Different Kinds of Milk Products

Dairy foods are typically high in calcium, which helps promote healthy bone growth, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Mypyramid.gov suggests that people choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products. If you are lactose-intolerant, you can still consume dairy products such as hard cheese and yogurt without damaging your health. Each type of dairy food undergoes a different manufacturing process before reaching grocery store shelves and to consumers.

Butter

• Butter is often high in saturated fat and should be consumed only in moderation.

  Butter is made from the milk of animals like cows and goats. Milk is churned to separate the fatty part of milk from the liquid portion; after the liquid is removed, a substance known as "buttermilk" is left. The buttermilk is then removed from the mix, which leaves a fatty mixture. The fatty mixture is put through a kneading process that turns it into butter. Before the butter reaches a store, it's typically mixed with seasoning such as light salt to enhance flavor and pasteurized to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Cheese

• Cheese contains more saturated fat than any other type of milk product.

  Making one pound of cheese takes approximately 10 pounds of milk, according to Wisdairy.com. Milk is first tested for quality in factories before the cheese-making process begins; then it is weighed and pasteurized to kill bacteria. Starter bacteria cultures are added to the milk, which help determine the ultimate flavor of the milk. Rennet, a milk-clotting enzyme, is added to coagulate the milk to form a custard-like mass that is cut into small pieces to separate liquid whey from solid curd. Large curds are cooked at high temperatures, while small curds are cooked at a low temperature. Whey is drained off, while the curds are cooked. Cheese is then seasoned with salt and other types of seasoning. The pressing process determines the shape of cheese, which takes between three and 12 hours. Curing is an optional process performed at the end that's used to age cheese, sometimes for up to 10 years.

Yogurt

• Try mixing yogurt with fruit for a healthy afternoon snack.

  Yogurt is started from milk with a fat level ranging from 2.0 to 3.5 percent, according to Cornell University. Skim milk is added to increase the serum content of the milk to between 10.5 and 11.5 percent. Milk is then homogenized and heated to between 185 and 194 degrees F for 30 to 60 minutes. Lactic acid is added to the milk after cooling the milk to between 104 and 105.8 degrees F. Yogurt is then placed in consumer-sized packages and shipped to stores.

Ice Cream

• Ice cream, like cheese, is high in saturated fat.

  The process of making ice cream begins with milk, cream, sugars, milk solids and flavors that are mixed together, according to Dairy Australia. This mixture is then homogenized under high pressure and pasteurized at temperatures ranging from 179.6 to 185 degrees F for 15 seconds. The mixture is left alone for anywhere between four to 24 hours for aging purposes. Fat molecules solidify, and flavors are added during the aging period. The mixture is then frozen at -44.4 degrees F and beaten to add air to the mixture. The ice cream is packaged and stored at -77 degrees F to let it harden before it is shipped to consumers.