Health Watch (Milk)
Go the Milky Way!
Milky Nostalgia
It is interesting to think that the human race forges its connect with milk since birth. A newborn baby tastes mother’s milk as the first food of its life. As kids too, we enjoyed looking at the reflection of our funny milky moustaches in the mirror, which would border our upper lip the moment we dipped it into a cup of boiled hot milk to take a sip. Furthermore, we would crinkle our nose detesting the smell of the milk and hold our breath by pinching our nose before guzzling the milk down our throat. Plus, who can forget the popular television commercial with the catchy tuneful ad jingle doodh doodh doodh doodh, wonderful doodh, piyo glassful! released in the mid-1990s by a reputed dairy brand?
Milk Route & Halt
The silvery white milk delivery vans supply the nutritious white beverage in bottles or cartons to consumers’ homes early morning on a daily basis. Some vehicles are also painted in blue or yellow. Many steel tankers carry the milk on wheels for long distances and transport it from one region to the other. Specific containers preserve the milk and retain its quality in refrigerated or insulated conditions. In the UK, milk vans are called milk floats that come in a small, electric variety for home delivery. Whereas in the US, milk trucks of bigger size shift milk in bulk from dairy farms to processing plants or factories for home consumption. Milk vans could also collect the milk from stopping points called milk depots for storage and distribution.
Curbs on Dairy Diet
With the rise of the concept of veganism, many children are advised to avoid dairy products on health grounds. Other than cow’s milk, there are plenty of natural or sustainable alternatives from which milk can be obtained with goodness galore.
“For families choosing a vegan lifestyle, there are several safe and nutritious substitutes. I commonly prescribe fortified plant-based milks such as soy, oat, almond, coconut, rice or pea milk. Soy milk is closest to cow’s milk in terms of protein component, while oat milk is lighter on the digestive tract. The key is to select foods armoured with typical dairy nutrients like calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D that children might otherwise miss. Under proper guidance, plant-based milks can boost growth while aligning with a family’s ethical or dietary preferences,” explains paediatrician Dr. Jaykishan Tripathi, consultant at the pediatric critical care of KIMS Hospitals, Thane.
Oat milk is also similar to cow’s milk when overall nutrition
is quantified, thus making it suitable for growing children. As more families lean
towards vegan or lactose-free lifestyles, plant-based milks are climbing the
popularity charts. Most brands are gaining momentum as replacements for regular
milk.
Oat milk is loved for its creamy texture. It tends to be low in protein but is highly tasteful and has ample fibre, especially when fortified.
Pea
milk is a newer contender with surprisingly generous protein, almost on par
with dairy and soy. Almond milk is both thin in calories and protein content.
“If you have affinity with it, make sure to choose a fortified version. Or else, it will replicate flavoured water than milk, nutritionally. In a nutshell, soy and pea milk lead the pack when it comes to nutrition, while for taste and versatility, oat milk often wins hands down as a favourite,” apprises Dr. Tehseen Siddiqui, chief dietician at Saifee Hospital.
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