Since 2001 one celebrates World Milk day, and curiously since a year before began to descend the consumption of milk in Spain.
However, experts recommend continuing to drink cow’s milk for its nutritional properties. The recommended rations are between two and three a day in the form of milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.
Professional nutritionists maintain the importance of milk and dairy consumption in order to achieve a healthy and level diet. Milk is a great source of calcium that is easily absorbed by our organism. It is also a complete food for its large number of nutrients: carbohydrates (in the form of lactose), fats, proteins of good quality, minerals (calcium, potassium, phosphorus, etc.) and also vitamins A, B12 and D.
Why has milk consumption decreased by 30% since the year 2000?
Cow’s milk has suffered a demonization in recent years. Erroneous nutritional theories and false myths have been fuelling a rejection that has been going on in the population. The best known myth argues that we should stop taking it because man is the only mammal that continues to drink milk in adulthood. We are also the only mammals that work, we dress, we wear glasses and a thousand other things that distinguish us. There is no scientific argument to limit the intake of milk, unless there is an intolerance or an allergy, says Jesús Román, president of the Healthy Eating Foundation and the Spanish Society of Dietetics and Food Sciences (SEDCA).
Unlike other mammals, humans have a mutation in the lactase enzyme that allows us to digest milk at all stages of life.
Dairy products of animal origin have vitamins such as A, D, or B-complex in addition to niacin and calcium that do not contain the vegetables.
The campaigns in schools and institutions in recent years have failed to overcome the fashion of the (badly) called vegetable milks. Compared to the decrease in milk has grown in parallel consumption of soy beverages, oats, almonds, spelt, coconut, quinoa, tiger nut.. And even birdseed. While Spanish ranchers Agonize, the volume of sales of these vegetable beverages is generating a sales volume of about 200 million annually.
Before being carried away by the ‘ fashion ‘ of the vegetable beverages it is advisable to take into account what is waived if they replace the dairy: “Vegetable beverages have a very low protein content: between 0.3 and 0.8 GR/100 ml compared to 3.5 and 3.6 gr/100 ml of cow’s milk.
Nutritionists maintain that we should be cautious about this type of product, because many of them are usually artificially sweetened or hide too many fats. “Some vegetable beverages have more sugars and artificial syrups, especially chocolate-flavored or otherwise.”
On the contrary among the main benefits of consuming milk are:
- Prevents osteoporosis.
- Neutralizes the oral acids.
- It favors the formation of bones.
- Reduces the risk of tooth decay.
- Helps lower uric acid levels.
How is international Milk day celebrated?
On June 1, the International Day of milk is being held, it aims to be a benchmark to inform the population worldwide of the benefits of milk intake. Various activities are usually carried out in which the main theme is milk and dairy products.
It is very common for many cities around the world to share thousands of milk rations among their citizens to encourage their consumption.
Many schools or colleges on this day make excursions to various milk factories where they can learn the process of milk as well as packaging.
International Milk Day was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for the purpose of stimulating the consumption of dairy products around the world. The 1st of June of the year 2001 was the first day in which this celebration took place.