Milk is familiar to every person literally from the cradle, but not many of us have ever thought about the benefits of this product. But the main secret of cow's milk is that by eating one cup of the white product or its derivatives daily, you can not only cure many ailments, but also rejuvenate your skin and, without a doubt, improve your complexion.
Probably, many people have heard more than once about the British love for milk and the famous English tradition of ending every day with a cup of warmed milk. And there is something in this.
Is it good to drink milk in the morning? Scientists have explained the benefits of milk for breakfast
Photo: https://pixabay.com
Canadian scientists from the University of Guelph in Ontario found that drinking milk for breakfast increases the feeling of fullness and reduces blood glucose levels. Thereby protecting a person from the risk of developing diabetes and obesity.
The study found that drinking protein-rich milk lowers blood sugar levels and promotes the production of a hormone that slows down the digestion process. Thanks to this, the feeling of fullness lasts longer.
Let us recall that oxidative stress poses a threat to human health, causing the development of such dangerous age-related diseases as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
To prevent premature brain aging, nutritionists recommend consuming three servings of dairy products daily.
The study found that volunteers who tried to adhere to these recommendations had higher levels of glutathione in the brain.
However, doctors have previously warned that drinking milk does not always reduce the risk of fractures. According to data obtained by specialists from Sweden, women who drank more than 3 glasses of milk daily broke bones more often than women who drank less milk. In addition to dairy products, scientists believe that alcohol consumption and weight affect the risk of fractures.
During the study, experts analyzed the diet of 61,400 women and 45,300 men over 20 years. Experts from Uppsala University found out how often study participants consumed dairy products, and also calculated the number of fractures and deaths among volunteers.
According to scientists, sugar, which is part of milk, only accelerates the aging of the body.
However, not all researchers are convinced of the exceptional benefits of milk. Thus, experts from Switzerland came to the conclusion that frequent consumption of milk is harmful to health.
According to their findings, milk in its pure form increases the risk of ovarian and prostate cancer. Moreover, among people who drink milk, the mortality rate is increased.
American scientists have concluded that the most dangerous drink is fresh milk.
“If you drank a glass of milk in the morning, you got a full breakfast”
“If you drank a glass of milk in the morning, you got a full breakfast.”
Round table participants:
Elena BABKINA - Deputy General Director for Public Relations of JSC Savushkin Product;
Vasily TSYGANKOV - head of the food hygiene department of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Hygiene;
Lyudmila BOGDANOVA - Deputy Head of the Laboratory of Cheese and Butter Making Technology of the Republican Unitary Enterprise "Institute of Meat and Dairy Industry";
Alla AKHRAMENKO - head of the department of standardization and regulation of the Republican Unitary Enterprise "Institute of Meat and Dairy Industry";
Yulia IVANOVA is a hygienist at the food hygiene department of the Republican Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health.
Participants of the round table.
Photo: Sergey GAPON
— Many people still argue: how much milk should you drink per day and is there a difference between adult and child standards? - Komsomolskaya Pravda asked the participants of the round table.
— There are no specific standards for milk. “I know only one thing: milk is an essential food product, and naturally, its most intensive consumption should be in childhood,” said Vasily Tsygankov. “But milk consumption is recommended not only for children, but also for adults, and especially for the elderly.
A glass of milk is a sufficient portion that satisfies a significant portion of a person’s need for certain macro- and micronutrients.
There is such a strange opinion that only children need milk, but this is completely wrong. Every healthy person must consume milk and fermented milk products. In general, milk protein is considered an ideal protein in terms of amino acid composition.
But you need to understand that milk is not a thirst-quenching drink, but a finished food product. If you drank a glass of milk in the morning, you got a full breakfast.
— That is, it is advisable to consume milk separately from other products?
- Not necessary. Bread and cereal porridges go perfectly with milk. You can consume milk with other products, but everything is individual and depends on the reaction of a particular organism.
— At what temperature is milk better absorbed in the human body?
- Warm food is digested better than cold food. For milk, room temperature is sufficient.
“Rather than eating rolls with margarine, it’s better to drink a glass of high-quality milk”
— Some people think that milk should be boiled before drinking. Is it so?
— During the process of boiling at home, contact of milk with air is inevitable. It is known that the combination of high temperature processing and air makes milk protein less stable. Consequently, it can be destroyed, resulting in the formation of milk foam, where most of the useful substances are collected. And, as a rule, we skim off the foam. During industrial production in our company, all milk goes through the process of deaeration - removing air from milk,” said Elena BABKINA. “This increases the protein’s resistance to heat treatment. For example, during pasteurization or ultra-pasteurization. By the way, along with the air, all possible odors that individual cows may have leave the milk. In addition, UHT milk is bottled in TBA under aseptic conditions without air access. This milk can be stored in hermetically sealed packaging for up to six months, since the product is in ideal conditions - in a vacuum, and nothing can negatively affect its quality parameters.
