Kosher: What is chalav Yisrael?

Chalav Yisroel, very loosely translated as “Jewish milk” is a stringency in the laws of kashrut (kosher) that stipulates that all milk and dairy products should be manufactured under Jewish supervision. This means that either the cows should be milked by Jews or the milking and the production of cheeses, ice creams and other dairy foods should be done with a Jew in attendance. A common misconception about chalav Yisroel is that any dairy food with a kosher label is automatically chalav Israel. Milk and cheese with the OU-D symbol, for instance, are kosher products (coming from kosher animals with … Continue reading

Want Healthy Arteries? Don’t Put Milk in Your Tea.

Americans have been drinking tea for quite some time.Though not as popular in the States as it is in European countries, tea is a delicious beverage Americans like to drink hot or cold. Green tea in particular, is gaining popularity, due to its health benefits. Some very interesting information surfaced today regarding tea consumption. According to a German study, adding milk to tea ruins its health benefits. Who knew? Tea has long since been known to have numerous health benefits. With its complex compounds, polyphenols, tea enables smoother blood flow and relaxes arteries. But in a study conducted at a … Continue reading

A Quick Guide to Using Powdered Milk

Powdered milk has long been a staple of frugal living. From the days of our grandparents to the present time, many use powdered milk in different ways to save money and conserve resources. But powdered milk can be an acquired taste. Some people use it in place of fresh milk, drinking the reconstituted milk straight, while others won’t touch it with a 10-foot pole. Many choose the middle ground. Here is a guide to get you started with using powdered milk. Drinking powdered milk straight. If you have ever been brought up in a house that serves only powdered milk, … Continue reading

How Much Did You Pay for Milk Last Year?

Milk prices seem to be going up in states all across the nation. In 2006, states such as Pennsylvania, California and New York announced or proposed price increases. So how much did you actually pay for your milk? Federal milk order market administrators collected data on milk price information for selected cities each month. They also averaged the milk prices for these selected cities to report on average prices for the year. The administrators used the most common brand based on shelf space and did not include prices for milk on sale, milk purchased with coupons or any other milk … Continue reading

Triathlon or Bust 9: Chocolate Milk and Jelly Beans

Over the last few years I’ve watched my road biker husband drink all sorts of weird, powdered concoctions in the name of “recovery.” I called them his performance-enhancing drugs, which isn’t that funny given all the recent scandals about doping in professional bike racing. But my point was, what’s wrong with regular food to meet even a competitive athlete’s needs? After realizing the importance of proper nutrition after starting my triathlon training, and how difficult it was to get it right, I was on the verge of giving in and trying one of the yucky-looking protein shakes. Then I read … Continue reading

Milking the Dairy Diet?

Have you seen all the headlines insisting that consuming dairy on a daily basis can help you lose weight? We talked about the Dairy Diet a few weeks ago here. It’s time to revisit that topic with the latest news report. From the Milk, does a body good ad campaign to the eat more dairy to lose weight statements – high-dairy diets are spreading like wildfire. So does it work? The answer to that is a very firm maybe. Current research suggests those who indulge in high-dairy diets gain slightly more weight than those who trim the dairy from their … Continue reading

The Dairy Diet

A great source of calcium, vitamins and minerals is dairy foods. While some of us are lactose intolerant, many of us are not. Dairy is a fundamental food source, not to mention a good one. We can still enjoy dairy products in our life. The important key to enjoying what we love is to seek out lower fat versions of it. For example, powdered milk has a ton of calcium, yet there is no fat. You will also find that powdered milks has a lot less in the way of germs that pasteurized milk does. In Asia and many other … Continue reading

Milk, Chocolate — Does a Body Good

When most adults think about exercise, they imagine working out in the gym on a treadmill or lifting weights. But for children, exercise means playing and being physically active. Kids exercise when they have gym class at school, soccer practice, or dance class. They’re also exercising when they’re at recess, riding bikes, or playing tag. There’s a lot we can learn from our kids. Exercise doesn’t have to be a grueling workout. It can actually be a lot of fun too. Another thing we can learn from our kids is to drink chocolate milk. That’s right – chocolate milk. I … Continue reading

Is My Baby Getting Enough Milk?

New babies bring with them new concerns. For Mothers who chose to breastfeed, one of the first concerns is whether or not baby is getting enough to eat. It is a common misconception that a breastfeeding Mom needs to supplement with formula until her milk comes in or risk her baby’s health. Babies are perfectly built to survive on colostrum (pre-milk) alone until a Mother’s milk comes in. In fact, nature worked it out perfectly so that the baby will become hungrier and hungrier, wanting to nurse more and more often, which in turn will bring the milk in sooner … Continue reading

What To Do When Your Child Hates Milk

We all know milk is important because it contains calcium. In fact young children have high calcium needs because they are constantly growing. Calcium is essential for building strong bones and teeth. Calcium reservoirs in the bones need to be topped off each day to prevent diseases like rickets or osteoporosis when older. Calcium is used: · In building bones and teeth · Regulating muscle functions · Regulating heart functions · Blood clotting · Enzyme function · Transmission of nervous system signals So what do you do when your child hates milk? This is a question I’ve had to answer … Continue reading