Milk and its products are nutritious natural foods in our daily lives. When to drink it? How much to drink? How to pair it with other foods? These are questions we often encounter. I. Season and Time for Milk Consumption
Milk can be consumed in any season. In summer, high temperatures cause the body to sweat profusely, leading to the loss of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Milk is a good source of calcium and can effectively alleviate the body's calcium deficiency. At the same time, in a high-temperature environment, the body's energy expenditure increases. The protein and fat in milk can provide a supplementary source of protein and energy.
Milk is a staple food for people and can be consumed with any of the three daily meals. It can also be consumed at times outside of meals according to personal habits, but it is advisable to eat some grains before drinking milk to facilitate the comprehensive absorption and utilization of nutrients. For breakfast, a glass of milk with an egg or bread is a good choice. In addition, students drinking milk during breaks can make up for the lack of breakfast, keeping them energetic and more focused in class. Drinking a glass of milk one hour before bedtime can help with sleep. [China Cuisine] II. Consumption Amount
As a food with high nutritional value, drinking too little milk makes it difficult to exert its proper effects, while drinking too much makes it difficult to fully digest, absorb, and utilize. The daily amount of milk should be determined based on age, energy expenditure, and economic conditions. Generally, adults should drink 400-500 ml of milk per day, which is two cartons (or bags), with a minimum of about 250 ml, which is one carton (or bag). It is best not to exceed 1000 ml, otherwise its nutrients cannot be fully absorbed and utilized.
Excessive consumption of milk, especially high-fat milk, can easily lead to excessive fat intake. This is especially important for people with light physical labor and who are overweight to pay attention to their consumption amount.
III. Pairing with Other Foods
1. Milk and Grain Foods
It is best to eat some grain foods before drinking milk or to drink it while eating. Because drinking milk on an empty stomach reduces the opportunity for it to mix with saliva in the mouth. Once it comes into contact with stomach acid, the protein and fat in the milk will clump together, forming indigestible substances. This can cause diarrhea in people with weak intestinal function, or bloating and discomfort due to abnormal fermentation. [China Cuisine]
2. Milk and Sugar
Some people like to add sugar to milk, which can increase the energy supplied by carbohydrates, but it must be limited. It is best to use sucrose, generally 5-8 grams of sugar per 100 ml of milk. If too much sugar is added, it will have adverse effects on health. Especially for infants and young children, excessive sugar in the body will cause water retention, making muscles and subcutaneous tissue soft and weak. Such babies may look chubby, but their body's resistance is poor. Excessive sugar in the body will be converted into fat and stored in subcutaneous tissue, and it can also become a risk factor for some diseases, such as arteriosclerosis. Do not add brown sugar to milk, because brown sugar contains a certain amount of oxalic acid, which will cause the rich protein in milk to gel or precipitate, not only causing bloating but also affecting the body's absorption of iron and copper trace elements.
3. Milk and Foods Rich in Oxalic Acid
Milk is rich in protein and calcium, while some foods such as amaranth, spinach, water spinach, chocolate, and brown sugar contain oxalic acid. When eaten together, the calcium in milk will react with the oxalic acid in these foods to form calcium oxalate, which is insoluble in water. As a result, the nutrients in the milk and food are not well absorbed and utilized, and it is easy to experience symptoms such as diarrhea and dry hair. Therefore, it is best to consume these foods separately from milk. [China Cuisine] IV. Heating Milk
For pasteurized fresh milk, there is no need to heat or boil it before drinking, as it can be consumed directly to avoid loss of nutrients. If heating is necessary, the temperature should not exceed 40°C. High-temperature and prolonged boiling can cause the lactose in milk to caramelize and turn brown, and gradually decompose into lactic acid and a small amount of formaldehyde, which can make the milk taste sour. When boiling milk, it is best not to add sugar. If sugar must be added, add it to the milk after it has been boiled and cooled to a warm temperature. Additionally, do not use copper utensils to heat milk, because copper can accelerate the destruction of vitamins. Especially during the heating process, copper has a catalytic effect on some chemical reactions in milk, which will speed up the loss of nutrients.