On weekend mornings, Xiao Li met her neighbor Aunt Wang at the entrance of the community's supermarket. Aunt Wang was carrying a few bottles of milk in her hand, but the expression on her face was not as relaxed as when she came back from purchasing.
She said to Xiao Li: "I don't dare to buy milk for my grandson now, I heard that it is all preservatives, and drinking too much is not good for your health." Xiao Li was shocked, and after returning home, he quickly checked a lot of information on the Internet, determined to find out the truth behind this.
1. The truth about milk and preservatives
With Aunt Wang's words, many people may fall into the misunderstanding that milk on the market has added a lot of preservatives, and thus worry about its safety.
In fact, according to national food safety standards, real pure milk is not allowed to add any preservatives. So, why can milk be stored for a long time without spoiling? This is due to advances in modern milk processing technology.
Ultra-high temperature (UHT) technology is a common method that kills almost all microorganisms by instantly heating milk to 135 to 150 degrees for 2 to 6 seconds, so that the shelf life of milk can be extended to more than 6 months, and storage at room temperature is not a problem.
The other is pasteurization, which, although mild at temperatures of only 60 to 85 degrees, retains the natural flavor of the milk, but has a shorter shelf life, usually needs to be consumed within a few days, and must be kept refrigerated.
The long shelf life of milk is not due to the addition of preservatives, but to the application of efficient sterilization technology. Can this kind of popular science solve some of the mysteries in your heart?
2. Nutritional value and health effects of milk
Truth be told, drinking milk does have benefits for the human body, especially when it comes to calcium supplementation and providing high-quality protein. Do you know? A 300ml glass of milk contains about 300mg of calcium, which is close to 40% of the recommended daily calcium intake for adults.
At the same time, milk also provides about 9 grams of high-quality protein, which accounts for 16.4% of the recommended daily intake for adult women, and the digestibility of these proteins is as high as 90%, containing various essential amino acids.
Some people may be worried, "Isn't there a lot of talk on the Internet that drinking milk causes cancer?" "Most of this claim is a misreading or exaggeration of scientific data.
Long-term scientific research has shown that drinking milk in moderation is not only harmless, but also has many benefits for bone health, muscle building, etc. There's really no need to deny the nutritional value of milk just because of a few unverified articles.
3. The secret of "fake milk" is revealed
In the market, we often see a variety of drinks labeled as "milk", but not all of them can be called real milk.
The term "fake milk" here refers mainly to milk-containing beverages and some breakfast milk products, which taste close to cow's milk but have a significant nutritional value.
Milk-containing beverages, as the name suggests, are beverages with a certain percentage of milk or dairy products added to them, but their main ingredients are often water, sugar, vegetable oils, and various additives such as stabilizers and emulsifiers.
The milk content of such products is often not high, some even less than 10%, so their calcium and protein content is far from comparable to that of pure milk. Consumers are often misled by their appearance and packaging when purchasing milk products with high nutritional value.
Breakfast milk and children's milk are another special type of dairy products, which are usually added with trace elements such as vitamin D and iron, and seem to have higher nutritional value.
However, these products are also relatively high in sugar and additives, and long-term consumption in large quantities may adversely affect the healthy growth of children.
Especially during the critical period of children's development, excessive sugar intake not only increases the risk of obesity, but may also affect children's eating habits, leading to a decline in preference for natural foods such as pure milk.
4. How to choose and drink milk correctly
The key to choosing high-quality milk is to know and understand the information on the product label. The ingredient list of real pure milk should be very simple, containing only "milk" and not any additives.
In addition, consumers should also be concerned about how the milk is processed, such as pasteurization or UHT, which is often clearly marked on the packaging as well.
There are also some best practices to follow when it comes to preserving and consuming milk. For example, even UHT treated milk with a long shelf life should be stored in the refrigerator once opened and consumed as soon as possible.
For pasteurized fresh milk, due to its short shelf life, special attention should be paid to the production date and shelf life when buying to ensure that the product is fresh.
Temperature is also a factor that should not be ignored when drinking milk. Milk that is too hot or too cold may affect its nutritional value and taste.
It is generally recommended that the optimal temperature for drinking milk is close to the human body, between 36°C and 37°C, which not only preserves the nutrients of the milk, but also makes it easier to digest and absorb.
5. Milk allergy and lactose intolerance
When discussing the benefits of milk and how to choose it, it is also necessary to mention some problems that some people may encounter, and that is milk allergy and lactose intolerance. Both conditions, while both of these conditions can cause discomfort after drinking milk, have very different causes and treatments.
Cow's milk allergy is an immune response to the proteins in milk and is common in children, but most children will naturally eliminate this allergic reaction when they grow older.
For people diagnosed with a cow's milk allergy, avoiding milk and its products is the most effective way to manage it. Moreover, there are also many alternatives in the market now, such as soy milk, almond milk, etc., which can be used as a substitute for cow's milk.
Lactose intolerance is caused by the lack of lactase in the body, which leads to the inability to break down the lactose in milk normally, resulting in symptoms such as diarrhea and bloating.
This condition is more common in adults, especially Asian people. For lactose intolerant, choose dairy products where lactose has been broken down, such as yogurt and cheese, or dairy products with added lactase.
6. Other options for milk
In addition to traditional milk, there are now many other types of "milk" products on the market, such as soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, etc.
Although these products are not a complete replacement for the nutritional value of milk, they can be a good alternative option for certain groups of people, such as vegetarians, lactose intolerant people, or those with milk allergies.
Soy milk is made from soybeans and is rich in plant protein and dietary fiber, but it is low in calcium, which is often compensated for by the addition of calcium salts.
Almond milk, on the other hand, is made from almonds and is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamin E, but low in protein and calcium.
Oat milk is made from oats and is rich in dietary fiber, especially β-glucan, which is beneficial for health, but it is also low in protein and calcium.
The nutritional content of these plant-based milks is different from that of cow's milk, and consumers should choose according to their needs and preferences when choosing.
summary
For most people, drinking milk in moderation is a healthy diet that can provide rich calcium and high-quality protein. However, some "fake milk" products on the market are far less nutritious than real milk, and consumers need to learn to distinguish them.
At the same time, it is equally important for people with milk allergies and lactose intolerance to choose the right dairy products for them. Whether it's soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk, it can be used as a substitute in specific situations.