imperative for tooth development and maintenance. The most abundant protein in milk, casein, helps to form a thin film on the enamel surface which prevents loss of calcium and phosphate from the enamel when the teeth
H
aving been consumed as far back as history is recorded; it is baffling that the eating and drinking of dairy products in today’s modern society is
shrouded with myths and common misconceptions as to whether it is indeed healthy. In fact dairy products actually have a wide range of nutritional benefits, some of which you may not expect, when utilised as part of a balanced diet. When one thinks of the benefits of milk in particular, Calcium and all its bone-strengthening goodness springs to mind but milk is also known to contain good quantities of other vitamins and minerals including phosphorous, zinc and Vitamin B12. Your teeth will benefit from dairy consumption as the amount of calcium and phosphorous in milk and dairy is
are exposed to acids in the mouth. The National Dairy Council have also suggested (but not scientifically proven) through various studies that the consumption of dairy has benefits against high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes and even cardiovascular disease when consumed in line with a healthy balanced diet. In light of this and to tackle modern movements towards a low-dairy diet, the EU has backed a number of schemes to highlight the benefits of this staple family of foods. Make Milk Mine, one of these EU-funded schemes, features a number of high profile celebrities and athletes sporting ‘milk moustaches’, in a similar way to the successful ‘Got Milk’ campaign in America. These expensive advertising campaigns all have one agenda: To raise the profile of the white stuff and related produce. One myth surrounding milk in particular, but extending to yoghurt and other products, is that they are high-fat
options. Think again. Even semi-skimmed, the so called ‘middle ground’ in milk, has a maximum fat content of 2%, while skimmed can be no higher than 0.1%. What’s more, dairy products including cheese and yoghurt are packed full of flavour and can be fantastic to cook with. The old adage ‘everything in moderation’ could possibly not be more applicable than with dairy but when it comes to inspiration for use try to think past the natural breakfast habits of enhancing your tea or pouring it over your cornflakes and experiment with the rich fullness of flavour that milk and related produce can provide. And when it comes to shopping for
dairy, spare a thought for our local farmers who have had a widely-publicised hard time of it over the past few years. Think about the price you pay for your milk, where you buy it and most importantly of all, where the milk actually comes from. With some of the larger retailers paying less for milk per litre than what it actually costs to produce, a number of EU measures have had to be introduced in order to help the British dairy industry. This year, why not try and support your local dairy and if you can, buy direct.
BERRY CRUNCH
This fruity dish is so easy to make (you can even keep the topping in the fridge for a couple of days) and the nuts and seeds are loaded with all sorts of good stuff that’ll keep you perky if you are eating for breakfast.
For the topping: 30g/1oz desiccated coconut 3tbsp almonds 3tbsp hazelnuts 3tbsp pumpkin seeds 1tbsp ground flaxseed
For the berry and Yoghurt layer: 200g/7oz fresh blueberries or mixed berries
1tbsp Crème de Cassis (optional)
200g flavoured yoghurt
1 Lightly toast the desiccated coconut and nuts until golden
brown. Let it cool for
a minute or two, then pop it in a food processor or blender with the pumpkin seeds and pulse it until it’s coarsely choped. Stir in the flaxseed.
2 Mix together the berries and Crème de Cassis and swirl it through the Yogurt.
3 Spoon the Yoghurt mixture into four glasses and top with the nut and seed mixture.
TOP TIP
For the flavoured yoghurt, we used Blueberry with a hint
of lime Yoghurt, but experiment with flavours to suit your tastes.
www.yeovalley.co.uk/recipes 18 | THE WEST COUNTRY FOODLOVER
January
Dairy
QUICK AND SIMPLE
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