We recommend that adults and children age 2 and older use milk that's low in dairy fats. This includes fortified fat-free (skim or nonfat) milk, fortified nonfat milk powder, and 1/2 percent and 1 percent low-fat milk.

The label on the container should show that the milk has been fortified with vitamins A and D. We also recommend buttermilk made from skim milk and canned evaporated skim milk.

Avoid substitutes that contain coconut oil, palm oil or palm kernel oil. These oils are very high in saturated fats. Saturated fats tend to raise the level of cholesterol in the blood. High blood cholesterol is one of the six major risk factors for heart disease that can be changed, treated or modified. It can also lead to developing other heart and blood vessel diseases.

Related AHA publications:

• Easy Food Tips for Heart-Healthy Eating (also in Spanish)