We often say that drinking milk is good for supplementing calcium, but with different types of milk on the market, is their calcium-supplementing effect the same?
With the continuous improvement of processing technology, the variety of milk and its products is increasing. It's not just a change in flavor; even the nutritional content has changed, and in some cases, changed significantly. This has made it a necessary consideration when choosing milk and its products for calcium supplementation.
Whole milk, which is the common milk we are familiar with, has a protein content of about 3%, a fat content of about 3%, and a calcium content of about 120 mg/100ml. It also contains fat-soluble vitamins such as K, A, and E, making it one of the best foods for calcium supplementation.
Semi-skimmed milk and skimmed milk have fat contents of about 1.5% and as low as 0.5%, respectively. Those who are afraid of obesity might think they should choose skimmed milk. However, many vitamins in milk, such as vitamins K, A, and E, are fat-soluble and are hidden in the milk's fat. When the fat is removed, these vitamins are also lost, which is not beneficial for human development. Furthermore, the aroma of milk comes from volatile components in the fat; without fat, milk has no flavor. Therefore, when choosing milk for the elderly, semi-skimmed milk might be a better choice; for children, whole milk should definitely be chosen.
High-calcium milk: Milk itself already has a high calcium content (120 mg/100ml), and its absorption rate is high. Even if additional calcium is added, it cannot increase much, at most only reaching 130-140 mg/100ml, and it will also seriously affect the taste of the milk, reducing the smooth and creamy feeling and increasing a rough texture. The added calcium is mostly not milk calcium, but other calcium salts, such as calcium carbonate, which are low in cost and have a low absorption rate. Therefore, if you want to supplement more calcium, it's better to drink a few more glasses of regular milk instead of so-called high-calcium milk.
Milk fortified with vitamins A and D: Vitamins A and D play an important role in the absorption of calcium in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, fortified milk will have a better effect.