain muscle mass and strength. Our bodies are less efficient at using the protein we eat as we get older. Having the recommended three servings of dairy foods can help. Butter, cream, and cream cheese are from cows but are low is calcium and are not included in the dairy group. Low-fat and fat-free are good choices.
A serving of dairy consists of any of the following:
- 8 ounces of milk,
- 8 ounces of calcium -fortified soy milk,
- 6 ounces of yogurt,
- 1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese or 2 oz of processed cheese. *
*Diabetes Note: For diabetes meal planning, cheese is in the protein group rather than the dairy group. Even though it has the health benefits of milk and yogurt, it contains very little carbohydrate (similar to the meat/protein group).
Plants and Dairy go great together
If you are like most adults you are lacking adequate dairy foods as well as fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Think of ways that you can put a plant food and a dairy food together to up your nutrition game. Here’s some ideas to get your started:
- fruit and cottage cheese
- overnight oatmeal made with milk, yogurt and fresh summer peaches
- yogurt topped with berries
- apple and string cheese
- lowfat milk and frozen 1/2 banana smoothie
- broccoli with cheese
- bean/veggie tortilla with cheese
- taco salad with cheese
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