FruitAndVeggieSense: Are You Still Drinking Milk ?

Are you still drinking milk?

Milk is a white liquid nutrient rich food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for infant mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to its young and can reduce the risk of many diseases.

While cow's milk has been a daily staple food for many people for many years some recent studies suggest that milk may have harmful effects on the body. Other research, however, points out health benefits to dairy.

Milk contains 18 out of 22 essential nutrients. It contains more calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and protein per calorie than any other food in a typical diet.

Milk also provides iron, selenium, vitamin B6, vitamin E, vitamin K niacin, thiamine, and riboflavin. Fat content varies with 4.5 grams saturated fats, 2.5 grams unsaturated fats, and 24 milligrams cholesterol.

Appetite control - helps people feel fuller
Bone development - helps improve weight and bone density in children
Bone and Dental health - a glass of milk contains 30% of the daily requirement of calcium, also potassium and magnesium important for healthy bones and teeth
Diabetes prevention - several studies found that whey protein in milk may help prevent type 2 diabetes
Heart health - milk fat helps raise levels of HDL which helps prevent heart disease and stroke. Also good source of potassium which helps balance blood pressure.

Acne - in teenagers and adults
Other skin conditions - Eczema is worsened by mil and dairy
Allergies - it can cause skin reactions such as eczema and gut symptoms such as colic, constipation, and diarrhea and other reactions such as anaphylaxis, wheezing, difficulty breathing and bloody stool
Bone fractures - drinking 3 or more glasses of milk a day increases the risk of bone fractures in women
Cancer - excess calcium from milk and other foods increase the risk of prostate cancer. Milk sugars may be linked to a slightly higher risk of ovarian cancer
Lactose intolerance - cow's milk has a higher amount of lactose than that of other animals. Up to 75% of the world's population has some form of lactose intolerance.

Soy Milk - Soy milk has been the most popular non-dairy substitute for decades because its nutrition profile closely resemble that of cow's milk

Almond Milk - Almond milk is a great dairy alternative when you are looking to cut calories

Rice Milk

Coconut Milk

Hemp Milk

Cashew Milk