Food Groups--Soy?

Question
I have been a big fan of the food pyramid for a while, but recently I have been trying to be much more vigilant about following the recommended number of servings for each food group daily. However, the problem I have come across is this--I drink soymilk and eat soy yogurt and cheese rather than cow's milk, yogurt, and cheese, and I am wondering if these are still considered part of the "milk, yogurt, and cheese" group, or if not, what group they fit into. Thank you for your help on this question.

Answer
Hi Megan,

The main thing to be concerned about with regards to dairy vs. nondairy milks, cheeses, etc is whether you are getting adequate amounts of calcium in your diet. You should be getting 1000 mg per day of calcium. Soymilk is generally fortified with calcium to a level equivalent to that found in cow's milk, however most soy cheeses and yogurts are not, and are therefore not good sources of calcium (although they are still a good source of protein). Other good non-dairy sources of calcium include calcium-fortified orange juice, greens (broccoli, kale, bok choy), almonds, almond butter, tahini, white beans, pinto beans, black turtle beans, calcium-set tofu (check the label as not all tofu is made this way), blackstrap molasses and figs.

Hope that helps!

Karen

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