World Milk Day: Health Benefits of Drinking Milk Everyday

Posted on: Jul 5, 2024 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

World Milk Day: Health Benefits of Drinking Milk Everyday

Milk is one of the most nutritious fluids or liquid foods to include in your diet. It contains a host of nutrients, such as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, iodine, vitamin D, and protein, and can help promote your overall well-being. From supporting heart health and strengthening bones to boosting energy and promoting brain development, milk can help with all.

Keeping the importance of milk and other dairy products in mind, 1st June is observed as World Milk Day every year. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations established the same to spread awareness about this nutrient-dense food. If you are still wondering why you should include milk in your diet, we will tell you in this article. Let’s get started with it!

Health Benefits of Milk

As mentioned earlier, drinking milk regularly can offer a host of health benefits and support your overall well-being. The following are some of the most important benefits of drinking milk —

1. Strengthens immunity:

Milk contains important immune-boosting nutrients, such as vitamins A and D and zinc. Therefore, including milk in your diet can help strengthen your immune system and help ward off microbial infections and other conditions.

2. Stronger bones and teeth:

Milk is an important source of calcium, potassium, phosphorous, vitamin D, vitamin K2 and protein. This powerful combination of nutrients helps maintain strong bones and teeth and alleviates the risk of associated conditions, such as bone loss, osteoporosis, and fractures.

3. Supports digestion:

Milk can also support your digestive health and keep away associated conditions, such as acid reflux and heartburn. This nutritious food also helps with other important functions, such as the absorption of calcium in the body, conversion of food into energy, and supporting healthy metabolism.

4. Keeping weight in check:

This one may come as a surprise to many, as milk is often associated with weight gain. However, studies have shown that milk can lower the risk of childhood obesity. Another study showed that consuming milk and other high-fat dairy products helped many middle-aged and elderly women shed those extra pounds. Here’s how —

◦ The high protein content in milk can keep you full for long and prevent binge eating.

◦ Milk contains conjugated linoleic acid that reportedly promotes fat breakdown and aids in weight loss.

◦ The calcium present in milk can also prevent weight gain or obesity.

5. Supports heart health:

Low-fat or fat-free milk can help alleviate the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and other conditions. Dairy milk and milk products contain important nutrients, such as calcium and vitamins D and K, that are good for cardiovascular health.

Considering that health issues are increasing among people of all ages, it is important to include milk and other heart-healthy foods in your diet to stay away from ailments. Also, make sure you keep an individual healthcare plan or a family floater handy for medical emergencies. Having health insurance can ease your worries during medical exigencies, help you opt for quality treatment, and save you from paying the bills from your pocket.

6. Improves mental health:

The nutrients present in milk, such as vitamins B, C and D, are good for your mental and emotional health. Including milk in your diet can also protect your brain from age-related damage.

7. Promotes relaxation:

Cow milk or dairy milk contains a small amount of an essential amino acid called tryptophan that promotes the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and melatonin. While dopamine supports memory and learning, serotonin is important for regulating mood. Melatonin, or the sleep hormone, promotes relaxation and helps promote restful sleep at night.

8. Supports post-exercise recovery:

As a good source of high-quality protein and carbs, milk is a wonderful choice for post-exercise recovery. It can help refuel muscles, build lean muscle mass, and provide electrolytes that help rehydrate the body. Some important electrolytes present in milk are calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.

9. Boosts energy levels:

Milk contains a naturally occurring sugar called lactose that helps boost energy levels. Moreover, lactose also helps promote the absorption of certain minerals in the body, such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

10. Helps during pregnancy:

Packed with many vital vitamins, minerals, iodine, and other nutrients, milk is an important liquid food for pregnant women as well as the foetus. It supports the brain and bone development of the foetus during pregnancy and infancy. Protein and calcium in milk help meet the baby’s nutrition needs. Dairy products, such as cheese, milk, and yoghurt, are good for pregnant women.

How can you make a glass of milk more interesting?

There are many ways to make a glass of milk more interesting. The following are some simple options —

• Almond milk:

This is a delicious and healthy option for people of all ages. All you need to do is soak around 9 to 10 almonds for a few hours and remove the skin. Add them to a blender with a cup of milk and blend until smooth and creamy. Your almond milk is ready. You can add some sugar to it or skip it altogether.

• Saffron milk:

Saffron or kesar milk is a wonderful option for the winter season. It not only enhances the taste of milk but also offers many health benefits. Saffron milk boosts immunity, prevents colds, supports heart health, and a lot more. To make saffron milk, add a few strands of saffron and some sugar to a cup of milk and heat it for about 3-4 seconds.

• Rose milk:

This is another simple way to make a glass of milk more interesting. To prepare rose milk, add about 1 tablespoon of rose syrup and some sugar to a glass of milk. Blend them and enjoy this refreshing beverage. Rose milk is good for your digestive and cognitive health. It helps fight microbial infections and inflammation as well.

• Strawberry milk:

If you love strawberries, you ought to try strawberry milk! This delicious and healthy beverage is quite simple to make. All you must do is add 4-5 strawberries and some sugar to a cup of milk and blend in a blender. You can also add a scoop of strawberry ice cream to it on those sweltry summer days. Strawberries can provide vitamin C, potassium, fibre, and antioxidants to your body and promote your well-being.

• Turmeric milk:

Turmeric is a powerful spice offering various health benefits. Therefore, turmeric milk, popularly called golden milk, is a healthy beverage to add to your diet. You can make turmeric milk by adding a pinch of turmeric to a cup/glass of milk. Heat it for 3-4 minutes, add some sugar and enjoy it warm. Turmeric milk can boost immunity and provide antioxidant protection to the cells of your body. It can also fight inflammation, support cardiac and cognitive health and keep other vital organs healthy.

How do you compensate if you are lactose intolerant?

Lactose intolerance is a condition that causes uncomfortable symptoms after you consume dairy products. Some common symptoms of the condition are bloated stomach, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhoea, and flatulence.

Therefore, if you are lactose intolerant, you must consume only lactose-free products, such as soy or almond milk. You can also consume dairy products with less lactose, including yoghurt and fermented cheese or hard cheese, every few days. For calcium and other nutrients, make sure you add leafy greens, dried nuts, beans, eggs, and fatty fish to your diet.

Why is milk a great food for all age groups?

Milk contains many essential micronutrients and macronutrients that support optimal health. In addition to protein, fat and carbohydrates, milk is loaded with calcium, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin B12, iodine, amino acids, and other nutrients. Therefore, milk is a wonderful liquid food for people of all ages.

The following are some ways how milk can support and promote your health:

• It helps maintain good brain and cardiovascular health

• Milk also supports the health of your bones, muscles, and teeth.

• It helps build and repair body tissues.

• It boosts energy levels in children as well as adults.

• It strengthens immunity and combats inflammation.

• It helps prevent dehydration.

Conclusion

To sum up, dairy milk undoubtedly is one of the best liquid foods to include in your diet. It can keep you energetic all day and prevent nutrient deficiencies in the body. Therefore, make sure you include milk and milk products in your diet to promote your overall health. However, if you are lactose intolerant, you must choose lactose-free options, such as soy or almond milk, to prevent associated digestive discomfort. Also, it is wise to cover yourself and your loved ones under individual or family health insurance and stay prepared for medical emergencies. With adequate health insurance, you can avail of quality treatment without burning a hole in your pocket.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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