THE GOODNESS OF MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS

Why milk and dairy products are considered important in our diet?

Historical background about the importance of milk and dairy foods

Milk and dairy products were recognized as essential foods as early as 4000 BC, as is evident from the drawings of Sahara depicting dairy cattle faming. Remains of cheese were found in the tombs of Egypt dating back to 2300 BC. Milk and dairy products had become so familiar by about 3000 BC so that they were familiar enough to be used as metaphors or analogues. This is corroborated by the anecdote which refers to the Promised Land as a land “flowing with milk and honey.”

Milk is the only food of the young mammal during the first period of its life. The substances in milk provide both energy and the building materials necessary for growth. Milk also contains antibodies which protect the young mammal against infection. A calf needs about 1,000 litres of milk for growth, and that is the quantity which the primitive cow produces for each calf. There has been an enormous change since man took the cow into his service. Selective breeding has resulted in dairy cows which yield an average of more than 6,000 litres of milk per calf, i.e. six times as much as the primitive cow. Some cows can yield 14,000 litres or more.

Dairy products were more popular even during the middle ages but the preference varied geographically. For example, in Greece and Rome cheese was more preferred to fresh milk or butter. Whereas Northern Europe and Asia showed preference to fresh milk and butter while cheese was in the least preferred list.

Marco Polo, during his travel to China during 1271 -1295 described about the art of drying of milk and consumption of a type of fermented product which could probably be Koumiss or Kumiss by the nomadic tribes. Europeans introduced milk and dairy products into North America when they set their foot there.

The first dairy herd was established during the early 1600s in the US. Industrial revolution which brought along with it the railroads, steam engines, and refrigeration paved the way for widespread availability of fresh milk to the vast population. Milking machines, automatic churners, large scale cheese factories followed suit during 1950s which formed the base for today’s advancement in dairy technology.

The need to include milk and dairy products in your diet

The  U.S.  Department  of  Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid, National Dairy Council’s Guide to Good Eating, and the USDA / Department of Health and Human Service’s (DHHS) Dietary Guidelines for Americans and others recognize milk and dairy products as one of the five major food groups. While the USDA’s food guide pyramid favors 2 to 3 servings a day, the National Dairy Council recommends 2 to 4 servings.

The American Academy of Pediatrics in its recommendation urges inclusion of five daily servings of milk and dairy products per day to meet the vital calcium content. The bio-availability of calcium in milk makes it as the preferred source. This is more so important with regard to adolescent girls and women in general for keeping their fat content under check. In general, it is generally agreed to consume two to three servings of milk or dairy food a day to remain healthy.

The milk and dairy products, without doubt contribute a significant proportion of nutrients to the consumers. A US study states that approximately 73% of the calcium, 33% of the phosphorus, 31% of the riboflavin, 21% of the vitamin B12, 19% of the protein, 16% of the magnesium, 17% of the vitamin A, 10% of the vitamin B6, and 6% of the thiamin in addition to appreciable amounts of vitamin D and niacin is contributed by dairy related food, though their share in the total calories is only 9%. Thus milk and dairy products act as nutrient dense foods providing abundant amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals necessary for growth and development.

Scientific studies indicate that milk and other dairy products having rich calcium content when taken regularly during childhood and adolescence is an important determinant of peak bone mass and future risk of osteoporosis. But the unfortunate fact is that the vast majority of children in some of the developed countries and most of the developing nations are not even consuming the two to three servings of dairy foods as recommended by USDA’s Food Guide Pyramid.