Healthy foods #27 Fat-Free Milk

Why it’s good for you: Dairy products are a primary source of calcium for Americans, and they also contain vitamin D, both of which contribute to bone health. Eating low-fat or nonfat dairy has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes and with lower blood pressure in adults. And chocolate milk is a great way 

How to eat it: Drink a glass by itself or add it to oatmeal or cereal.

Serving size: 1 cup

Calories: 86

Recipe: Dr. Janet’s European-Style Thick Hot Cocoa
Yield: 2 cups (4 servings)

Ingredients
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Splenda brown-sugar blend
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups fat-free milk

In a saucepan, mix cocoa, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Whisk in 1 cup milk to make a thick paste and to dissolve the dry ingredients. This will look like thick chocolate frosting. Whisk in the remaining 1 cup milk until smooth. Place over low heat and stir until steaming and thick. Do not boil. Serve hot. (For more creaminess, you can add a little fat-free half-and-half and a dollop of fat-free whipped topping.)

Nutrition per serving (½ cup):
Calories: 190
Sodium: 95 mg
Fat: 2.5 g
Carbohydrates: 34 g
Dietary fiber: 3 g
Sugars: 26 g
Protein: 9 g

Recipe from Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN, author of Cholesterol Down, Prevent a Second Heart Attack and the upcoming Blood Pressure Down