Healthy Children Healthy Futures

W hich ones are low in fat?
Fat-free milk, low-fat yogurt and cheese, frozen yogurt and fat-free ice-cream are all low in fat.

Dairy foods have SO many good things for your body:
Calcium and Vitamin D for strong bones. Protein for healthy skin and bones. Vitamin B-12 helps your blood cells divide properly. Vitamin A and Riboflavin keep your eyes and skin healthy. Potassium helps your muscles work well

The calcium in dairy foods is so very important at your age:.
Calcium builds strong bones and teeth and can help you do better in sports, look and feel better and make you less likely to break your bones. Your bones are growing fast now and this is when calcium is needed and used the most. If you don't get enough calcium now you will likely have serious bone problems such as osteoporosis (weakening of the bones) when you get older.

Calcium is so very important but kids your age are not getting enough! One 8-ounce glass of milk has 300 mg of calcium. 3 servings of dairy food a day from the Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Group give you all the calcium you need for one day. Everyday a child your age should have about 1300 mg of calcium needed for normal growth.

Where can you find calcium?
There are so many foods where calcium can be found:
As you probably know milk, cheese and yogurt are very high in calcium. Although any type of milk is a good source of calcium, low-fat and fat-free milk, cheeses and yogurts are the best.
You don't have to drink milk to get your calcium. Many other foods contain calcium, such as broccoli, dark leafy vegetables, soybeans, dry-roasted almonds, corn tortillas, dried figs, salmon and tofu. Calcium is now added to food, which is called fortification.
Some foods that now have added calcium are:
Orange juice, Tofu, Bread, Cereal

When having breakfast consider...
Cereal and low-fat milk. Yogurt with fresh or dried fruit. Drink orange juice that has added calcium. Add milk instead of water to oatmeal.
When eating lunch try these ideas...
Drink low-fat milk or chocolate milk not soda. Add a slice of low-fat cheese to your sandwich. Pack low-fat yogurt in your lunch box. Make a mini-pizza with cheese.
When having your dinner try this...
Make a salad with dark greens such as spinach. Put low-fat shredded cheese on top of your salad or main course, if possible. Have another green vegetable such as broccoli.
For healthy low-fat snacks try this...
Eat low-fat yogurt with fresh or dried fruit. Try a flavored low-fat milk like chocolate or strawberry. Have a pudding made with low-fat milk. Dip your fruit into yogurt.

What if dairy foods hurt your stomach?
Lactose intolerance is a problem with your body not being able to break down the sugar in milk. Your stomach does not have this enzyme to break down the sugar in milk called lactose. You may feel cramping, stomach aches and maybe even diarrhea shortly after having dairy foods. 30-50 million Americans are lactose intolerant. Products called Lactaid and Dairy Ease can help your body break down milk sugars. Try eating some of the other foods high in calcium more often.

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Drink or eat at least 3 low-fat dairy foods a day What are dairy foods? Dairy foods are foods that contain milk, such as: yogurt, milk, ice cream and cheese. W hich ones are low in fat? Fat-free milk, low-fat yogurt and cheese, frozen yogurt and fat-free ice-cream are all low in fat. Why do you need to eat dairy foods? Dairy foods have SO many good things for your body: Calcium and Vitamin D for strong bones. Protein for healthy skin and bones. Vitamin B-12 helps your blood cells divide properly. Vitamin A and Riboflavin keep your eyes and skin healthy. Potassium helps your muscles work well The calcium in dairy foods is so very important at your age:. Calcium builds strong bones and teeth and can help you do better in sports, look and feel better and make you less likely to break your bones. Your bones are growing fast now and this is when calcium is needed and used the most. If you don't get enough calcium now you will likely have serious bone problems such as osteoporosis (weakening of the bones) when you get older. How much calcium does a 10-12 year old need? Calcium is so very important but kids your age are not getting enough! One 8-ounce glass of milk has 300 mg of calcium. 3 servings of dairy food a day from the Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Group give you all the calcium you need for one day. Everyday a child your age should have about 1300 mg of calcium needed for normal growth. Where can you find calcium? There are so many foods where calcium can be found: As you probably know milk, cheese and yogurt are very high in calcium. Although any type of milk is a good source of calcium, low-fat and fat-free milk, cheeses and yogurts are the best. You don't have to drink milk to get your calcium. Many other foods contain calcium, such as broccoli, dark leafy vegetables, soybeans, dry-roasted almonds, corn tortillas, dried figs, salmon and tofu. Calcium is now added to food, which is called fortification. Some foods that now have added calcium are: Orange juice, Tofu, Bread, Cereal How can you eat 3 servings of dairy food everyday? When having breakfast consider... Cereal and low-fat milk. Yogurt with fresh or dried fruit. Drink orange juice that has added calcium. Add milk instead of water to oatmeal. When eating lunch try these ideas... Drink low-fat milk or chocolate milk not soda. Add a slice of low-fat cheese to your sandwich. Pack low-fat yogurt in your lunch box. Make a mini-pizza with cheese. When having your dinner try this... Make a salad with dark greens such as spinach. Put low-fat shredded cheese on top of your salad or main course, if possible. Have another green vegetable such as broccoli. For healthy low-fat snacks try this... Eat low-fat yogurt with fresh or dried fruit. Try a flavored low-fat milk like chocolate or strawberry. Have a pudding made with low-fat milk. Dip your fruit into yogurt. What if dairy foods hurt your stomach? Lactose intolerance is a problem with your body not being able to break down the sugar in milk. Your stomach does not have this enzyme to break down the sugar in milk called lactose. You may feel cramping, stomach aches and maybe even diarrhea shortly after having dairy foods. 30-50 million Americans are lactose intolerant. Products called Lactaid and Dairy Ease can help your body break down milk sugars. Try eating some of the other foods high in calcium more often.
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