It's summer now, many people go to the countryside, to nature. And I would recommend taking with you just such, ultra-pasteurized milk, which can be stored in a closed package at room temperature up to 25°C.
I would like to note that this UHT milk with aseptic filling was previously called sterilized, but according to the latest standards it was renamed UHT.
— Some people are worried that ultra-pasteurized milk in TBA does not sour: they say, it’s probably not real...
— It does not turn sour due to the absence of lactic acid bacteria. During the process of ultra-pasteurization in a stream, milk is heated to a temperature of 137°C for two seconds, held for four seconds and again cooled in a stream, also in a couple of seconds.
Since the protein does not come into contact with air during heating, it remains stable and does not collapse. But lactic acid microorganisms die. However, you should not forget that lactic acid microorganisms can also be harmful to the body,” said Lyudmila Bogdanova.
— Tell us about the fat content! And sometimes you come up to the counter and don’t know whether to take 6% or 1.5% fat milk?
- Everything is individual here. If a person is not inclined to be overweight, a glass of 6% milk will not harm him,” said Alla Akhramenko. - If a person is obese, of course, products with a reduced fat content are preferable for him. The choice in Belarusian stores is quite large, and it all depends on what a person is inclined to and what he likes best.
— All these fears about obesity are relative. When choosing low-fat dairy products, people most often worry about cholesterol levels,” explained Vasily Tsygankov. “However, we know that 80% of any cholesterol is synthesized in our liver. And only 20% of cholesterol enters the body with food. So people first need to take care of their liver health. And the fat content of dairy products is a matter of everyone’s taste preferences and nothing more.
But recent research shows that the presence of a certain amount of cholesterol in the body is often a genetic predisposition...
At the same time, I note that our body needs cholesterol in certain amounts. Therefore, rather than eating rolls with margarine, it is better to drink a glass of good quality milk. I assure you: it will definitely not bring you any harm.
“And I’ll also add that calcium is still better absorbed in the presence of vitamin D, which is fat-soluble,” said Lyudmila Bogdanova.
“Milk removes harmful substances from the body”
— In stores they sell milk with various additives: with lactulose, fortified with calcium. What and to whom do you recommend?
“Such fortified milk will only benefit anyone,” Vasily Tsygankov is sure. — Milk with lactulose is good for those who have intestinal problems.
Today the whole world is getting vitamins, and there is nothing wrong with that.
“We monitor safety indicators, compliance of dairy products with uniform sanitary requirements, as well as the expiration dates of milk,” said Yulia Ivanova. — Inspections are carried out by entering the enterprise. At the point of sale, we monitor the compliance of storage conditions with the real state of affairs: we compare the temperature at which milk should be stored and the actual temperature in the refrigerator.
In summer, temperature storage conditions are more often violated. Sometimes dairy products are not even placed in a refrigerated display case. Buyers should also pay attention to the storage conditions of dairy products in the trading floors and, if necessary, make comments to sellers and merchandise experts, even going so far as to write down comments and suggestions in a book.
— And this is not the manufacturer’s fault. He provided high-quality goods to the retail chain and is not responsible for possible negligent actions of store employees,” supported Vasily Tsygankov.
“However, in such a situation, the buyer most often complains to the manufacturer,” noted representative Elena Babkina. “And he can be understood, because he doesn’t know where exactly the product went bad.” Therefore, we are extremely interested in preventing such facts. I myself recently went into a store and saw our products not in the refrigerator, but right in the middle of the hall. I invited the manager, and she said that the goods had just been taken out to the hall. But what about “just now” if the cups of yogurt are already warm, and even some of the lids are swollen?.. So for us, as a manufacturer who cares about its customers, it is very important that such cases do not occur.
— Is it true that the expiration date of dairy products is written on the packaging with a reserve?
- No. If the expiration date has expired, the product has no right to be on the store counter, Vasily Tsygankov is adamant.
— What if a bag of milk or yogurt is lost at home, in the refrigerator? Sometimes you buy 10 jars - everything is so delicious! - and you won’t accidentally notice one in the corner. Then you look and think: the expiration date expired yesterday, maybe you can still eat it?
“If you eat an expired product and something bad happens to you, it’s only your responsibility, because you did it consciously,” Vasily Tsygankov is adamant.
— There is a saying: milk is passed off as harmful. Does milk actually remove harmful substances from the body?
- This is true. In hazardous industries, workers are often given milk. This is primarily due to the intake of heavy metals into the body, and milk improves their removal from the body, says Vasily Tsygankov. - So this saying is not just words, it really is...
