What are the dairy products?
The term "Dairy" is used to describe any food made from milk. This milk can be obtained from various animals, including cows, goats, sheep, buffalo, and even camels and buffaloes in some countries. But the majority of dairy products in the world are made with cow's milk.
Among the types of dairy products, foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt are the most popular and you will find their traces in different food cultures. On the other hand, a significant number of people around the world either have to limit their consumption of dairy products or avoid such products altogether, due to various reasons such as milk sensitivity, lactose intolerance, or adherence to various moral beliefs such as veganism
What are the benefits of consuming dairy?
The main and most important advantage that dairy products bring is a wide range of nutrients and minerals that our body needs. Aside from pure sources of fat (such as butter), dairy products usually have high amounts of protein, calcium, and phosphorus. In addition, by eating these products, you also provide your body with several other important vitamins and minerals such as B12.
Studies have shown that consuming dairy products may help keep bones healthy and prevent them from breaking. In addition, it has been fully proven that some substances in milk, such as protein, calcium and phosphorus, play an important role in bone health.
Dairy types
Dough is a salty drink that is prepared with only three ingredients: yogurt, water and salt. As one of the oldest drinks in Iran and Turkey with a history of more than 1000 years, buttermilk is very popular in the Middle East region. According to the ingredients of buttermilk, this drink contains all three essential macronutrients along with a large amount of sodium.
2. Butter
Butter is a type of very fatty dairy substance that is obtained by shaking milk or cream and is usually used on breakfast bread or when frying food. Since butter's saturated fat is relatively high, you can't overdo it. Therefore, it is very important to know the properties of butter in every meal.
3. Cheese
Cheese is one of the most delicious dairy products that is popular all over the world. This food is so popular that many countries in the world have become famous for producing special cheeses, for example:
Cheddar cheese (England)
Camembert cheese (France)
Feta cheese (Greece)
Gorgonzola cheese (Italy)
Gruyère cheese (Switzerland)
Manchego cheese (Spain)
Mozzarella cheese (Italy)
Parmesan cheese (Italy)
Ricotta cheese (Greece) >
4. Cream
Cream is another type of high-fat dairy that is obtained from the fat layer on milk, before the milk enters the homogenization process. There are different types of cream and the amount of fat in them can vary between 18 and 55%. Just like butter, cream is a source of fat-soluble vitamins A and D. However, the cream's best feature is probably its taste. This food makes almost anything more delicious. On the downside, cream contains a significant amount of saturated fat and calories, and not many nutrients. So consume cream in moderation.
5. Cream cheese
Cream cheese is one of the types of dairy products that is famous for its delicious taste, soft texture and easy spread on bread. You can do many things in the kitchen with cream cheese and you can find traces of this food in all kinds of recipes, from the New York cheesecake recipe to how to prepare tandoori potatoes. Of course, it should be noted that Different brands launch various cream cheeses and therefore the nutritional value can be completely variable. Some cream cheeses are simply 100% fat cheese with some salt, while others are available with low fat or high protein.
Milk, which is the basic element of all types of dairy products, comes from different sources and in different forms: from cow and goat milk to enriched and fat-free milk. Each of these milks has a completely different taste and minerals from the other, so you have to rely on your own taste and opinion to identify the best milk.
7. Yogurt
Yogurt is one of the most popular types of dairy products around the world. To prepare it, milk is heated to separate the proteins. After this, bacteria known as "yogurt bacteria" are added to make the yogurt. In this step, the temperature of the dairy material is kept high for a few hours and then allowed to cool. The longer the fermentation process takes, the tastier the yogurt will be. It goes without saying that until today, many researches have focused on the potential benefits of yogurt consumption. For example, many studies show that consumption of yogurt reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer.