A Heart Healthy Diet & Skim Milk

Skim milk can be a delicious part of a heart-healthy diet. Because the saturated fat found in whole milk and reduced-fat milk has been removed, skim milk doesn't contribute to heart disease in the same way as these other forms of milk might. Skim milk may even have a protective effect on heart health when consumed as part of an overall healthy meal plan.

Eating for Heart Health

• Heart-healthy eating involves consuming foods that are high in nutrients and low in saturated fat, excess sugar and cholesterol. Vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean meats, healthy unsaturated oils and low-fat dairy products can all be part of a heart-healthy diet. Because being overweight or obese can contribute to heart disease, maintaining a healthy weight is essential for overall heart health. Limiting calories can help lower your weight and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Skim Milk Nutrition

• Skim milk is a good source of dietary calcium, and people between the ages of 19 and 50 should aim to get approximately 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day. A cup of skim milk contains 316 milligrams of calcium, so it provides almost a third of the typical adult's daily requirements. Because it has just 91 calories per cup, skim milk can also help you maintain your weight. Fortified skim milk is also high in vitamin A, vitamin D, phosphorus and potassium, and it has 8.75 grams of protein in each cup.

Milk's Protective Effects

• A study published in 2005 in the "Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health" found that men who drank over a pint of milk a day had a lower risk of ischemic heart disease and stroke than men who drank less milk. Another study, published in 2006 in the journal "Hypertension," found that consuming dairy products with low levels of saturated fat reduced the risk of high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease.

Sticking With Skim

• If you're concerned about heart disease and enjoy milk, sticking with skim is a strategy that can help keep you healthy. Skim milk can be used in recipes as a replacement for whole milk, so there's no need to eschew your favorite dishes when you switch to fat-free milk. You should also choose other dairy products made from skim milk instead of whole milk. Skim-milk versions of cheese, yogurt, evaporated milk and buttermilk all can be used in the same way as the regular whole-milk versions.