Milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt, are great sources of protein and calcium. They can dairy free muffins part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Unsweetened calcium-fortified dairy alternatives like soya milks, soya yoghurts and soya cheeses also count as part of this food group. These can make good alternatives to dairy products. To make healthier choices, go for lower fat and lower sugar options. To make healthier choices, look at the nutrition information on the label to check the amount of fat, including saturated fat, salt and sugar, in the dairy products you’re choosing. Much of the fat in milk and dairy foods is saturated fat. For older children and adults, eating too much fat can contribute to excess energy intakes, leading to becoming overweight.

A diet high in saturated fat can also lead to raised levels of cholesterol in the blood, and this can put you at increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke. But for older children and adults, it’s a good idea to go for lower-fat milks because having too much fat in your diet can result in you becoming overweight. Most cheeses, including brie, stilton, cheddar, lancashire and double gloucester, contain between 20g and 40g of fat per 100g. Foods that contain more than 17. 5g of fat per 100g are considered high in fat.

Some cheeses can also be high in salt. 5g salt per 100g is considered high. Eating too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure. Try choosing reduced-fat hard cheeses, which usually have between 10g and 16g of fat per 100g. If you’re using cheese to flavour a dish or a sauce, you could try using a cheese that has a stronger flavour, such as mature cheddar or blue cheese, because then you’ll need less. These cheeses may carry bacteria called listeria. But these cheeses can be used as part of a cooked recipe as listeria is killed by cooking.

Baked brie, for example, is a safer option. It can often be high in salt too, so try to eat it less often and in small amounts. Choosing lower-fat spreads instead of butter is a good way to reduce your fat intake. Cream is also high in fat, so use this less often and in small amounts too. You can use lower-fat plain yoghurt and fromage frais instead of cream.