What do I need to be careful of?

As these foods can be high in saturated fat, you should try and choose lower fat varieties where possible. Too much fat can increase your cholesterol levels. Fat is also the highest source of calories so can lead to weight gain, both of which can increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Sugar

Many foods that are advertised as 'low fat' such as yoghurts, can actually have a lot of sugar in them.

Other dairy sources that can be high in sugar includes condensed or evaporated milk so should be used in moderation to reduce your overall sugar intake.

Food labels

Checking the food labels of foods is the best way to monitor the amount of fat and sugar that are in different foods.

In the UK, foods in supermarkets usually have a food label on the front which are colour coded so you have a visual guide:

This makes comparing two different food choices a lot quicker and easier, as the more green colour coding you see on the packing, the healthier the food. 

The colours show if the product contains high, medium or low levels of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt:

• red means high - you should try to have these less often and in smaller amounts
• amber means medium - you can have these most of the time
• green means low - the more greens on the label, the healthier the choice

Most labels carry a mixture of red, amber and greens. Try to buy products that are a mixture of amber and greens as these are often healthier choices.

Healthy dairy choices 

Milk Try switching from whole (blue) to semi-skimmed (green), 1% fat (orange) or skimmed (red). Lower-fat milks contain a similar amount of protein, carbohydrate and calcium as whole milk; they just contain less total fat and saturated fat.
	Cheese Opt for lower-fat varieties such as Edam or reduced-fat hard cheese. Remember, however, that they are still high in total fat and saturated fat so it is important to keep an eye on portion sizes. Cottage cheese, Quark and reduced-fat cream cheeses are lowest in fat and salt. If you prefer higher-fat cheeses use small amounts. Make hard cheese go further by grating it. Use mature cheese – the flavour is stronger so a little goes a long way.
Yoghurt Natural or low-fat Greek yoghurt is a healthy dairy choice. Opt for low-fat or diet yoghurts (these can be higher in added sugar, though, so it is important to check the label).