India is one of the largest producer of milk in the world. Milk has been around for thousands of years. By definition, milk is a nutrient rich fluid that female mammals produce to feed their young. The most commonly used milk comes from cows, buffalos, sheep and goats. Milk consumption is always a hotly debated topic in the nutritional world, so you might wonder whether it’s healthy or harmful. This article covers all the important aspects of milk consumption. Milk is an integral part of the Indian diet.
Nutritional facts (100 ml milk)
| Cow milk (full fat) | Cow milk (toned) | Cow milk (fat free) | Buffalo milk (toned) | |
| Carbs | 5 g | 4.7 g | 4.2 g | 5.1g |
| Protein | 3.8 g | 3.3 g | 2.9 g | 4 g |
| Fat | 3.5 g | 3 g | 0.2 g | 5.5 g |
| Calcium | 150 mg | 102 mg | 74 mg | 201 mg |
Health benefits of dairy milk
- Helps in Bone development
- Assists with appetite control
- Good source of quality protein
- Helps to maintain good heart health
- Mental growth and development
- Boosts energy and immunity
- Helps the muscles build
- Rich in antioxidants
- Reduces stress and anxiety
Is milk good or bad for health
- It is very important to know the source of milk
- Facts you should know about the cow
- Cow’s age
- Cow’s diet (grass fed is the best)
- How happy the cow is
- The environment where cow is
- Additives given to the cow to increase milk supply
- Whether the milk is pure or adulterated
- Look at how the milk is processed
- Is it pasteurised or homogenised
- Are you intolerant to milk
- 70-80 % of the world population has some sort of lactose intolerance
- Is your digestive system strong enough for milk
- Is your body able to digest milk and ultilise the ingredients
- How is your gut health
- The age factor
- Kids need milk but adults don’t
- We are the only mammals in the world you drink milk in adulthood
- A lot of people who don’t drink milk live a healthy life
- What is your diet preference
- Body type as per ayurveda
- Mik is suited for pitta and vata body type
- It is not very healthy for kapha body type
- Ayurvedic properties of milk are sweet, heavy and cooling (it may increase mucus in the body)
Hormones in dairy milk
- More than 50 natural hormones are present in cow milk
- With the exception of insulin, no other hormone has any side effect on the human body
- But artificially injected hormones in cows can cause side effects to humans
Do we really need milk?
- Green leafy veggies, nuts and seeds, soy milk, legumes and pulses, whole grain etc are adequate substitutes of milk
- You need a strong digestive system to consume milk
- 150 – 350 ml milk is suitabke for those people who consume milk
- One should ideally consume milk in the evening or before bed time
- Milk enhances sleep and helps in relaxing the brain
- Consume milk as a separate meal and don’t mix it with any fruit or vegetable
- Kids being superactive can consume milk in the morning as well