I don't know about you, but I grew up drinking a lot of milk, and it was always whole milk. That's fine for kids, because they can burn off the extra calories and need the vitamins, minerals, protein, and even fat that milk and dairy products offer. But, as adults, we may not have the same needs.



Milk and dairy products are great sources of calcium and other minerals, many B vitamins, and milk is often fortified with Vitamins A and D, so don't ignore this group. Calcium is a key element in helping to prevent osteoporosis, while vitamin D is necessary for calcium to be absorbed properly. Postmenopausal women are especially prone to osteoporosis and loss of calcium. Dairy products are also good sources of complete proteins.

The problem with this food group is that it is often accompanied by a large entourage of fat! And most adults don't need that kind of entourage hanging around! Choose to consume lower fat choices such as skim milk or low fat milk, low-fat cheeses, and non-fat yogurts.

My recommendation is to include this food group in any well balanced diet, but try to wean you from the high fat choices. Choose skim milk or low fat milk, low-fat cheeses, and non-fat yogurt.

The Food Pyramid Guide

You may be saying to yourself, "The Food Group Pyramid Guide - how boring!" Hang on to your shorts, folks, I'll let you in on a little, but very important, secret. The Food Pyramid is the best guide to achieving healthful, long-term eating habits. There's no magic diet for losing weight or achieving better health. It isn't about eating a truckload of grapefruits, carcasses of beef, or even forty acres of vegetables.

For most of you, a well balanced diet which encompasses a variety of nutritious foods eaten in moderation is the best and healthiest way to lose weight. The Food Pyramid Guide can be just that for you - a guide. It makes life easy for you, because it doesn't exclude any types of foods and its daily serving recommendations mean "on average." It is flexible and not an absolute formula. Eating a variety of healthy foods ensures you will get balanced nutrition and that you'll be satiated and satisfied by those foods.

I don't know about you, but I'd get really sick of any diet that would only let me eat one type of food - or very little of anything! Any diet has to be flexible and wide ranging enough to be interesting and healthy - so you can happily follow it for the long term. So really it isn't a diet but a lifestyle change. And creating the habit of a healthier lifestyle is what this article is all about. The Food Guide Pyramid can help.