After having a baby, milk becomes a staple food in the house, and many parents buy it by the carton at the supermarket. But sometimes, the milk in the supermarket isn't necessarily "real" milk—it's likely just a trick for businesses to make money. Parents who don't look carefully might end up buying not pure milk, but milk-flavored drinks with no nutritional value that are not beneficial to drink! So, moms, be sure to check the labels when buying milk. The following 5 types of milk are not truly milk!
1. Milk Beverages:
True Identity: Just from the name, you know its true identity isn't "milk," but a "beverage."
These drinks are often labeled as "xx Milk," sweet and sour, and very popular with children. You might think you've just bought yogurt with added sugar or a fermented dairy product with a more tempting flavor.
But in reality? These milk beverages are just drinks based on water with added milk or milk flavorings and various other flavorings. They don't even qualify as dairy products!
The name sounds like milk, and it tastes a bit like yogurt, but in fact, its nutritional value is a world away from the comprehensive and healthy nutrients of real milk.
2. Modified Milk:
True Identity: Milk with large amounts of additives and water added to enhance its flavor.
Jujube milk, walnut milk, chocolate milk—they really taste delicious. They have the flavor of milk and are even more fragrant. Of course, this is a bit better than the previous one, as it's at least considered a dairy product, with milk being the main ingredient.
However, these modified milks contain large amounts of additives to improve flavor and texture, thereby attracting children's attention: the kids think it's delicious, and the parents assume that the good flavor is mainly from added jujubes, walnuts, etc., and is still very nutritious.
It has to be said, businesses are truly cunning! Those jujube and walnut flavors are all thanks to artificial flavorings. The actual jujube and walnut content is pitifully small; it's healthier to just eat some at home.
3. Children's Milk:
True Identity: Milk with a lot of hype (we won't list the names, you know them), but in fact, it's milk containing large amounts of additives.
The reason children's milk is so popular with kids is mainly due to its high sugar content and good taste. Children have almost no resistance to sweet things. Drinking this sweet milk for a long time will make them think that truly nutritious milk is unpalatable and too bland.
Moreover, these sweet milks have too much sugar, which can cause children to lose their appetite for meals or lead to increased energy intake, resulting in childhood obesity.
Even if children's milk comes with buzzwords like "brain-boosting," "height-enhancing," "digestion-aiding," or "calcium-supplementing," and it does contain added calcium, probiotics, etc., the amounts are not high. It's more practical to just let your child eat well and drink regular plain milk or yogurt.
4. Breakfast Milk:
True Identity: Dairy products with added cereal, grains, fiber, etc.
This type of dairy product is sweet, and some contain grains that are pleasantly chewy. But the large amounts of added grains, sugar, and fruit and vegetable fiber significantly reduce the milk's own components.
In reality, the protein content and nutritional value of breakfast milk are inferior to that of plain milk. If you're not in a rush in the morning, having plain milk with your main meal is healthier.
5. High-Calcium Milk:
True Identity: The price is increased, but the calcium absorption rate doesn't increase much.
Milk itself already contains a lot of calcium; high-calcium milk is just further calcium-fortified.
However, there are regulations on the amount of calcium that can be added to milk. Even when fortified to the maximum allowable amount, the calcium content is still minimal.
The small amount of calcium that is added, however, increases the price of the milk significantly, without much increase in absorption rate.
Conclusion
So, businesses are truly cunning. If parents want their children to drink nutritious and healthy "real" milk, they need to learn how to read labels!
Also, some parents worry that their babies won't drink plain milk. Actually, moms, when you're learning about complementary foods, you might as well learn a few "tricks," such as pumpkin milk pudding, banana oatmeal milk porridge, etc. There are plenty of tutorials online with a simple search!