Nutritional Value of Milk
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Most milk is composed of 80 to 90 percent water. The remaining 10 percent consists of an abundance of the major nutrients needed by the body for good health, including fats, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and vitamins.
Cow milk typically contains about 3.5 to 5 percent fat, which is dispersed throughout the milk in globules. In addition to providing milk’s characteristic taste and texture, fat supplies vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as certain fatty acids that the body cannot produce on its own.
Lactose, a kind of sugar found only in milk, gives milk its sweet taste. Making up about 5 percent of milk’s content, lactose is a carbohydrate that is broken down by the body to supply energy. Infants digest lactose easily, but many adults, especially those of Asian and African ancestry, have lost some of their ability to digest this sugar. When these adults drink milk, they often suffer gastric distress and diarrhea.
The most important protein in milk is casein, accounting for 80 percent of milk protein. Casein is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all of the essential amino acids, which the body cannot manufacture on its own. Casein molecules and globules of fat deflect light rays passing through milk, giving milk its opalescent appearance. Other proteins present in milk include albumin and globulin.
One liter of milk supplies as much calcium as 21 eggs, 12 kg of lean beef, or 2.2 kg of whole wheat bread.
Milk contains many minerals, the most abundant of which are calcium and phosphorus, as well as smaller amounts of potassium, sodium, sulfur, aluminum, copper, iodine, manganese, and zinc. Milk is perhaps the best dietary source of calcium—one liter (about 1 qt) of milk supplies as much calcium as 21 eggs, 12 kg (26 lb) of lean beef, or 2.2 kg (5 lb) of whole wheat bread. Milk is an excellent source of vitamins A and B2 (see riboflavin). All other vitamins are present also, but in lower doses. Vitamin D is typically added to commercially sold milk. Vitamin A, which is found in the globules of fat, is removed when fat is skimmed away to make low-fat or skim milk. Generally, vitamin A is replaced during the production of commercially sold low-fat milk.
Most milk is composed of 80 to 90 percent water. The remaining 10 percent consists of an abundance of the major nutrients needed by the body for good health, including fats, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and vitamins.
Cow milk typically contains about 3.5 to 5 percent fat, which is dispersed throughout the milk in globules. In addition to providing milk’s characteristic taste and texture, fat supplies vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as certain fatty acids that the body cannot produce on its own.
Lactose, a kind of sugar found only in milk, gives milk its sweet taste. Making up about 5 percent of milk’s content, lactose is a carbohydrate that is broken down by the body to supply energy. Infants digest lactose easily, but many adults, especially those of Asian and African ancestry, have lost some of their ability to digest this sugar. When these adults drink milk, they often suffer gastric distress and diarrhea.
The most important protein in milk is casein, accounting for 80 percent of milk protein. Casein is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all of the essential amino acids, which the body cannot manufacture on its own. Casein molecules and globules of fat deflect light rays passing through milk, giving milk its opalescent appearance. Other proteins present in milk include albumin and globulin.
One liter of milk supplies as much calcium as 21 eggs, 12 kg of lean beef, or 2.2 kg of whole wheat bread.
Milk contains many minerals, the most abundant of which are calcium and phosphorus, as well as smaller amounts of potassium, sodium, sulfur, aluminum, copper, iodine, manganese, and zinc. Milk is perhaps the best dietary source of calcium—one liter (about 1 qt) of milk supplies as much calcium as 21 eggs, 12 kg (26 lb) of lean beef, or 2.2 kg (5 lb) of whole wheat bread. Milk is an excellent source of vitamins A and B2 (see riboflavin). All other vitamins are present also, but in lower doses. Vitamin D is typically added to commercially sold milk. Vitamin A, which is found in the globules of fat, is removed when fat is skimmed away to make low-fat or skim milk. Generally, vitamin A is replaced during the production of commercially sold low-fat milk.
See also Human Breast Milk; Milk Products.
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