Today we are going to talk about one of the most interesting and relevant topics to all of us – Milk and a guide to understanding milk.
Most of us start our day with milk and it is given so much importance in our daily food plan. However, even when it is so much into our routine, there is some recent controversy about the whole concept of milk. Hence, people are switching to other forms like Vegan based or Plant based alternatives like Almond, Soy, Coconut, Cashew milk and the list goes on.
But, in order to completely shift to a Vegan lifestyle or a Plant based lifestyle it’s not that easy. It depends on where you stay and the available options there. And ofcourse it is costly.
If one litre of say Amul milk packet costs Rs 58.
Then one litre of Almond milk costs Rs 275.
Woah! That’s a big difference now.
Is it even required to make this big shift? This is something you need to decide for yourself. I’m going to give you your ultimate guide for milk and then you can decide for yourself!
Is milk good or bad?
This majorly depends on the source you get it from. If the source say; Cows or Buffaloes are given steroids or injections to increase the milk production then – No it is not good for your health. If there is any form of adulteration involved then – No again. But, if the source is from a Cow which feeds on grass and grows naturally then – YES! Milk is good for you.
Types of milk
All that you and I look at when we go to a supermarket is – oh full cream milk, slim milk, toned milk. But, I’m not talking about that here.
Majorly it is divided into Homogenized , Cow/buffalo/Desi (which is all A2 milk which I’m going to talk about in a bit) and then comes the third type which is Pasteurised milk.
Pasteurised milk is good as we boil the milk and then drink it. Whereas homogenized milk sure is way comfortable to deal with. I used to drink these small tetra packed milk packets and drink them like water. Oh it was such a mistake which took a toll on my health. Homogenised milk is the one that is packed in these fancy tetra packs and can be stored for 3 months from packaging. Now because it is to be packed that way the fat (malai) is broken down with high pressure and packed into bottles. That is the reason we do not see any fat layer over it.
One major point I would like to emphasise on is whether you get pasteurised or homogenised milk, always, always – BOIL THE MILK.
How we see our parents and grandparents boil the milk and drink. It was indeed taught to them that way not only because they like hot tea or hot coffee or hot milk. But, because during the process of boiling, any bacteria that is there in the milk dies and hence it is way healthier and safer to drink that milk.
Types of protein in milk
There are two types of protein in milk : Casein and Whey.
Casein forms 80% of the milk and Whey protein forms the remaining 20% of milk.
When milk sours and starts to separate; it automatically divides out the proteins into a solid lump and a liquid portion. Casein is found in the solid part and Whey is found in the liquid portion.
Quick example is when we try to make paneer – We boil the milk and add an acidic food ingredient like lemon juice or vinegar. The milk then curdles; pH levels drop in the milk, it turns acidic and hence the proteins separated. The thick lumpy part that floats is Casein protein and the leftover water that is released during the process is Whey protein.
Which milk is good for health in India?
That’s a very interesting question! Honestly I would say it completely depends on your own system and gut health. It depends on how well your body functions or the reactions it has.
I will quickly share with you guys my story. I love milk and I always felt milk is the best quick substitute for hunger. Let it be in the form of plain milk, milk & cereal, milkshakes! During my college days I used to have milk packets in my room (always!) as that would be a quick fix to my hunger. This went on for 3-4 years.
Once I started working, milk was again an easy form for breakfast. Just gulp a big cup of milk and leave to work kind of a thing. Then suddenly out of nowhere I started to get rashes over my face. They kept multiplying and I always felt bloated. Not comfortable at all. I got it checked with my doctor and zeroed in that it is some allergy. But, that’s the issue with allergy. To understand the ‘source of allergy’ is a big deal and a long process. It could be because of any lifestyle, food, surroundings – anything at all. Finally, after months of painful acne, my doctor suggested that I could be allergic to MILK.
I didn’t agree but well hello, it was MILK. The moment I stopped consuming milk, it stopped. All of the allergies stopped! It was crazy. That was when my curiosity behind the milk stories began.
Can milk cause acne?
Yes, it can cause acne. Yes, it happened to me.
80% of the world today is Lactose intolerant. Lactose is a type of sugar that is present in milk. There is a chance that few people might not be Lactose intolerant but are sensitive to milk; like bloating, indigestion etc. If you have a weaker digestive system, in such cases the milk you consume does not do any good for your health. Rather it reacts against the milk consumed.
However, people with lactose intolerance can consume other forms of dairy : curd, paneer or cheese. I never had issues with curd or paneer even when my body had issues with milk. So, yes other forms of dairy are completely okay to consume!
People wonder how you can consume other dairy products when you cannot consume milk. Because, the source is milk itself.
To answer your question – During the curdling process, fermentation adds back bacteria and enzymes. And the lactose molecule is broken down into parts. Hence, lactose ends there. You can digest curd, paneer and cheese!
Non Dairy Substitutes for milk
Some of us can’t or choose not to drink milk due to personal preferences, diet plans and intolerances. But, if you would want to replace other food items and get the same health benefits there certainly are alternatives you can choose from.
Green leafy vegetables
Nuts, legumes and pulses
Flax seeds
Soybeans
Sesame seeds etc,.
Right way to consume milk
One very important factor to remember but most of us tend to forget is the ‘age factor’. As we get older our digestive system works slower. As we understand by now milk is rich in lactose which is a type of sugar and hence it gets difficult to digest it. During adulthood one small cup of milk is more than sufficient. Children can ofcourse consume more quantities of milk as their physical activity levels are way higher than adults. Hence, depending on our age we need to decide the required amount of milk.
When to consume milk and how to consume milk
Milk is very nutritional in nature. As we get milk from a living animal it is high in hormones, enzymes and amino acids. Hence, there is a high chance that it could react with our body. Hence, utmost care needs to be given to the way we consume it.
Most of us treat milk as a separate meal. But, guys milk is very rich in its nutrients and calories. That is the reason for its slow digestion process. We should treat it as a completely different meal in itself. Imagine we have our whole dinner and then have an entire glass of milk. That just means that there was double the nutrients intake. Hence, after dinner there should be a good gap of minimum one hour if we consume milk after dinner.
Milk already has lactose in it which is a form of sugar component. Hence, if we add an outside substitute of regular sugar that would make it even heavy to digest. Also another important point is to not mix milk with all kinds of fruits. Especially a big no to milk and sour fruits. That would just mess up our entire system.
Milk is rich in Tryptophan and melatonin which induces sleep. Hence, milk is ideal at night and might help us fall asleep.
India is the largest producer and consumer of milk! There are various types and available options to be able to consume milk. What kind of method and what kind of milk you choose should totally depend on the kind of gut health and body functioning you have.
I hope this post was helpful for you guys to make an informed decision and would keep you happy and healthy!
See you guys soon! Until then enjoy your next meal 😉