Benefits of milk

Milk is well known for its nutritional benefits and it is consumed ranging from infants to adults to old people across the globe. It is famous around the world as one of the most consumed beverages. Around 7500 years ago, in central Europe, it was thought by most of the people that milk has the ability to digest the sugar lactose in itself beyond infancy and it first evolved in the dairy farms community.

Popular sayings have brought milk into the mainstream media. Moreover, it got further propelled the notion that consuming milk is a healthful choice.

The origin of milk comes from many different species of animal, for example- cow, goat, and sheep. Milk from these species is being consumed enormously and most popularly. Besides the original milk, there are also substitutes or milk alternatives present in all the markets. For example, the milk alternatives are- soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, hemp milk, and more. Even now in the markets you can see many flavored cow’s milk. Basically, this is to attract the children, those who hate milk for its smell or color, to consume milk. The flavored milk in the markets are strawberry or chocolate flavored, lactose-free milk, milk with added omega-3s, reduced fat milk, and finally hormone-free or organic milk.

Nutritional breakdown of milk

Basically, we refer one serving when we consume one cup of milk. Based on the fat contents, the nutritional benefits depend on.

For example, in one cup of the following:

Whole milk-

1. has 3.25% fat
2. Contains 146 calories
3. 8 grams of fat
4. 13 grams of carbohydrate
5. 8 grams of protein

Nonfat or skim milk:

1. Have about 86 calories
2. 0 grams of fat
3. 12 grams of carbohydrate
4. 8 grams of protein.

Some of the important key nutrients that all milk provides are:

Calcium: we all know that dairy products like milk are the enriched with calcium.

Calcium has many significant functions in the body like-

1. development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones
2. maintaining Blood clots
3. Helping in wound healing
4. Maintaining normal blood pressure
5. Prevent muscle contractions frequently.

Choline: Milk is also loaded with choline. Like calcium, chlorine also has many important functions in our body. For example:

1. This key nutrient, chlorine, found in milk helps to fall sleep. This is important for people who are suffering from insomnia. Doctors recommend that to drink milk along with honey to get a better result. This drink will definitely calm your nerves and help you to fall asleep more quickly.
2. Like calcium, chlorine in milk also helps to prevent muscle movement.
3. Chlorine helps in learning and that’s why students m just drink milk if they are studying more or when there is exam pressure.
4. Consuming chlorine can help you to have a good memory.
5. Choline helps to maintain the structure of cellular membranes
6. Chlorine aids in the transmission of nerve impulses
7. It assists in the absorption of fat
8. Chlorine reduces chronic inflammation.

Potassium: potassium is another mineral, which is badly required by the body. Taking High potassium intakes helps to:

1. reduce a risk of stroke
2. reduce the risk of heart disease
3. reduce the risk of high blood pressure
4. Gives protection against loss of muscle mass
5. preserves of bone mineral density
6. Reduces in the formation of kidney stones.

Vitamin D (fortified): Vitamin D is very important for the following reasons:

1. Bone health
2. aids in the formation
3. Aids in the growth and repair of bones.

Besides this reason, Vitamin D also plays an important role in calcium absorption as well as immune function. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with the followings:

1. Osteoporosis
2. Depression
3. Chronic fatigue
4. Muscle pain
5. PMS
6. Hypertension
7. Breast cancer
8. Colon cancer

Milk also provides the following:

1. Magnesium
2. Phosphorus
3. Riboflavin
4. vitamins A
5. Vitamin B like vitamin B-6 and vitamin B-12.

Possible health benefits of consuming milk

Bone Health:

People consume milk thinking that will help them to have healthy and stronger bones. It is an old saying though but medically this saying has proven right enough. Milk has both the contents: calcium and vitamin D. both of these minerals are a powerful duo. But do not think, only milk is enough to provide your body with calcium and vitamin D. you need to intake other healthy foods to fulfill your body needs and at the same time maintain a balanced diet. Besides milk, taking other dietary foods or similar items will help you to prevent the disease osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition of the body when your body bones become weak and brittle as well. This alerts you not to use your bone for daily tasks but it also doesn’t allow you to live and healthy life.

Blood pressure and heart health: milk is such a drink that will help you to control your blood pressure and prevent you from heart diseases, keeping your heart healthy. An increased intake of the mineral potassium can play a big role in improving vasodilation. Besides, higher intake of potassium also lowers the blood pressure.

There are more examples for which it shows why milk is an important drink and why do we need it in our everyday life. This drink has many other health benefits like fertility booster, prevents cardiovascular diseases and maintains heart health as mentioned above. Newborn infants only depend on their mother’s breast milk for the next six months. This is their only food for the first six bones and this single thing has so many nutrients that it meets with all their body requirements.

 Concerns and Precautions

But people who are now convinced how important it is to drink milk must also know that they should not consume calcium in an excess amount. This can be dangerous. Besides taking calcium as supplements besides drinking milk can also cause some unwanted side effects. The side effects include- constipation, kidney stones or kidney failure.