Dairy products have been a crucial part of our lives as Malaysians. In almost everything we cook and eat, we have one type of dairy product included in the preparation. However, despite us being heavy users of fairy products, especially milk, butter and cheese, we are not well educated or informed on how to choose the best possible quality or even dairy products with the required nutrients that we need.
How do we know what cheese is good for those who are lactose intolerant? What is the difference between skimmed and non-fat? All that we know is the better quality ones are the ones who are priced higher compared to the others. But whether it is the truth or not, we won’t know.
Importance of Choosing Right
“What’s the importance of choosing dairy products? It’s just milk and cheese!” You may have this question in your mind, but allow us to tell you why it is so important. Choosing the right dairy products not only help you to have a better diet but also makes you healthier and even fitter. So, here are 5 important tips that you should know when choosing quality dairy products.
Milk
When choosing milk, there are 2 things you should know. The first thing you need to know if whether the milk you are getting is grass-fed or grain-fed milk. Grass-fed is pricier than grain-fed but has a wealth of nutrients such as vitamin K, omega 3, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and calcium compared to grain-fed milk that has a higher fat content.
The second thing that you should know is what type of milk you want. Most of us only know two types of milk; full fat and low fat. But how about skimmed and the difference with low fat. If you are on a diet and looking to watch your fat content, don’t choose low fat but skimmed instead. Skimmed milk has 0.5% fat while having the same nutrient content as the low fat option.
Cheese
First of all, cheese slices are not considered as real cheese. If you are wondering why you are gaining weight although you are eating healthy ‘cheese’ is because you are not really eating cheese.
The first thing you should know when selecting or buying cheese is to know the 7 types of cheese and the pairing of specific cheese according to your meal. If you are looking for low lactose content, parmesan, swiss and cheddar have the lowest lactose content. so, now you can eat your cheese without worrying the need to go after consuming it.
Cream
Choosing cream is a little tricky since there are so many types available in the market and you don’t know which is which and what it is best for when it comes to cooking. Using the wrong cream won’t give any health effects but it won’t be nice either.
When it comes to choosing cream, the best would be choosing the one with the highest fat content. Creams with a higher fat content gives a rich, creamier taste and whip much better. However, for different dishes, different creams are required, For example, double cream or heavy cream is best used for cooking savoury dishes like curries due to its ability not to split or curdle when cooking at high heat while whipping cream is suitable for cooking soups and stews. So, the next time you are out buying cream, make sure you check the labels first.
Butter
When buying butter, we usually choose the cheapest option on the shelf. As long as it is packaged in an aluminium sheet and there’s a image of a cow stamped on it, we’re good to go. However, that is not the case since most of us, more often than not, confuse margarine with butter.
Margarine is plant-based while butter is animal-based. Butter isn’t made of purely fat; it is about 20 percent water and also contains milk proteins (solids) while margarine is typically made of 80% vegetable oil and water and flavored to taste like butter. Now, you know the difference, let us get on with the different types of butter.
A quality butter not only tastes better, but is actually lower in fat and remarkably more nutrient dense, providing a good source of omega 3 fats, B12, beta carotene, vitamin K, D, E, and C; and the best one, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). In order to enjoy all this health benefits, the butter you must choose is the one made of grass-fed milk rather than grain-fed milk.
Quality in EU Dairy Products
Now, you are equipped with some knowledge that can help you to make better choices when buying quality dairy products that are beneficial to you and your family. However, you be overwhelmed with the wide availability of dairy brands out there.
In order to save you valuable minutes from taking too long contemplating between brand A and B, we have a recommendation ready for you. EU Dairy products such as Lakeland Dairies, Millac and Millac Gold are among the brands that ensure quality and nutrient-rich in all of their products. With proper research, milking process and comfortable treatment of dairy cows, EU Dairy products have proven to be the number one choice of many restaurants, hotels and other dining establishments in Malaysia including Chef Dato’ Fazley’s SukaSucre Bistro & Kitchen. To know more about them, just log on to their website and see for yourself their dedication on providing the best to its users.
