Few foods are more nourishing than milk. The calcium it supplies is
easily absorbed, it is an important source of protein and provides
other minerals and important vitamins. Pint for pint, skimmed milk
contains half the calories of whole milk but retains most of the
nutrients. In fact, because the fat is removed, skimmed milk contains
slightly increased levels of the water-soluble B vitamins and minerals.
Both skimmed and whole milk contribute valuable amounts of thiamin
(vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin and vitamin B6 and B12.
They also supply phosphorus and zinc. Fat soluble vitamin A is lost
when cream is skimmed off whole milk and must then be obtained from
other food sources. Neither skimmed nor whole milk supply iron or the
vitamins C or D, other than in trace amounts.
Building Healthy Bones
Milk is particularly important as a source of dietary calcium - most of
the other nutrients it contains are easily obtained from other foods.
Calcium ensures healthy strong bones and forms part of the structure of
the teeth.
An adult requires a daily intake of about 700mg, which is contained in
around 600ml (1 pint) of whole milk. However, calcium needs vary
according to age and sex. Breast-feeding mothers need the most - 1250mg
daily, or as much as would be obtained from drinking about 1 liter
(1.75 pints) of milk.
They are followed by teenagers who require a daily intake of between
800mg and 1000mg. Low calcium consumption in childhood and adolescence
may result in less than optimal stores of the mineral (which the body
normally builds up in the skeleton until the age of about 30). This may
contribute to Osteoporosis in later life.
Only tinned sardines and pilchards eaten with their bones offer more
calcium, weight for weight, than milk. However, an average 200ml glass
of milk provides about 230mg of calcium compared with the average 70g
portions of pilchards and sardines which provide 210mg and 385mg
respectively.
Those who cannot tolerate lactose (milk sugar), or vegans who reject
all dairy products, must find their calcium from other food sources,
such as vegetables, pulses and nuts. The calcium from these foods is
absorbed less efficiently than it is from milk.
Milk contains useful amounts of phosphorous, which is also essential
for the formation of strong bones. Since vitamin B12 is normally
obtained from foods of animal origin, milk is a valuable source of this
vital nutrient for vegetarians. However, B12 is destroyed by boiling
milk. Vegans have to take supplements or eat fortified foods.
The traditional pint of full-cream milk, now being replaced by 500ml
cartons, is on average 3.9 per cent fat. Skimmed milk, however,
contains only 0.1 per cent fat.. It also supplies only half the energy
value - there are 330 calories per 500ml of whole milk, compared with
165 for skimmed. Semi-skimmed milk, on average 1.6 per cent fat,
contains 230 calories. While skimmed milk is suitable for adults and
slimmers, it should not be given to children under the age of five
because of its low calorie, fat and vitamin A content.
Treating Milk
Almost all milk that is sold in developed countries has been
pasteurized by heating to kill off bacteria. The flavor is less
affected than when milk is sterilized - a longer process using higher
temperatures (up to 115 - 130 degrees C for 10-30 minutes) - which
results in a cooked taste, a creamy color, and the loss of about a
third of the thiamin and half of the vitamin B12. UHT (ultra-heat
treated) or long-life milk has been heated to not less than 132 degrees
C for at least one second. The ultra-heat treatment improves the milk's
keeping quality but it has less of an adverse effect on its taste and
nutritional value.
Homogenized milk is pasteurized first, and then has its cream
distributed throughout so that it does not separate. Dried whole milk
powder contains all the nutrients of whole milk except thiamin and
vitamin B12. Dried skimmed-milk powder does not contain fat or any
fat-soluble vitamins, but it does provide protein, calcium, zinc,
riboflavin and vitamin B12. Condensed milk supplies useful amounts of
calcium, phosphorous and zinc, but its high sugar content makes it an
unsuitable substitute for fresh milk.
The Benefits Of Goat's Milk
Goats milk is available in many supermarkets. It is nutritionally
similar to cow's milk and can be used in the same ways. It makes a good
alternative for those who have an intolerance of cow's milk, such as
children with eczema. And sufferers of gastric ulcers often find goat's
milk easier to digest and lighter on the stomach. Goat's milk also
freezes well.
