Food Facts: Milk

Cow's Milk. 
Is it good for you? Is it natural for humans to drink it? 
What is it? What makes it? What are the health benefits? What is the difference between whole milk and skim, evaporated and sweetened, raw and pasteurized, buttermilk and regular?

Ever thought about milk? Wondered any of the above questions? Well, I'm going to give you some really cool milk facts. I hope you find them as fascinating as I did.

Milk is as natural to drink as it is to eat red meat. It is a food source, and can contribute nutrients to your diet.

Nutrients in milk

• Natural balance of 3 macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and lipid
• Carbohydrates?
• Lactose is a sugar molecule, which is a carbohydrate
• Proteins?
• The major protein is casein
• The minor protein is whey (what people use for protein supplements)
• FYI powdered milk is concentrated protein whey, so you can buy powdered milk for a fraction of the cost and still use it as a protein supplement
• Lipids?
• contains some saturated fats
• does contain cholesterol
• Whole milk = none of the fat is removed
• Skim milk = all of the fat is removed
• 2% and 1% = percentage is removed
• When you remove fat you do NOT remove any cholesterol
• Naturally contains Calcium, riboflavin (B vitamin), and tryptophan
• Fortified with Vitamin D to aid in the absorption of Calcium
• Tryptophan is an amino acid that contributes to an increase in sleepiness (for lack of scientific terms)
• So, a glass of milk before bed CAN make you fall asleep easier
• Riboflavin can be lost due to light exposure
• Milk industry has gone through a variety of bottles to keep this from happening



Amber colored was thought to help reduce light exposure
• Vitamin A is a required fortified vitamin in reduced fats milk

Hormones give to cows

• rbST
• Bovine somatotropin
• a hormone given to cows to increase production of milk
• Also, given to butcher cows for increased muscle mass
• The only way to ensure that you are drinking milk that is from a non-hormone cow is to buy Organic 

Raw vs. Pasteurization

• Milk is highly perishable in the raw form and susceptible to bacteria easily
• Pasteurization is a process that reduces the microbial content of milk
• This is done by exposing the milk to a high temperature
• UHT milk (Ultra High Temperature) is a higher temperature pasteurization process that allows for the milk to be packaged and not need to be refrigerated, it is also typically thicker

What does it mean by homogenized?

• Milk is an oil in water emulsion, meaning it does not stay in a uniform liquid, naturally it separates
• Before homogenization people would have to shake their milk to mix it
• Homogenization is a process that makes milk a permanent emulsion (unless it spoils then you see serious separation with horrible odors)



Notice how the raw milk (not homogenized) has two layers?

Evaporated vs Sweetened Condensed?

• Evaporated milk 
• 60% water removed
• heat treated
• reduced fat versions started with skim milk
• Sweetened Condensed milk
• 66% water removed
• 15% sugar added
• reduced fat versions started with skim milk

Cream

• Fatty part of the milk that occurs during the separation of natural emulsion

Buttermilk

• A probiotic (see next section)
• Cultured by adding acid producing bacteria
• If your recipe calls for buttermilk, but you do not have it, add a teaspoon of acid like lemon juice or vinegar

What are prebiotics and probiotics?

• Both benefit the GI tract
• Prebiotics
• non-digestible food ingredients
• fiber added to food 
• bacteria in the gut feeds on this
• Probiotics
• Live microbial cultures added to food
• Found in yogurts, buttermilks, and some cheeses

Cooking with milk

• Slowly, using low heat
• Not the best for microwaves
• Heat causes coagulation (when the proteins clump and form sticky masses)
• Add acid or enzymes to milk
• Add your coffee to your milk
• Covering or stirring during heating can reduce skin formation

This was Food Facts: Milk. Stay tuned for more food facts!