Milk
I was born and grew up in India. The country, India is known for farming and an
animal husbandry. In India, even today 70% of the people lives in the villages. Most of
them have the milch animals and farms. Their lives depend on them. So, milk is very
important in their lives. India has the world’s largest Cattle population. Most of animals
are used for milk because cattle are sacred to Hindus, but they are used for meat by
Muslims and Christians. This is the one reason that milk is important in India . Because
more than half of the population depends on farming and an animal husbandry, dairy
industry is developed fast. In our life, we start using milk from our birth through breast
feeding. Breast feeding can reduce the risk of many diseases in babies. Milk is also
important in the economic development in the developing country like India , where most
of the people depend on animal husbandry. There is development of dairy industry which
supports the economy.
Milk is a nutritive beverage obtained from various animals and consumed by
humans. Milk is central to the logic Indian diet.
Milk helps the entire digestive process and if digestion is working properly, the
circulatory system works well. If the circulatory system is functioning properly, then the
nervous system will stay healthy. These three systems regulate human body and milk
helps to regulate them.
Milk is very rich sours of calcium and amino acids which are the main
components of protein. Calcium is responsible for our bones and teeth. It protects
against osteoporosis. Milk contains casein that contains all amino acids. Protein is
needed to repair and build body tissues and form antibodies which circulate in the blood
and help fight infection. Moreover, Milk contains Phosphorus, Magnesium, Potassium
and Riboflavin and those are responsible for healthy skin and eyes.
Use of Milk in the Body

Nutrient Density - Milk of cow is a nutrient dense food, which provides a high
concentration of nutrients in relation to energy. Milk provides fewer than 10% of
Phosphorus, Calcium, Vitamin D, Riboflavin and Vitamin B12 intakes. Compare to the
other food in diet, milk provide more energy.

Protein - The principal proteins of milk are casein whey proteins. There are high quality
proteins, together containing varying amounts, all of the essential amino acids required
for human growth and tissue maintains.

Carbohydrate - The main carbohydrate in cow’s milk is lactose; a disaccharide.
In nature, lactose found only in milk and small number of plants. It gives sweet test to
the milk and it contributes 40% of whole cow milk’s calorie. But some people have
lactose intolerance. So, they are allergic to milk.

Fat - Fat gives the milk to its appearance, texture and flavors. Milk fat carries fat
soluble Vitamins (Vitamins – A, D, E and K). The fatty acids in milk, fat is
approximately 62% saturated, 30% mono saturated and 4% polyunsaturated, with the
remaining 4% comprising other minor type of fatty acids.

Vitamins - Cow’s milk is an important source of numerous and minerals. Vitamin
A in whole milk and added to low-fat and fat free milk in the U.S. and Canada , plays a
key role in vision, cellular differentiation and immunity.

Calcium - As far as animals are concerned, cow’s milk and other dairy foods are
major sources of calcium and phosphorus. Without including milk in the diet, it is
difficult to meet calcium needs. In fact, milk and other dairy foods are preferred source
of calcium. More than calcium, milk contributes other essentials minerals to the diet such
as potassium and trace elements, such as Zink, which supports skeletal and total body
health. Potassium and Magnesium is good in regulation of blood pressure.
Milk as a medicine

Hypertension - The landmark DASH (Dietary Approaches to stop Hypertension)
study demonstrated that law fat diet containing three or more serving of dairy foods,
predominantly low fat milk, in combination with fruits and vegetables, significantly and
quickly reduced blood pressure in person with high normal blood pressure and in the
patients with isolated systolic hypertension. Nutrients such as calcium, potassium and
magnesium are believed to contribute to milk’s blood pressure covering effect.

Osteoporosis - A disease is due to lack of vitamin D and calcium. Adequate
intake of milk and other calcium rich foods through life helps to reduce for osteoporosis,
a bone thinning disease.

Cancer - Despite some reports to the country, intake of cow’s milk may reduce to
risk for certain cancers, such as colon and breast. In a one case study, it is proved that
law gat milk intake was associated with a lower risk for colorectal cancer. In another
study, it is proved that the women who drinks milk has law chance of breast cancer.

Kidney stones - Consuming milk may help to reduce to risks of kidney stones,
especially calcium oxalate stones. High calcium in milk intake is believed to reduce
kidney stone risk by forming an insoluble calcium oxalate complex in the intestinal
lumen, there by decreasing the intestinal absorption and renal excretion of the oxalate
found in foods or produced by bacterial fermentation of fatty acids.

Weight control - Emerging research supports a potentially beneficial role for
cow’s milk in weight control.

Others - Because cow’s milk is a major source of calcium in the diet, its intake
may confer beneficial roles in other disorder like premenstrual syndrome, polycystic
ovary syndrome, lead intoxication, periodontal disease etc.
Economical importance of milk
In India, milk has a very high economical value. It is recognized as a social economic
development. Because of enough production of milk, the dairying industries are
developing fast. Milk can be processed into dairy product such as cream, butter, yogurt,
ice cream, and cheese, casein, why protein, condensed milk, powdered milk and much
other food – additive and industrial produced. Those products are really useful for the
people who are vegetarian. So, Milk has a great economical value in a developing
country like India . So, we can say that dairy industries are very important in economical
development.
Thus, Milk is very good source of nutrient in our body. Milk is called complete food
for our body because it provides all adequate nutrients for our body and it has also great
economical value.
Bibliography
“milk 2”. The Columbia Encyclopedia (2004). Retrieved 10 November 2006 , from
xreferplus. http://www.xreferplus.com/entry/4287673.
Patton, Stuart. Milk: Its Remarkable Contribution to Human Health and Well-Being.
New Brunswick : Transaction publishers, 2004.
Wilson, Ted. Beverages In Nutrition And Health. Totowa: Humana Press, 2004