Milk is great, but keep it skimmed

(By Lisa Sarah John, Courtesy Bangalore Times, Jan 29, 2007)

Milk is one of the most wholesome foods available. In the human life cycle, maximum growth takes place from birth to three months. During this period, milk is the only food that an infant consumes. Therefore, it must be very special. Milk contains almost all the essential nutrients — water, minerals calcium, vitamin A, B, D, and E. It also contains carbohydrate — lactose, protein and fat. But today, many children and adults have almost given up drinking milk. Young people feel it’s not fashionable to drink milk and adults feel it’s too fattening. The result is poor teeth, weak bones and muscles, breaking nails and falling hair. Many older people complain of back pain, neck and joint pains.
In the human diet, milk is the single largest source of calcium which can be consumed on a daily basis. Many feel that taking a calcium tablet can replace milk. You may get your calcium from this, but not your protein. Half a litre of milk gives you approximately 15 gms of protein and about 500 mg of calcium.
Most commercial milk contains fat. Skimmed milk is also available, which contains less than 1.5 per cent fat. Here’s a method to remove fat from regular whole milk: heat milk and bring it to boil. Lower the flame and allow milk to simmer on slow fire for 10-15 minutes. Cool, refrigerate and remove the cream after 5-6 hours. Use the previous day’s chilled milk for the next morning’s coffee. Similarly, curd must be set only after refrigerating and removing the cream. Those wanting to lose weight or who have high cholesterol, triglyceride or diabetic problems, must use milk that has been skimmed.
While on a diet 2-3 glasses of this milk is permitted for most people. Today, skimmed milk is available in ready-to-use packets on supermarket shelves. They contain 0.5 per cent fat and are very useful for those on diets as well as heart patients or diabetics. Curd too can be made from this skimmed milk. It is fine to consume 500-700 ml of this daily.
Milk fat contains cholesterol and one gm fat gives nine calories, so one teaspoon of cream, butter, ghee gives 35-45 calories.

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