Milk And Milk Products-Calorie And Nutrient Value

Carbohydrates

The main carbohydrate in milk is known as lactose (made up of galactose and glucose), which is broken down by enzyme lactase. Persons with lactose intolerance are unable to breakdown or digest large amounts of lactose ( refer to the post on lactose intolerance where we covered  more on food allergies, food intolerances and food insensitivities).

Minerals  and vitamins

Milk and its products  contain minerals such as potassium, sodium, iron and significant quantities of calcium. As a matter of fact, it is among the best sources of calcium.

They also contain vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B3 and vitamin B12.

Fats

The fat quantity of milk varies depending on whether it is whole milk (has most fat content), skimmed milk (has lowest fat content) or semi-skimmed milk( has moderate fat amounts ).

Note:

Different milk products have variances in the amount of nutrients in them. For example, butter and cheese have high fat content, yoghurt may have added sugars etc.

Taking into account that milk is a good source of calcium and it’s readily available, you should aim to include it in your diet to obtain sufficient amounts of calcium as well as the other nutrients it contains. And remember, that calcium is important for your bone health.

What is concerning however, is that the calcium absorption capacity decreases when you reach about 30, therefore take advantage to optimize its intake if you’re younger. especially when you’re still growing during adolescence and young adulthood to sustain your bone health even when older.

However, this does not imply that if you’re older than 30 you should not consume your calcium sources, you still need them in your diet, so continue to include milk and other calcium sources as part of your diet. You can cook it with other foods, eat it with cereals if you do not prefer it in its original form. You can also include  its various food products because some of them like yoghurt contain prebiotics that promote your gut health.

Still, you should remember to read your nutrition label when purchasing milk products to limit the intake of those with added sodium, sugars and high fat.

The intake of milk or milk products should be encouraged even if you have lactose intolerance-especially if you can tolerate the intake of some it. Your dietitian can provide a more detailed guidance on how to manage the intolerance while still including milk in your diet. This is because several individuals with lactose intolerance may actually tolerate fermented milk products such as yoghurt.