Understanding milk and dairy

Every balanced diet should include a controlled amount of milk and dairy products. Foods such as cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais are great sources of protein and vitamins A and B12 and contain calcium, which helps to strengthen bones.

However, often dairy foods can also be high in fat, which when consumed in ample quantities can be bad for the body. Experts estimate that most cheeses, such as Cheddar or Brie, contain between 20 and 40 per cent fat. Therefore, in order to ensure intake of dairy products remains healthy, individuals should opt for healthier choices, which contain less statured fat. Not doing so could lead to complications such as heart disease.

Many shops now sell reduced fat cheeses, such as cottage cheese, while fat intake can also be reduced by going for skimmed or semi-skimmed milk over full fat alongside low-fat yoghurt and fromage frais alternatives.

These products usually contain the same mineral and nutritional benefits, but simply have a lower fat content.

Using strong-tasting cheese when making a sauce is another good tactic, as this means less of the food will be needed to flavour the dish.

Another flaw in dairy products to watch out for is a high salt content. Over-consumption of salt can cause high blood pressure, which in turn is linked to heart disease. Adults should be eating no more than 6g of salt a day.

Some dairy products are inherently high in fat - cream and butter would be two prime examples of this. In recipes, plain yoghurt can often be a substitute for sour cream, while low-fat spreads can replace butter.

When a woman is pregnant she should revisit her approach to dairy products and up her intake of this food type. Dairy can help develop the unborn baby's bones, enabling them to harden. However, when carrying an unborn child women should avoid unpasteurised dairy products and cheeses such as Camembert, Brie or chevre, a type of goats' cheese, as well as soft blue cheeses because they can have high levels of listeria. This is a germ which can cause miscarriages, stillbirth and severe illness in a newborn baby.

However, there is no listeria risk with cottage cheese, processed cheese or hard cheeses even if they are unpasteurised.

Young children and babies should also consume a high level of dairy, as such products are a prime source of energy and protein. Dairy products contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals, which can help growing children build healthy bones and teeth.