Ask our dietitian

Frequently asked questions

How much dairy should we consume every day to keep our bones strong?

The quantity of Milk and Alternatives that you should consume every day depends on your age and physical condition. Here they are. Children aged 2 to 8 years: 2 servings a day. Teens aged 9 to 18 years: 3 to 4 servings a day. Adults aged 19 to 50 years: 2 servings a day. Adults aged 51 years and up: 3 servings a day.

To reach the recommended number of daily servings, adding a little milk to your coffee or eating milk chocolate is not enough! According to Canada's Food Guide, 1 serving equals 250 ml (1 cup) of milk or 175 g (¾ cup) of yogurt or 200 mL of yogurt drink or 50 g (1 ½ oz) of firm cheese like Cheddar, Swiss or Gouda. A half cup of Cottage or Ricotta cheese or milk-based desert like rice pudding accounts for half a portion.

I have an 18-month-old. Does he need the same quantity of milk products as a two year old? Also, what are the best kinds of milk products for him?

Before the age of two, a child should drink at least 600 mL (20 oz) of milk daily in order to meet his needs for protein, calcium, vitamin D and other essential nutrients. Yogurt and cheese are also good choices, but they contain no vitamin D unless they are made from fortified milk. The best choice of milk for children under two years old is whole milk (3.25% milk fat, pasteurized and homogenized).

I'm the parent of a six-year-old girl and an eight-year-old boy. Is two cups of milk per day enough for each of them? Also, how much cheese should I give them on a daily basis?

According to Canada's Food Guide, children between 4 and 8 years of age should consume two servings of Milk and Alternatives every day. So two cups of whole milk is enough. However, your children will soon need more! Since the requirements for dairy products for children aged 9 to 13 increase to between 3 to 4 servings per day, it's not excessive to give your children some additional yogurt or cheese during the day. One serving of cheese corresponds to 50 g (1 ½ oz) and one serving of yogurt is 175 g or ¾ cup.

How many different milk products, other than milk, should I consume in a day?

For adults aged 19 to 50, Canada's Food Guide recommends 2 servings of Milk and Alternatives every day and 3 servings for those aged 51 and over. One serving corresponds to 250 mL (1 cup) of milk or 175 g (¾ cup) of yogurt or 50 g (1 ½ oz or the size of two erasers) of cheese. Those quantities provide about the same amount of protein and calcium. You can choose whatever you want as long as you eat your recommended daily servings. The idea is to have a variety of foods and to eat or cook them in different ways to avoid monotony and benefit from a variety of nutritious foods.

I'm 43 years old. How important is milk for someone my age? I don't usually consume any milk products unless I eat cheese.

Milk products are important throughout your life for various reasons. Not only do they help children build strong bones and teeth, but they also help reduce bone loss during adulthood and prevent osteoporosis. Did you know that one out of four women will suffer osteoporosis after 50? This is one of the reasons why Canada's Food Guide recommends for adults 2 servings of Milk and Alternatives every day and 3 servings for adults over 50.

A serving of 50 g (1 ½ oz) of cheese certainly is a good choice as it provides calcium and other essential nutrients. But milk contains calcium AND is fortified with vitamin D, which improves the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. It also contains less fat and is very versatile; simply drink it or use it in smoothies, soups, béchamel, rice pudding and other milk-based deserts, pancakes, cereals, etc.

Will milk products help me lose weight?

No food in particular has that “magic” property. But you may have heard that, according to more than 30 scientific research studies, milk products may help you lose weight or prevent you from gaining weight. In fact, it seems that calcium, and particularly the calcium from milk products, may encourage the body to more efficiently use fat as a source of energy, thereby reducing stores of body fat. So if your age is between 19 and 50, make sure you get your 2 servings a day. If you are younger, you should get 3-4 servings of Milk and Alternatives daily.

What kind of food can I eat at home to help me gain weight? I'm 78 pounds and 26 years old.

To gain weight, I suggest you target nutrient-rich foods that are also calorie dense. For example, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, nuts and seeds, dried fruits, granola bars, fruitcake, date squares, cheese and crackers, quiches, milkshakes, ice cream, etc. Add cheese to your salads, omelets, pasta and vegetables. Put butter on your bread and cooked vegetables; add oil to your salads or some olive oil to your fish, soup and pasta before serving. At the supermarket choose whole milk and yogurt (avoid the skimmed versions). Try to eat more often — five or six times a day. When you are thirsty, instead of water go for 100% fruit juice, chocolate milk, shakes or smoothies.

If you are on a diet, is it better or worse to consume milk products such as milk and cheese?

If you want to lose weight, the most important thing to remember is not to ban nutritious foods that are part of the four food groups in Canada's Food Guide, namely Milk and Alternatives, Vegetables and Fruit, Grain Products and Meat and Alternatives. All these foods should have a place in your meals because they provide important nutrients.

Many studies show that a balanced diet containing an adequate amount of milk products could help to more efficiently achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Moreover, because milk products have a good proportion of protein, they can help achieve satiety and prevent cravings between meals. At the end of the day, everything is a question of balance!

Which is a healthier choice: regular or low calorie salad dressings? I've noticed that the low calorie options are low in fat but high in sodium and carbohydrates.

You raise a good point — that light products contain less fat than regular ones, but they also often have more sugar and sodium. The fact is, if the amount of an ingredient is reduced, it must inevitably be replaced by something else to keep the same volume and the initial texture. The question is: is it worth saving a few calories, increasing your sodium intake and perhaps impairing the true original taste by choosing a light offering compared to a regular one? To get a full answer, you have to carefully read food labels and compare each product.

