What milk contains: composition and nutritional value of the product
Milk is loved and known all over the world. It is used in the diet of people of all ages, but there are scientists who claim that the drink is unhealthy. Despite such loud statements, his fans are not getting smaller, since milk has a unique composition and is an ingredient for making butter, cheeses, and fermented milk products.
Product properties
Milk has been used by man since ancient times, and it has always been believed that it only has a beneficial effect on the body. Although the benefits of the drink are increasingly being questioned, few people are ready to completely eliminate the product from their diet.
Milk can be obtained not only from a cow, it is also given by a horse and a goat, each drink is different in its composition. The most commonly used in the diet is the milk of cattle. The composition often depends on the health of the animal and what it eats. The production of a drink on an industrial scale has been put on a large stream, as an independent product it is used by about 80% of the world's population, the rest prefer to eat derivative products.
The composition contains 3.2% proteins, so the product is nutritious. Each farmer keeps track of this indicator, as it is important for assessing the quality of the drink. It is the protein contained in milk that is absorbed by the human body by 95%. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that there are essential amino acids, the absence of which leads to metabolic disorders.
Methionine is responsible for the metabolism of fat cells, it helps prevent degeneration of a very important internal organ - the liver. For the synthesis of serotonin - the hormone of happiness - milk contains tryptophan, the lack of which leads to such serious problems as diabetes, cancer and even tuberculosis.
There is also a component such as lysine, which is responsible for the normal composition of the blood. With its deficiency, a person develops anemia, muscular dystrophy, the lungs and liver stop working normally, bones suffer from a lack of calcium.
Casein, which is found in cow's milk, is represented by two forms:
- alpha - can cause allergic reactions;
- beta - well absorbed.
Long-term studies have shown that the drink is simply indispensable for humans. No other product can compete with it in terms of the number of useful elements. Those who have problems with the work of the heart should definitely eat this product, since the lactose found there helps to improve the condition.
Speaking specifically of lactose, then there are those who have an acute intolerance to it, so they cannot consume the product. As a rule, those who have problems with digestion suffer from intolerance, therefore it is recommended to consume fermented milk products.
Vitamin B12 contained in milk has a positive effect on the human body. It helps the psycho-emotional state of a person and even calms, therefore, before going to bed, it is advised to drink a glass of warm drink with a spoonful of honey.
Athletes should not exclude the product from the diet, for whom it is a rich source of energy due to the fats and proteins in the composition.The product has a positive effect on the growth of muscle mass, the skeleton.
Despite such a number of useful elements, fatty milk is not useful for everyone, therefore, on the shelves you can find product options that differ in this indicator. It can be in the range from 1 to 5%. It is possible to adjust the fat content on an industrial scale, increase the percentage by adding cream, and reduce by skimming.
An allergy can be not only to milk itself, but also to casein. There are scientists who gave examples when the use of this drink caused an increase in acidity in the gastric juice, resulting in an ulcer. But there are those who boldly assert today that cow's milk, with its regular use, leads to the formation of a malignant tumor. However, no one can name a specific component that promotes the development of cancer cells.
The quality of the product is negatively affected by the attitude towards animals on the part of manufacturers, who often administer antibiotics and hormones in order to achieve the desired results. All this negatively affects the drink that we have to eat.
That is why, if it is possible to buy milk from a farmer who grazes an animal in the fields, it is better not to put off this decision. True, it is worth knowing that the animal is healthy, and not too lazy to pasteurize the product. This will not affect its benefits, but you can protect yourself from diseases that are transmitted through milk.
Kinds
Milk is different taking into account the features of modern production, namely:
- whole;
- pasteurized;
- ultra-pasteurized;
- sterilized.
A natural product without any additional processing is called whole.You can buy it directly from cattle breeders, since it is not commercially sold on an industrial scale.
Pasteurized is processed by temperature, but it is not boiled, only heated to a maximum of 80 degrees. The pasteurization process can be long, for half an hour, but at a temperature not higher than 65 C, or it can be short or even instant. The higher the drink is heated, the less time it is processed, since it can lose all its useful qualities. UHT is heating the product to 150 degrees for two seconds.
A completely different type of beverage processing is sterilization. Over a hundred degrees, milk boils for more than half an hour. The goal is not to preserve useful elements, but to extend the shelf life. On average, in the refrigerator, such a product can be and be edible for thirty days. It is for this reason that sterilized milk becomes the most sought after, especially on hot days. It is well transported, which is important for residents of distant regions.
Chemical composition
Homemade cow's milk has biological activity and consists of vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, proteins. In fact, the mineral composition is very rich, therefore, the benefits of it cannot be disputed. Few people know that 87.5 percent of this drink is water, and all other useful elements, including calcium content, are concentrated in the remaining percentage.
