How to choose milk

Milk is a good source of high-quality protein and calcium. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese (2016), adults are recommended to have a daily intake of 300g of liquid milk or dairy products equivalent to this amount.

 

When it comes to choosing milk, people may have different standards such as consistency, calcium content, even flavor. Some prefer milk with more fragrance, which they think is more nutritious. Is this really the case?

 

Considering these factors, what kind of milk should we pick? And how?

 

 

 

The dry matter in milk affects its smell and taste. The fat in milk makes it taste smooth and rich. In addition, there are dozens of volatile substances in milk, which can make it smell more fragrant. Most of these substances are fat-soluble. The lower the fat content in milk, the less these fat-soluble substances are, and the milk doesn't smell so fragrant.

 

For example, the fat content of buffalo milk is 4%~6%, and that of ordinary milk is 3%~4%, so buffalo milk seems more fragrant. Skimmed milk tastes as light as water because of its low- fat content.

 

 

The "source of milk" means what cows eat. There are dozens of substances with "flavor" in grass; the most important one is a chemical called "terpene". In addition, volatile substances such as aldehydes, esters, ketones and hydrocarbons can produce "flavor". 

 

 

Pasteurized milk often tastes better because of its low sterilization temperature, less heating and simpler processing. Many flavor substances have been preserved, making it closer to the taste of raw milk.

 

Milk sterilized by high temperature has more processing steps and a heavier loss of flavor substances. In order to make the milk more stable and avoid affecting the quality due to fat floating and protein condensation, the milk is homogenized. The higher the degree of homogenization, the smaller the fat particles in the milk and the lighter its flavor.

 

 

When discussing the nutritional value of milk, we should look at the content of protein, vitamins and calcium. 

The fat in milk also has its unique value. For example, it contains unsaturated fatty acids, which can help absorb fat soluble vitamins. The fragrance of milk doesn’t determine its nutritional value.

 

 

 

 

The simpler the processing of milk, the less the loss of nutrients. If you need long-term preservation, other varieties are also a good choice.

 

2.Learn to look at the outer packaging of milk. 

 

First, look at the ingredients list. If the raw materials listed are only fresh milk, the product is pure milk. 

Second, pay attention to the nutritional composition table. According to relevant standards, the protein content in milk shall not be less than 2.8g per 100ml. The higher the protein content, the higher the nutritional value.

The calcium content in every 100 ml of milk is about 90~120 mg. If it is higher than 120 mg, it can be called high calcium milk.

 

The choice of milk varies from person to person. Whole milk is not necessarily healthier. If you have dyslipidemia, you can choose skimmed milk or semi-skimmed milk. Whole milk is recommended for the elderly and children.