Have you noticed that, in general, products with light versions are not very nutritious? It's true for jams, salad dressings, sauces, spreads, soft drinks, etc. An alternative would be to prepare your own vinaigrette using low-fat yogurt or even buttermilk. Just replace half the amount of vegetable oil in a recipe by adding either plain yogurt or 1% fat buttermilk. Your vinaigrette will taste great and you will benefit from more nutritious ingredients!

I was wondering if you have any tips for gaining weight. I'm not excessively underweight. I'm a 23-year-old female, 5'8”, 118 lbs. I'd like to be at least 130 lbs. What can I do?

Weight gain occurs when the amount of calories consumed is greater than the amount of energy expended. Since exercising is good for your overall health, it wouldn't be a good choice to reduce your physical activity. The solution is therefore to eat more and well. First, try to eat three meals and up to three snacks per day. If you don't have much appetite, eating small quantities frequently should help you increase your total caloric intake.

Target nutrient-rich foods that are also calorie dense. For example, you could eat peanut butter and jam sandwich, nuts and seeds, dried fruits, granola bars, fruitcake, date squares, cheese and crackers, quiches, milkshakes, ice cream, etc. Add cheese to your salads, omelets, pasta and vegetables. Butter your bread and cooked vegetables; add oil to your salads or olive oil to your fish, soup and pasta before serving. At the supermarket, choose whole milk and regular yogurt and cheese (avoid the skimmed versions). When you are thirsty, instead of water, go for 100% fruit juice, chocolate milk, shakes or smoothies.

What kinds of milk products can I consume if I'm lactose intolerant?

Here are a few options. In order to be digested, lactose must first be broken down by an enzyme called lactase. If you are lactose intolerant, you could try milk that has the lactose already broken down for you; I am referring to lactose-free milk, which is available in most supermarkets. You can also supplement your diet with a lactase enzyme to help with digestion. If you dislike pills, look for liquid drops available at most grocery stores and pharmacies. Try Mozzarella and aged cheeses like Cheddar, Swiss, Brie and Blue since they contain almost no lactose. You can also find lactose-free cheeses in supermarkets. Yogurt is often well tolerated too, since it contains live bacteria that help break down lactose.

It is also possible to slowly rebuild your tolerance to lactose-containing foods and drinks. Start by taking lactase enzymes and try incorporating small amounts of milk (less than 125 mL), slowly increasing the amount over a few weeks. Drinking whole milk or chocolate milk with a meal or with other foods and keeping quantities small can also help.

Which is a better choice for me: low fat or whole milk? I'm 55 years old; I have osteoporosis in my hands and osteopenia in my back and thighs.

Unless you are on a low-fat diet for a specific reason, all types of milk will help you fight osteoporosis. As a matter of fact, many consumers wonder if skim milk has the same nutritional value as whole milk. The answer is yes! The quantity of calcium provided by a cup of milk varies very slightly, regardless of its fat content.

To be specific, a cup of whole milk (3.25%) contains 290 mg of calcium, 2% milk has 300 mg, 1% milk has 307 mg and skim milk contains 325 mg. The small difference is due to the reduction of the fat proportion in skim milk, which concentrates the content of nutrients like calcium. Milk is an important contributor to a balanced diet, considering it is one of the best available and most affordable sources of calcium and vitamin D, two essential nutrients for bone health.

How much calcium is in skim milk, 1%, 2% and whole milk?

Many consumers wonder if skim milk has the same nutritional value as whole milk. The answer is yes! The quantity of calcium provided by a cup of milk varies very slightly, regardless of its fat content. To be specific, a cup of whole milk (3.25%) contains 290 mg of calcium, 2% milk has 300 mg, 1% milk has 307 mg and skim milk contains 325 mg. The small difference is due to the reduction of the fat proportion in skim milk, which concentrates the content of nutrients like calcium.

Adults need 1000 to 1200 mg of calcium per day, that's why the a minimum of 2 servings of Milk and Alternatives is recommended daily. Milk can be an important contributor to a balanced diet, considering it is one of the best available and most affordable sources of calcium and vitamin D.

What are the 16 essential nutrients in milk?

You probably already know that milk is rich in calcium — that's one nutrient (1). In addition, milk contains many more essential nutrients! Here they are: protein (2), vitamin A (3), vitamin B₆ (4), vitamin B₁₂ (5), vitamin D (6), riboflavin (7), niacin (8), thiamin (9), pantothenic acid (10), folate (11), magnesium (12), phosphorous (13), potassium (14), zinc (15), and selenium (16).

All these essential nutrients provide numerous health benefits, from aiding normal growth to preventing important diseases. Chocolate and flavored milk are as nutritious and provide the same amount of protein, vitamins and minerals as white milk. Enjoy!

What are the health benefits of yogurt? I am an 80-year-old man and I eat yogurt regularly.

There are many beneficial effects of eating yogurt! Yogurt contains more than 10 essential nutrients that are important to your health. Since it is made from milk, yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, a crucial nutrient for bone and overall health. Certain brands of yogurt are even made with milk that is enriched with vitamin D, which helps calcium absorption. Canada's Food Guide recommends that people over the age of 50 increase their vitamin D intake and even take a daily supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D.

Finally yogurt contains friendly bacteria that naturally inhabit our digestive tracts and help us to digest food and keep our bodies healthy by controlling harmful bacteria and other microorganisms. So continue enjoying good, nutritious yogurt every day!