Where do milk, ayran and kefir fit in your day?

Milk, ayran and kefir count in two places at once in the daily routine: both in the portion budget of the dairy group and in the day’s total fluid. So the answer to “is it a drink or a food” is both at once.

Below we look at which group these three items count in, the measure of one portion, how many portions a day are recommended, their share in the daily drinks plan, the sugar and salt side, and which products do not belong to this group.

Which group the three items count in

The milk and dairy products group consists of milk, yogurt, ayran, kefir and the varieties of cheese. All three are different forms of the same group, not a separate category.

The group carries good quality protein, minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and zinc, and vitamins B2, B6 and B12. The guideline also reminds us that this group is not a source of iron.

The calcium side is the group’s most marked contribution and gains importance in childhood and adolescence, when bone mass develops rapidly.

What the measure of one portion is

The measures are defined item by item and are not the same: one standard portion of milk is 1 cup, that is 240 milliliters, and kefir is 1 cup as well. One portion of yogurt is 1 small bowl or 200 milliliters.

Ayran stands somewhere else: one standard portion is 1.5 cups, that is 350 milliliters. A large glass or a large ready-made ayran corresponds to that amount.

The equivalents on the solid side are defined too: 60 grams of white cheese or 40 grams of kaşar cheese makes one portion. We covered the comparison of the two in this tip.

That difference makes the measure hard to estimate by eye. Milk and ayran drunk from the same glass give different numbers on the portion side.

How many portions a day are recommended

The guideline’s table of daily total portions is built by age and settles at 3 portions from the age of seven for both sexes. For the two to three age range, 2 to 2.5 portions are given.

All three portions do not have to come from the same product. Cheese in the morning, ayran at midday and yogurt in the evening fill the same budget.

Whether it is drunk with a meal or on its own does not change the portion calculation. The only thing that changes is which hour of the day that fluid was taken.

Where they fall on the fluid side

The guideline’s order is clear: the need for fluid is met primarily with water. Among drinks other than water, milk, ayran and kefir are counted too and contribute to the day’s total fluid.

So these three items enter the fluid calculation but do not take the place of water; they bring energy and nutrients along with them. We explained the distinction in this tip.

Their share in the daily drinks plan

In the daily drinks plan model the total fluid is projected as 2500-3000 milliliters and each type of drink is given a share. Water takes the largest share in that model with 1.5 liters.

The share given for skimmed or low-fat milk is 0.5 liters, and the model shows a range between 0 and 480 milliliters. So drinks from the dairy group are an existing but limited part of the plan.

That share is read not as an upper limit but to show its place within the plan. Because the daily portion of the dairy group can also be filled with cheese and yogurt, the amount on the drinks side varies from person to person.

The sugar and salt side

The guideline defines milk as a good drink provided no sugar has been added. In flavored dairy products and those with added sugar that condition breaks down; the way to tell them apart is the sugar line on the label and the ingredient list.

On the salt side the most marked item is cheese. It is recommended that people with hypertension and kidney disease prefer salt-free varieties of cheese, and that cheeses high in salt be left in water overnight to reduce their salt.

How the fat level changes the choice

In the dairy group the guideline asks for the preference to be for low-fat products. The portion amounts have been kept similar for low-fat and full-fat alternatives; that is, moving to low-fat does not make the portion smaller.

The one exception is young children: children under two should not consume reduced-fat milk and dairy products. We covered the difference in product type and heat treatment in this tip.

Which products do not belong to this group

Because of their low calcium content, cream, sour cream and cream cheese are not included in the milk and dairy products group. They do not fill the group’s portion.

Plant drinks stand in the same place: milks obtained from plants such as coconut, almond and rice are not counted in this group and contribute nothing toward meeting the group’s consumption recommendation. For those with lactose sensitivity, lactose-free milk and its products are preferred.

In short: count these three items both toward the dairy group’s portions and toward the fluid total, take the measure item by item, look at the sugar and salt lines and do not write cream or plant drinks into this group. The water and drinks guide completes the whole picture.