Milk

From ArticleWorld


Milk generally refers to the fluid produced by female mammary glands. It has a high nutritional value. It is the only source of nutrition for new-borns because of its ease in digestion. Milk is processed to produce a variety of dairy items like butter, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, condensed milk, powdered milk etc.

Many animals produce milk used for dairy products. Some of them are cows, water buffaloes, goats, sheep, horses, donkeys, camels, yaks and reindeer. Cow’s milk is the most widely used for human consumption as well as processing into dairy products. Some cows called Holstein are specially bred for this purpose.

[edit]

Nutritive value

Milk is rich in nutrients. It is said that a person can survive on milk and potatoes alone. It contains the following essential nutrients :

  • Calcium – It is the best natural source of calcium and can fulfill a body’s 25% requirement.
  • Vitamin A – Required for building the immunity system
  • Vitamin D & K – This is vital for health and strength of bones
  • Vitamin B 12 & Riboflavin – It assists in production of energy and maintaining cardiovascular health
  • Iodine – Important mineral for functioning of thyroid
  • Biotin & Panthothenic Acid – Helps in energy production
  • Thiamine – Vitamin for memory
  • Conjugated linoleic acid – Known to kill skin, breast colorectal cancer in humans. Helps in lowering cholesterol. It is present only in grass-fed cows
[edit]

Composition

The composition of milk varies with the species of mammals and hence the nutritional content also varies. Lactose content, strength of the curd and proportion and size of butterfat globule are some varying features. Cow’s milk is quite different from human milk.

  • Human breast milk is rich in lactose and of a thin consistency. It supplies about 72Kcal of energy per 100 grams
  • Cow’s milk has higher protein content and a lower carbohydrate content. It supplies about 66Kcal of energy per 100 grams
  • Calcium, folic acid, vitamin C, sodium and iron levels differ from mammal to mammal.
[edit]

Varieties

The most commonly consumed milk is cow’s milk. It may be of various types :

  • Full cream or “whole” – 3.25%fat
  • Semi-skimmed or “reduced fat” or “low fat” – 1.5 – 1.8% fat
  • Skimmed – About 0.1% fat

In USA and Canada, milk may be :

  • Whole variety
  • 2 percent (reduced fat)
  • 1 percent (low fat)
  • 1/2 percent (low fat)
  • Skim (very low fat)

In Britain, Channel Island Milk is available with 5.5% fat.

Retrieved from "http://www.articleworld.org/index.php/Milk"