It was possible to determine this only in the process of laboratory research, when the sample was dried under the influence of a temperature of 105 degrees. The dry residue was studied in detail by scientists who wanted to understand in more detail the chemical composition and the amount of useful substances in 100 grams of the product.If at least 9% of the total mass of dry skimmed milk residue remains when water is removed, then this is quality milk. This is how producers are recognized who dilute the product for sale with water in order to increase income.
Among other things, the composition of the drink contains a huge amount of essential vitamins of different groups:
- E;
- H;
- D;
- RR;
- AT.
An important component is beta-carotene and acids, including:
- ascorbic;
- nucleic;
- fatty;
- amino acids.
Taking it on a regular basis helps a person control cholesterol levels and get the calcium needed for bone development. For this reason, milk is given to children, as their musculoskeletal system needs support.
Among the useful trace elements:
- chlorides;
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- phosphorus.
The chemical composition of the product will vary depending on the time of year, conditions of keeping, age and quality of animal food.
This is interesting, but only humans eat the milk of other mammalian species. The balance of BJU per glass of milk plays an important role in determining the quality of the product.
Since milk is produced by the cow to feed the calf, the human body cannot absorb all the trace elements from it. If for an animal the balance is optimally selected, then for a person it is not. This is one of the reasons why scientists began to think about the real benefits of the product.
Cow's milk proteins contain casein, on average it is 80%, the remaining 20% is whey protein. In newborns, they can fully satisfy the body's need for amino acids, this is the main value of the product. It must be understood that different types contain a certain proportion of casein and whey proteins in breast milk.If we consider in more detail cow, goat and even sheep's milk, then there is more casein, which is why it is called so. But albumin-globulin has more whey protein. This is the case with humans, horses and donkeys.
By the way, the breed of livestock also affects the ratio of trace elements in the composition of the product. Therefore, some are considered dairy, while others are meat.
The nutritional value
The nutritional value of the drink is its most important indicator. For a visual representation, scientists even compiled a table that indicates the percentage of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
BJU for a glass of milk is as follows:
- 88 g of water;
- 3.2 g proteins;
- 3.25 g fat;
- 5.2 - carbohydrates;
- 0.35 - vitamins and elements.
The average percentage of fat content should be at least 3.5%. Since the drink is used as the main raw material for creating other products, the quality of cream, sour cream and even cottage cheese will depend on this indicator.
About twenty different acids are found in cow's milk. The pour point is 28 degrees. It is worth saying that fat has a low specific gravity, so it accumulates on the surface in the form of cream.
They are high in vitamins such as:
- BUT;
- TO;
- D;
- E.
That is why the milk that is obtained on farms, not sterilized to extend the shelf life, but consumed only in a pasteurized state, has a beneficial effect on a person, strengthening his body, enriching him with essential microelements.
The low calorie content of the product will please, only 62 kcal. This indicator plays an important role in the issue of product demand in the modern market. You can use drinks based on this component for people who monitor nutrition.Nutritionists have a positive attitude to the regular use of the product, not only in fresh, but also in sour form.
If you are one of those body watchers, then cow's milk should be in your diet, unless you are allergic to casein. Cooking has learned how to use the drink in different ways and create many dishes from it. Even infant formulas are produced commercially using this indispensable product.
There is on sale the so-called powdered milk, produced from natural, which can be either skimmed or whole. The composition of the mixture varies depending on the original product. As a rule, it contains protein from 26 to 36%.
In addition, it contains:
- 4-5% moisture;
- 25-1% fat;
- 37-52% sugar;
- 10-6% minerals.
You can get the product only on an industrial scale, using special installations where moisture evaporates from milk. To use the mixture in the future, it is diluted with water in the proportion described on the package. In this form, baby food has the same beneficial qualities as whole milk.
The product first appeared on store shelves in the 19th century. The main consumers were the northern regions of the country, since it was impossible to deliver a natural product there, unsterilized, with the preservation of all useful properties. It should be understood that milk powder remains useful only under one condition - the manufacturer strictly followed the technology, using high quality raw materials.
In conclusion, I would like to say that cow's milk is loved in different countries, regardless of age. Despite attempts by scientists to express their negative attitude towards the drink, this product has more and more fans.In terms of composition and properties, it is unique and cannot be replaced by anything else, therefore, in the absence of intolerance, it would be reckless to exclude milk from the child's diet.
You can not prohibit the use of it, because the product helps to create a huge amount of fermented milk products, the use of which also has a positive effect on the human body. Modern technologies allow you to create products that can delight with their taste. Without milk, kefir and fermented baked milk, yoghurts and ayran will disappear from the shelves.
The main thing you should pay attention to is quality, only this and nothing more.
On the dangers and benefits of milk, as well as its calorie content, see the following video.