It's a nutritional staple for many and one of the best-known source of calcium. Unfortunately, milk has been under the spotlight recently, being linked to various health complications, such as asthma, digestive issues and even cancer. On top of this, there's also confusion on which milk is best to buy. Should you go low-fat? What about almond, rice or soy milk? And what does it mean by permeate-free?
What's in full cream, regular milk?
Full cream, also known as whole milk, contains around 3.8% fat and is high in bone-building calcium. It also supply abundant amount of phosphorus, high quality protein, carbohydrates and B vitamins as well as fat-soluble vitamins A and D. What's less known is that regular cow's milk has a higher level of A1 beta-casien proteins and the milk sugar,lactose, both of which are components in milk that can cause adverse side-reactions in some people.
Should you go full cream or low-fat?
If losing weight is not your major concern, full-fat milk is a better option over reduced-fat (1-1.5% fat) and low-fat milk (less than 1% fat). This is because vitamin A and D (fat soluble) levels in these milks are lower than full cream milk as the natural vitamins and extracted and removed when the fat is removed. If you were to opt for low-fat milk, It would be recommended that you supplement the deficiency in vitamins with a multi-vitamin.
But if you're weight conscious, the low-fat milk are a better option just because of the fact that it's less likely to exceed your daily calories due to the low-fat content. The intake of saturated fat will also be reduced which is a slight advantage if you want to lower cholesterol and save on calories for other macro's.
But:
- Low-fat foods do not actually lower calorie consumption:
Low-fat versions are supposed to reduce the amount of calories intake of people, and in an absolute sense. they do. A cup of low-fat milk contain less calories then a cup of full-cream milk, But there isn't much evidence to support the idea that drinking lower-calories beverages in general leads to lower calories intake. Reduced-fat foods and drinks may not be as filling, so people might end up compensating for the lack in calories by eating and drinking more. So, the main point here is MODERATION.
- Low-fat milk increases levels of triglyceride fats:
Whole milk's high saturated fat content has been linked to higher cholesterol level. But low-fat milk might lead consumers to ingest more high-glycaemic-index foods, if unused, able to increase the level of triglycerides that can tremendously amplify effect of heart-disease risk factors such as high cholesterol and hypertension.
- The rise of sugar-sweetened flavoured milk:
Usually low-fat milk are sugar-sweetened with artificial flavour. Although they may have 3g less saturated fat, they also contain about 13g more sugar than whole milk per cup to compensate for the lost of flavour. Thus, leading to the accumulation of fat at the adipose layer.
What do food manufactures do to full fat milk to make it low-fat?
Low-fat milk simply has the fat separated during the processing. Due to the fact that fat is less dense than water, the cream (or fat) rises to the top and is skimmed off. While nothing else may not be added to compensate for the removed fat, some can have added milk solids to make it taste better as well as being fortified to make up for the low nutrition levels (due to extraction and removal of fat)
Is it true that low-fat milk has higher sugar levels than full fat milk to make it taste better?
Not really. Because by removing most of the fat, the milk becomes more 'concentrated' with the two remaining macro-nutrients being protein and carbohydrates (milk is high in the natural sugar,lactose). So we can see a slight increase in the content of sugars say from 4.6 to 4.8 % but this is not significant in the whole food intake. The real complication starts when consumers opt for the flavoured low-fat milk and definitely there is nothing healthy about flavoured milk. A 1 litre Dutch Lady flavoured milk (Strawberry or Chocolate)
contains approximately 7 teaspoons of simple sugar. A simple healthy alternative is to make a banana, strawberry or raw cacao milkshake at home from natural ingredients.
Aren't low-fat, reduced fat and skim milk all the same?
Reduced-fat contains between 1-1.5% fat, low-fat milk has less than 1 percent fat and skim milkor no-fat milk has no more than 0.15% fat. These milks can have extra protein or calcium added.
Is it true milk is linked to cancer , asthma and other serious health conditions?
Based on the evidence statement in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, consumption of milk/dairy foods is linked to reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and colorectal cancer.
On the other hand, according to the Cancer Research UK, some research stated that there could be a link between dairy intake and the risk of prostate and ovarian cancers. A linkage between breast cancer and dairy product has been suggested, possibly because of the type of fats they contain, or contaminants that could be present in the milk.
What is the difference between homogenised, pasteurised or unpasteurised milk?
They are simply terms to classify the different processes milk goes through before the finished product is made. Homogenised milk refers to when milk has been treated to disperse the cream layer containing the milk fat throughout the milk. Pasteurised milk is when the milk is heated to exterminate the bacterial that would cause milk spoilage. And unpasteurised is when milk does not go through the pasteurisation process and is therefore called raw milk.
What about almond, oat or soy milk? What dairy free options are there?
- Almond Milk
This is perfect for those who are intolerant or allergic to cows and soy milk. It has a slightly nutty taste and contains little to no saturated fat and no cholesterol.
- Soy Milk
Soy milk is derived from unfermented soybeans, water and rice syrup. Soy contains compounds called isoflavones which negatively impact the thyroid gland so it is not recommended for those with a thyroid history or for those people trying to lose weight. (Thyroid hormones control metabolism)
- Oat Milk
Oat milk is lactose free and low in fat, Oat milk is made from water, oats, sunflower oil and sea salt. It is free of lactose, high in beta glucans which are a soluble fibre that help to lower cholesterol.
- Rice Milk
Made from filtered water, brown rice syrup and brown rice starch, with the addition of thickening agents such as sunflower or canola oil, this milk alternative is high in GI and is not suitable for people trying to lose weight or with insulin resistance or diabetes. Rice milk is an alternative to people who are soy and cow's milk intolerant as well as vegans.
- Goat's Milk
It's similar to cow's milk in terms of nutritional value with a slightly higher fat content. If you're generally allergic to cow's milk, you will most likely to react just as badly to goat's milk.
What does permeate-free mean?
Permeate is naturally found in the milk. It is simply the collective term for the natural lactose, vitamin and mineral components which are taken out of the milk, through a filtration process, then put back in to control the taste, protein and fat content. "Permeate-free" simply means the milk has not undergone this filtration step so the nutrients in the final product may vary slightly every time due to difference in cow's feeds and the weather condition.
