Cow’s Milk Benefits, Properties and Consumption by Adults

Until recently, the word "milk" generically referred to cow's milk, widely consumed by the majority of people as a complete food, essential during childhood and adolescence, and rich in essential nutrients for growth. Things have changed somewhat now, especially with the spread of plant-based drinks and those made from alternative sources to cow's milk, such as goat's milk or donkey's milk. The reasons why consumers seek substitutes for cow's milk are varied, from preferring a diet free of animal products to believing it to be less digestible. So let's look at the characteristics of cow's milk, its properties, its benefits, and even its contraindications.

What is Cow's Milk and How Is It Found on The Market?

Cow's milk is produced by the mammary gland of the cow, a female bovine animal over three years of age, commonly known as a cow. Freshly milked, the milk is considered raw because it has not undergone any thermal treatment and must be boiled before it can be consumed. This process eliminates any bacteria, parasites, and germs that can cause diseases and infections such as brucellosis, enteritis, salmonella, and listeriosis. This type of direct consumption is usually intended for short supply chains, such as those sold in stables or through vending machines selling raw milk on tap. The varieties of cow's milk available on the market undergo pasteurization, a very short high-temperature treatment that eliminates the microbial load, thus making the food safe and more or less preservable. The main types are:

• Fresh milk pasteurized at a temperature greater than or equal to 161°F/72°C for at least 15 seconds, which can be kept for 6 days.
• Microfiltered pasteurized milk, which before pasteurization is filtered through a fine-mesh strainer that retains the microorganisms responsible for the deterioration of fresh milk, thus increasing its shelf life, approximately 10 days.
• Long-life milk, called UHT, is sterilized at a temperature between 275°F/135°C and 285°F/140°C so that it can be kept for 3 to 6 months in its original packaging.
• Powdered milk. Not to be confused with infant formula, which is enriched with specific nutrients, this is dehydrated cow's milk from which the water has been removed.

Cow's Milk's Properties and Benefits

Cow's milk is recognized as a complete food. In general, it is composed of 87% water, 3.9% fat, 3.4% protein (80% of which is casein), and 4.8% lactose, the latter of which is sugar. 100g of whole cow's milk contains 64 calories: an average of 250g per day is recommended, which corresponds to a classic breakfast bowl. Among the most recognized beneficial properties of milk is that of being a good source of vitamins, such as B2, B12, C, and D, and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and calcium. It is precisely this combination of values ​​that makes milk an important ally for the proper functioning of the metabolism and for the development and maintenance of bone structure, thus reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Depending on the fat content, cow's milk is divided into different product categories: whole milk (greater than 3.5%), semi-skimmed (around 1.5-1.8%), and skimmed (less than 0.5%). It's important to note that skimming only affects the fat content, not the other nutritional properties, which remain unchanged.

There is also a “High Quality” whole milk on sale, characterized by certain production and nutritional parameters that make the raw material of a superior quality compared to others.

Cow's milk is not suitable for those who are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk, which are not the same thing. Lactose intolerance, in fact, results from the inability to digest lactose, while a milk allergy is a hypersensitivity to proteins, which can manifest itself more or less severely like other allergies.

Adults and Cow's Milk

The relationship between milk consumption and adulthood is a question on which even the scientific community has a conflicting opinion. While there is no doubt that cow's milk is an important food for children (recommended from 12 months, according to Ministry of Health guidelines), adolescents, pregnant women, and even the elderly, a debate has been raging for some years about its benefits for adults: what is certain is that it is not harmful in itself.

The debate is closely tied to an adult's ability to process lactose: it's been shown that over the years, the amount of lactase —the enzyme needed to digest lactose—decreases, resulting in some adults developing the typical intolerance. This can happen for a variety of reasons, from intestinal conditions, where the enzyme is produced, to a lower consumption of dairy products. This means that if the body isn't "trained" to consume cow's milk and its derivatives, they're likely to become heavy and difficult to digest over time, often resulting in unpleasant side effects such as bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

To overcome lactose intolerance, there are specific products called dairy-free products, which ensure greater digestibility of milk. How? Through a chemical process that separates the molecules that make up lactose (galactose and glucose) exactly as lactase would. While it's impossible to completely eliminate lactose from foods, this process allows for such a negligible amount that it's undetectable. According to the Ministry of Health's definition, "at the national level, the lactose-free label can be used for milk and dairy products with a lactose residue of less than 0.1 g per 100 g or 100 ml."

How to Use Cow's Milk in Cooking

Milk is a food commonly consumed as a source of energy throughout the morning, thanks to its satiating properties. However, it is also an ingredient, whether primary or secondary, in various recipes. For example, it is the basis of the delicious dulce de leche, the famous South American milk cream, as well as creamy milk cake; it can be added to dough to add flavor and softness (milk sweet rolls) and to savory dishes to add tenderness and delicacy, such as pork loin in milk. And in the summer, it is excellent enjoyed as a milkshake. If you have too much milk at home and don't have time to use it up, you can freeze it: a solution that is probably little known, but undoubtedly useful.