SWITCHING from full fat milk to skim can cut 1kg of saturated fat from our diets each year, according to the Heart Foundation.
New research by the National Heart Foundation of Australia has found 40 per cent of mums are missing an opportunity to cut a kilogram of unhealthy saturated fat from their diet every year.
“Just by making the easy switch to skim milk in a daily cappuccino will cut out 1kg of unhealthy saturated fat a year,” said Dr Lyn Roberts, National CEO of the Heart Foundation.
“It may sound a bit odd, but milk is the biggest source of saturated fat in our diet, because most of us drink it every day, several times a day.”
Full cream milk contains 2.3 per cent saturated fat, whereas reduced fat and skim milk contains 0.9 per cent and 0.1 per cent saturated fat respectively as well as slightly higher levels of calcium.
“The milk on our morning breakfast cereal and in our teas and coffees all add up, which is why switching to reduced or low fat milk is one good way to reduce the amount of unhealthy saturated fat we’re eating,” Dr Roberts said.
“Saturated fat is the type of fat that clogs our arteries and raises our blood cholesterol levels. We need to reduce the amount of unhealthy saturated fat in our diet and replace it with healthier fats.”
The Heart Foundation recommends that Australian adults and children over two years old consume two to three serves of reduced, low or no fat dairy foods (milk, cheese, and/or yoghurt) every day, as they are a primary source of calcium.
“The good news is that once your children are two years old you can buy one type of reduced fat milk and dairy products for the whole family,” she said.
For free family recipes and other tips to reduce your saturated fat intake, visit heartfoundation.org.au/mumsunited
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