“Lactoglobulin supports our immunity”
“But milk also acts as an element of the body’s defense,” the specialist continued. — Lactoglobulin, which is part of milk, contributes to a more stable state of our immunity.
Moreover, by consuming milk, we also get aesthetic pleasure. After all, milk is a wonderful product with an amazing color and a good smell. All this also supports our feeling of health and good mood.
— Does milk and honey go together?
- Certainly! If you don't have food intolerances or allergies, add as much as you like!
“It is believed that warm milk, even without honey at night, has a very beneficial and calming effect on the body,” explained Alla Akhramenko.
— Milk is also a source of potassium, which is beneficial for the functioning of the heart muscle and its elasticity.
“Indeed, we need potassium to ensure normal heart function,” said Vasily Georgievich. — And here we need to tell you that sometimes it is important not only the quantity, but also the regular receipt of a particular substance. If you regularly drink milk, then you help your body maintain a healthy lifestyle and receive the necessary substances.
There are many different contraindications in our lives: some people can’t eat fried meat, others can’t eat anything else. But you can calmly drink a glass of milk and be sure that it will only bring benefits!
— And if you get bored of drinking just milk, you can choose another dairy product. For example, kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt, curds, curd desserts, puddings and smoothies. “Savushkin Product” this year delighted its customers with a fireworks display of tasty and healthy new products,” added Elena Babkina. — All our products are made from fresh cow's milk and do not contain artificial fillers or preservatives. So choose according to your taste and be healthy.
When is it better to drink milk in the morning or evening? Rules for drinking milk
In order to use the full range of possibilities of milk (by the way, an accessible and inexpensive product), you just need to know how to handle it. The following rules should become mandatory for you when drinking milk. They will help the body absorb the product well, without causing heaviness in the stomach, seething, gases and discomfort.
It is better to drink milk separately from any other products. Milk is a whole product and does not need to be supplemented or mixed with other products. So it is better to drink milk 2 hours after a meal and 2 hours before taking the next one. Otherwise, it will cause fermentation in the stomach, gas formation and bloating. True, there are exceptions. These are, for example, whole grains. Therefore, you can continue to prepare all kinds of porridges with milk - they will have a great effect on your body.
You can't drink milk cold. Once in the human body in cold or cool form, milk becomes a sticky and heavy substance that settles on the walls of the digestive tract, turning into a rather toxic substance - a toxin. Conclusion: milk should be drunk hot or at least warm.
You should not drink milk in large quantities. It is recommended to drink no more than 300 ml of milk at one sitting (this is the dose for an adult, even less for a child). How to calculate “your” dosage? Only experimentally. Drink a glass of milk at night. If your head is heavy in the morning, then you need to reduce the dose. Yes, your condition in the morning will be an indicator of the correctly chosen volume, and it should be light and cheerful.
Spices help digest milk. Spices suitable for milk are turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, nutmeg. For example, if milk is difficult to digest, heat it and add 1/3 teaspoon of turmeric. This amazing spice eliminates the mucus-forming component of milk and helps it be better absorbed.
Summarize
Cow's milk is a nutrient-rich drink that contains protein, calcium and several other nutrients.
No research shows that in order to get maximum health benefits, you should drink milk at a certain time of day. However, some studies suggest that consuming it after a workout may help those looking to lose weight or build muscle.
Overall, the best time to drink milk depends on your personal goals and needs.
Is it possible to gain weight as a result of constantly drinking milk?
Milk fat can be called the most complete among all fats existing in nature. One glass of milk has far fewer calories than a glass of sweet sparkling water, sweet juice or a glass of champagne. If milk is consumed correctly, then it will never become a harmful product for the body, but will only bring benefits.
Regular consumption of milk will improve the condition of the body, increase vitality, and lift your spirits. Milk is one of the best products in the world and medicine.
How is milk taken during the day?
First of all, you need to know that milk is useful to take during the daytime. If milk is drunk at noon, it is considered a tonic for the body. This milk will act as an appetite stimulant and normalize digestion. Milk taken at 12 noon increases a person’s strength and facilitates the process of urination.
If milk is drunk in the morning, it will give you strength for the whole day, strengthen the body, and support the digestive system. Milk taken in the evening, 1.5 - 2 hours before bedtime, will calm you down, increase strength in children, improve vision, and increase reproductive tissue in older people. Milk drunk in the evening will prevent exhaustion and other diseases.
If a person is going to take milk at night, then going to bed right away is harmful. This milk reduces life expectancy. In the evening, you should not drink milk immediately after dinner. This will cause heaviness in the stomach and the milk will be difficult to digest.
