Tips for Shavuot

The Shavuot Festival connects us with the consumption of milk and its products and is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate and explain to children the importance of eating dairy products and enriching the diet with calcium. Dairy products comprise superior protein that is important in building the body's tissues, the immune system and more. Once can consume dairy products as is or use them in pastries, cakes, salads and other foods. One must differentiate between a milk allergy and lactose intolerance. Whomever is allergic to milk should avoid cow's milk and other nursing animals' milk such as goats or sheep. In contrast, in cases of lactose intolerance, one can eat low lactose products (disaccharide in milk) such as yellow cheese, yoghurt or cottage cheese, thus enjoying the benefits and the taste of milk products.

Calcium:
Dairy products are an excellent way to enrich our diet with calcium. It is important to consume at least three milk products a day and especially if they are calcium-enriched. Among the enriched items are white cheeses, hard cheeses (more calcium but also with a higher fat content, and therefore favor those with low fat content), yoghurt or calcium-enriched milk, and various milk-based drinks. There is an abundance of different milk products with various levels of fat content. There is little difference in taste in low-fat dairy products. It is recommended to add ricotta cheese to baked pastries and quiches because it is high in calcium. Much research has focused on Vitamin D (really a hormone) which our bodies obtain from dairy products. Vitamin D which assists the body, among other functions, to effectively absorb calcium in the colon promoting healthy bones and more. Dairy products are enriched with Vitamin D, another reason to consume them at least three times a day. Many milk products are also enriched with probiotic bacteria. These "friendly" bacteria can assist in the digestive process and strengthen the immune system.

Fruits and Vegetables:
Shavuot - the Festival of the First Fruits – as aforementioned is the time to eat fruits and vegetables that are just waiting to be picked and served on the table. This is the time to prepare a huge salad with lots of vegetables or to eat fresh and healthy fruits. From the nutritional standpoint, it is better to eat fresh fruit than to squeeze its juice or eat dried fruit. At the same time, it is important not to eat too much fruit since they contain sugar, as opposed to low-calorie vegetables. Cheese can be added to any salad while dressings can be based upon green shoots and vinaigrette rather than cream-based dressings.